Ray is also well known for having founded the Venice Beach Freakshow in 2006, depicted in the reality television show Freakshow. It closed in 2017.\n', '

Todd Ray was born in Lancaster, South Carolina. As a teenager, Ray fell in love with the early hip-hop singles coming out of New York and began performing locally with friends. In 1986, he landed a record contract which led him to New York where he met his future wife, Danielle. He and Danielle ultimately moved to Los Angeles, settling in the suburbs to raise their two children.\n', '

Growing up in the rural South, Ray\'s living conditions and local entertainment options left much to be desired. After hearing a friend\'s copy of Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force\'s Planet Rock, Todd purchased a pair of turntables. He and his friends began performing locally. At this time, their group did not have a name and people would simply refer to them as \'those white boys\'. Swatch Watch sponsored them, flying them to Breckenridge, Colorado for one of the first ever snowboarding events, where Converse Sneakers reps provided additional sponsorship. Using his portion of the sponsorship money, T-Ray began building his record collection, which provided a solid foundation for his budding production skills. After mastering the concept of \'breaks\', he quickly finished his group\'s first demo. A club in nearby Charlotte, NC was having a talent contest which Todd won several weeks in a row, which qualified him for the finals. The final competition was judged by representatives from Def Jam and Polygram. Although Todd did not win the final competition, a Polygram representative approached Todd with the offer of a record contract (1986)\n', '

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