NFL Star & Recording Artist Ray-Ray McCloud Talks New Single, Acting Debut and Building a Brand Beyond Football
…Don’t let everyone in your game room. Even when you’re grinding, some people’s negative energy can mess with your positive energy. You know what I’m saying? So for me, it’s always about keeping the right people around you. Keep positive energy around you. Anybody — whether it’s family or friends — who brings negativity into whatever you’re focused on at the moment, you need to keep that out of your circle…
I had the pleasure of talking with Ray-Ray McCloud III. Ray-Ray, an NFL wide receiver currently signed with the Atlanta Falcons, has built a multifaceted career that spans professional sports, music, entrepreneurship, and the entertainment industry. Known for his speed and versatility on the football field, McCloud is also carving out a space for himself as a recording artist, producer, and record label executive under the stage name “Runway.”
Born in Tampa, Florida, McCloud grew up in a traditional household where discipline and education were prioritized. The eldest of several siblings, he credits his parents — his mother focused on academics, his father on athletics — for instilling a balanced sense of structure and ambition. McCloud was introduced to sports early, initially gravitating toward baseball before embracing football in elementary school. His athletic versatility was evident even in childhood, and he remained active across football, baseball, and basketball throughout his youth.
McCloud’s collegiate football career took shape at Clemson University, where he contributed to the Tigers’ 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. Known for his adaptability, he played a range of positions — including wide receiver, running back, and defensive back — demonstrating a multidimensional athletic profile that would later define his professional trajectory.
Declared for the NFL Draft in 2018, McCloud was selected by the Buffalo Bills. He went on to play for several teams, including the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers, before joining the San Francisco 49ers. During his time with the 49ers, he made his Super Bowl debut in 2024, appearing in Super Bowl LVIII. In the same year, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
McCloud has cited his time with the Steelers as a turning point in his personal and professional development. According to him, it was during these years that he began to fully understand the discipline required to maintain longevity in the NFL. He describes this period as formative, reshaping his approach to nutrition, training, and overall professionalism.
Parallel to his athletic career, McCloud has long maintained an interest in music, a passion that took root in his childhood. Influenced by his father’s record label, Hip Hop Heads (3H), McCloud was exposed early to the mechanics of the music industry. The label’s artists included names who would go on to collaborate with major figures such as Snoop Dogg and sign with labels like Universal and Capitol Records. While McCloud’s early years in music were informal — freestyling with friends and performing at local events — he later formalized his ambitions by launching his own imprint, Legend Tribe Entertainment.
Now operating as both an artist and CEO under the moniker “Runway,” McCloud leads a roster of emerging artists while actively producing his own music. His debut EP, Since the Beginning, is available on major streaming platforms, and he is preparing to release a new single, “Stand On It,” in the summer of 2025, in partnership with Virgin Records. McCloud has emphasized the importance of handling the business infrastructure before publicly pushing his music, noting that he waited until the proper systems were in place before fully committing to releases.
In addition to music and sports, McCloud is expanding into acting. He has secured a supporting role in a major studio film scheduled for release in 2026. While details about the film’s cast and plot remain under wraps, the project marks his formal entry into Hollywood.
McCloud’s interests also extend into fashion. In early 2025, he appeared in the GQ Bowl Spring Fashion Show during Super Bowl LIX, wearing designs by Bode Rec. The moment added another layer to his growing personal brand, blending sports, entertainment, and style. Known for his distinctive fashion sense, McCloud says the name “Runway” reflects not only his music persona but also his lifestyle — marked by a commitment to high quality and originality.
Despite his increasingly public profile, McCloud maintains a pragmatic approach to managing multiple pursuits. He acknowledges the challenge of balancing athletics, music, and media but dismisses the idea that individuals should confine themselves to a single lane. “People say you can’t play football and do this and that,” he said. “But I’ve been juggling multiple things my whole life.”
McCloud is also known for his philanthropic mindset, although he speaks less publicly about this dimension of his life. He often discusses the importance of energy and surrounding oneself with positivity, advocating for discernment in personal and professional relationships. “Don’t let everyone in your game room,” he remarked, emphasizing the value of emotional boundaries and selective partnerships.
Reflecting on his journey, McCloud often cites key lessons learned throughout his career: patience, emotional intelligence, time management, and the importance of saying no. “When you overthink, you lose the joy of the game,” he said. “But when it’s joyful, that’s when everything lines up the right way.”
With projects in sports, music, film, and fashion concurrently unfolding, McCloud appears to be constructing a multi-industry platform that defies easy categorization. For him, each domain offers a different avenue of self-expression — each complementary, yet distinct. Whether on the field, in the recording studio, or under the lights of a film set, Ray-Ray McCloud III continues to evolve beyond the traditional expectations of a professional athlete.
Yitzi: RayRay, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, I would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
RayRay: I grew up with little brothers. I was the oldest in my household. I had pretty traditional parents. They always taught me about discipline and sacrifice, and they made sure I had what I needed — not necessarily what I wanted. I did get the things I wanted too, but I had to work for them. School was always the top priority. My mom focused more on academics, and my dad was into sports. But they both played their roles in a great way.
Yitzi: That’s amazing. Can you tell us a story of how you first entered sports?
RayRay: I don’t even know when I “entered” it. I just always had a ball in my hand. Baseball was actually my first sport. Then came football — I think I was around five, six, maybe seven. I remember my first time playing flag football. My very first carry, I took the ball at this little school and went like 70 or 80 yards. Ever since then, it was all about football. But really, I just loved to compete as a kid. Anything competitive — baseball, basketball, football — I was in. I wasn’t deep into track and field, but I trained with a track team. I just didn’t run in the meets.
Yitzi: That’s amazing. You probably have some amazing stories from your professional career. Can you share with our readers one or two stories that most stand out in your mind from your life in sports?
RayRay: I would say high school, playing travel ball — seven-on-seven. We had an elite team. Everybody I grew up with had hopes of going to college, and we all played on the same team. We traveled to different colleges across the country, and I feel like that was one of the best experiences ever. Just playing with so many elite guys you grew up with, watching them grow, and then seeing everyone go off on their own journeys — that was special.
And for me, winning a national championship at home, in Tampa, Florida, was huge. I won that with Clemson against Alabama. That was big. And then getting to the NFL and making it to the Super Bowl — even though we didn’t win — just experiencing it was a huge milestone. But now it’s time to go again and win it.
Yitzi: Amazing. It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a funny mistake you made when you were first starting sports, and the lesson you learned from it?
RayRay: Mistakes that turned into lessons? I got a lot of those — just trying to pick the right one. I’d say my first two years, just growing in terms of maturity, mindset, and professionalism. Then going to the Steelers and actually learning what it means to be a professional — that changed everything. That growth touched every part of life: from how I eat, how I work out, how I carry myself. It was all about learning how to handle things on your own. That’s where I really learned from my mistakes and turned them into lessons that helped me get to where I’m at now.
Yitzi: You have so many facets to your career now, and we’ll get into that. You’re also in music. Can you share what’s been the most challenging role or project you’ve taken on, and why?
RayRay: I wouldn’t even say “now” — it’s something I’ve been doing since I was a little kid. I think the most difficult part is trying to keep everything separate, while other people try to blend it all together. People say, “You can’t play football and do this and that,” but I’ve been juggling multiple things my whole life. I have different passions. You don’t have to be stuck in a box. For me, music is another outlet, just like football is. It’s a way for me to express myself in a lot of different ways.
Yitzi: Great. So can you tell us a story of how you started in music? Because as you know, not many high-level athletes have their own music careers. We’d love to hear how that began.
RayRay: I started when I was about six, seven, maybe eight. My dad had a record label — Hip Hop Heads, 3H — with multiple artists who signed deals and went on to do big things. Some of them ended up with Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, Universal, Capitol Records. Music was always around me.
When I got to high school, some of my best friends were making music too, and it just pulled me back in. We started building something from parties and small shows. Then once we got older and could spend our own money on studio time, we really locked in. It felt natural, like, “We’ve seen this before — we know how this goes.” It just flowed. It was real, it was genuine. That’s how I got back into the music world — and really the entertainment world in general, because film is part of that for me too.
Yitzi: That’s great. You have so much impressive work. Can you share with our readers some exciting things you’re working on — any projects or new drops coming up?
RayRay: I’ve got a few projects on the way. From a music standpoint, I have some visuals dropping soon to go along with an EP that’s already out and circulating. I’ve also got a single coming out this summer — June or July — called Stand On It. That’s being released through Virgin Records, as part of a joint venture we have.
Then I’m working on a joint project with another artist, which should drop around the start of the football season, toward the end of the year. Outside of music, I’ve got some film stuff coming too, but I can’t say too much about that yet. There’s just a lot in motion right now. Some of it’s already done — I’ve been making music for a long time. I just never really hit the gas on releasing it until all the business was in place and everything was lined up the right way.
Yitzi: If you could take all of your songs and lyrics and put them into one bucket, what would be the main message, the main energy, the main vibe that comes out of your music?
RayRay: Get to the money…is a term as in get the mode, lock in, sacrifice now and ball later.
Yitzi: That’s good. (Laughs) Your name is Runway. Is there a story behind the name?
RayRay: Yeah, there is. It really just came from people always saying stuff like, “Bro, if I’m going somewhere and I don’t know what to wear, I’ll just put on what you’re wearing.” Or they’d see me and be like, “Man, you got on too much — you’re not going to a runway or a fashion show!” But the thing is, everywhere I go, I’m gonna have something stylish on. Even if I just throw it together, it’s still gonna look like high fashion. Everything I do, I do it like I’m stepping onto a runway — my clothes, my whole vibe, it’s all high fashion, high quality. That’s where the name came from.
Yitzi: That’s cool. Is it connected at all to your running ability in sports?
RayRay: Nah, nah, nah. That’s not sports. “Runway” is my artist name — a reflection of my journey in music. It represents doing everything on my own: writing, recording, performing, and producing my sound while creating and shaping my vision from the ground up. Like walking down a fashion runway, it’s about confidence, individuality, and owning every step. In music, just like on the runway, I bring my full presence — unapologetic, stylish, and uniquely me.
Yitzi: That’s great. That’s amazing. Okay, so this is our signature question — our main question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started as a professional athlete, can you share five things you’ve learned that you wish you knew when you were just starting out?
RayRay:
- Patience.
- Learn how to say no.
- Emotional intelligence.
- Time management.
- And not overthinking — just do it. I feel like when you overthink, you lose the joy of the game. When everything becomes just business, business, business, you stop having fun doing what you love. But when it’s joyful, that’s when everything lines up the right way.
Yitzi: That’s great. This is our final question. Because of the platform you’ve built and your great work, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?
RayRay: Don’t let everyone in your game room. Even when you’re grinding, some people’s negative energy can mess with your positive energy. You know what I’m saying? So for me, it’s always about keeping the right people around you. Keep positive energy around you. Anybody — whether it’s family or friends — who brings negativity into whatever you’re focused on at the moment, you need to keep that out of your circle.
Yitzi: That’s amazing. How can our readers purchase your music or support you in any way? How can they watch your upcoming movie?
RayRay: The upcoming movie — I don’t know that answer yet. I gotta find that out myself. But for my music, the EP is called Since the Beginning by Runway. It’s on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube — anywhere you find music.
Instagram: Ray Ray McCloud III
TikTok: @RMIII_34
Twitter — or X now: @RMIII_34
And yeah, man, there’s so much more coming. Stay tuned. We’ve got a lot more in the works. The whole Legend Tribe Entertainment got multiple artists dropping new stuff too. My Instagram page for that is @legendtribe__ we’re about to flood it with content.
Yitzi: RayRay, it’s been so wonderful meeting you. I wish you continued success and blessings, and I hope we can do this again next year.
RayRay: Yes sir. God bless.
NFL Star & Recording Artist Ray-Ray McCloud Talks New Single, Acting Debut and Building a Brand… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.