Druski to Ray J at BET Awards: ‘I Thought You Was Gon’ Be Dead’

During his hosting gig at the 2026 BET Awards, Druski took a moment to address Ray J’s claims earlier this year that doctors told him he had months to live after he was hospitalized for pneumonia and heart issues.

“But seriously, why you lie to us, man? I thought you was gon’ be dead,” Druski said to Ray J when approaching him in the audience. “I’mma get away from you, man. Ray J, you know that’s wrong, man. You lied to all of us! I was praying for you and everything. We was rooting for you!”

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Earlier this year, Ray J was hospitalized for pneumonia and heart pains. He previously battled a bout of pneumonia in 2021. He later revealed that he was on multiple medications amid his heart problems, and indicated that he wasn’t sure how much longer he had to live. He told fans during a stream that he “almost died” following the hospitalization, and said, “2027 is definitely a wrap for me.”

Despite his health issues, he got in the ring with internet personality Supa Hot Fire for an amateur MMA fight in Las Vegas. He was defeated by a knockout, and later checked himself into a hospital just two hours after the fight because he suffered a concussion. He told fans he wasn’t going to give up on his MMA career despite the disappointing performance in the fight, and said that he’s looking to do another fight this August.

Questions regarding Ray J’s health have been raised online for months, with several people suggesting that the singer-songwriter wasn’t being entirely truthful about his condition. His mother, Sonja Norwood, however, addressed his health issues and stressed that he wasn’t faking it.

“It’s just really gotten out of hand when someone thinks that my son is faking his health, or it’s a hoax, or he’s just playing around, [and] he’s not really serious about it,” Norwood explained earlier this year. “All of you who have been genuinely concerned about him and genuinely prayed for him, I want to say I thank you very much for that, because it takes multiple prayers and thoughts for things to change.”