 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points.(September 2022) |
Ray Slijngaard | |
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 Slijngaard in 2020 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Raymond Lothar Slijngaard |
| Also known as |
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| Born | 28 June 1971 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels |
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| Formerly of | 2 Unlimited, Ray & Anita |
Raymond Lothar Slijngaard (born 28 June 1971) is a Dutch singer and rapper best known as one half of the Eurodance duo 2 Unlimited.
2 Unlimited is an electronic music project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth. [1]
In the early 1990s, Slijngaard was asked to write a rap lyric for a tune written by the two Belgian producers. Slijngaard also wrote a chorus to be sung by a female vocalist, for which he invited Anita Doth. The demo was presented to De Coster and Wilde, leading to Slijngaard joining 2 Unlimited, and "Get Ready for This" was produced as their first single. It became a big hit and was used in sporting events and movies.
Slijngaard rapped on most songs, though a few singles, such as "Nothing Like the Rain", had little involvement by the musician. The band became an instant success in Europe and throughout the world. Their hits included songs such as "Maximum Overdrive", "No Limit", "Tribal Dance", "The Real Thing", "Twilight Zone", and "Workaholic".
During his time with 2 Unlimited, Slijngaard was known for his hairstyle, which involved a shaved head and a few dreadlocks on his forehead. As the act released new songs, their title was often shaved into the remainder of the rapper's hair.
After sixteen music videos, twenty-three singles, and four albums, the group split up in 1996.
After 2 Unlimited broke up in 1996, Slijngaard turned his attention to his own record company, X-Ray Records/Rayvano Productions, named after his son. He also released a single in 1997, titled "3 X a Day".
In 1999, Slijngaard teamed up with rappers Marvin D, Strezz, and Orphea (Keshaw) to form a new rap group called VIP Allstars. They achieved some success in the summer of 1999 with the tracks "When It's My Turn" and "Mamacita". The music was produced by Cyril Mahabier and Hurrigan Bouman; the two didn't receive credits for their production work, however.
In 2003, Slijngaard worked on a brand new project called Legends. He teamed up with Herman Rarebell from the German rock band Scorpions to release a single called "Eye of the Tiger". In 2007, he did a tour across South America. Apart from 2 Unlimited hits, he also sang a few unreleased tracks, such as "Arabesque", "Round And Round", and "Dance with Me".
Slijngaard and his former 2 Unlimited colleague Anita Doth reunited on 11 April 2009, to perform together for the first time in 13 years at the "I love the 90s" concert in Hasselt, Belgium. [2] Further gigs followed on 30 April at the Radio 538 Queen's Day concert at Museumplein in Amsterdam, and as a support act for Milk Inc. at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp on 25 September.
Performing under the name Ray & Anita, it was confirmed on 29 December that the duo would release a new single together in 2010, titled "In Da Name of Love". Jean-Paul DeCoster is thought to have denied permission for them to use the name 2 Unlimited, as he still owns the rights to the brand. [3]
On 11 July 2012, it was announced that Slijngaard and Doth would again be working with De Coster under the name 2 Unlimited. [4]
Raymond Lothar Slijngaard was born in Amsterdam to a Surinamese father, Lothar Slijngaard, and a Dutch mother, Ingrid. In his early career, he was a chef while dreaming of becoming a rap star—singling out Snoop Dogg as his favourite at the time. [5]
Slijngaard has a son, named Rayvano (b. 1996), with Hortence Gooding. [6]
| Year | Title | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| NLD 100 | ||
| 1997 | "3 X a Day" [7] | 66 |
| 1997 | "Do You Think I'm Sexy" [8] | — |
| Year | Title | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| NLD 100 | ||
| 1998 | "Black Night" (as Ray & Ian Gillan) [9] | — |
| 1999 | "When It's My Turn" (as VIP Allstars) [10] | 34 |
| 1999 | "Mamacita" (as VIP Allstars) [11] | 68 |
| 2010 | "Throw It Up" (as Regi & Ray) [12] | — |
| 2013 | "What U Waitin' 4" (as The Dutchables featuring Ray & Lovebug) [13] | — |
2 Unlimited are a Belgian-Dutch dance music act, founded by Belgian producers/songwriters Jean-Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde in 1991 in Antwerp, Belgium. From 1991 to 1996, Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth fronted the act. During these five years, 2 Unlimited enjoyed worldwide mainstream success. They scored a total of sixteen international chart hits, including "Get Ready for This", "Twilight Zone", "No Limit", and "Tribal Dance". The act has sold eighteen million records worldwide. Although they enjoyed less mainstream recognition in the United States than in Europe, several of their tracks became popular themes in American sporting series, mainly in the NBA and NHL.
"No Limit" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited, released in January 1993 by Byte, ZYX and PWL. It was their fifth single in total and the first to be released from their second album, No Limits! (1993). Co-written by the group's Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, the song became one of their most commercially successful singles, especially in Europe, reaching the number-one spot in 35 countries and the top 10 in several others. Like previous releases, the UK version of the single removed all of the raps from Slijngaard, leaving just Dels' vocals. One word from the rap was kept, the word 'Techno' which was looped and repeated during the middle of the song, turning the line into "Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!" and giving the song an extra vocal hook. Its accompanying music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.
"Get Ready for This" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch music group 2 Unlimited. It was released in 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). Originally, the single was produced as an instrumental, titled the "Orchestral Mix". It became a hit and conscious of their popularity, Wilde & De Coster wanted a more accessible, formatted formula for their project to grow. Ray was then asked to write lyrics and add a rap to the track. On Ray Slijngaard's suggestion, Anita Doth joined as the female vocalist.
Anita Doth is a Dutch singer and songwriter best known as the former singer of the duo 2 Unlimited, along with rapper Ray Slijngaard.
No Limits, sometimes No Limits!, is the second studio album by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released in May 1993. The album yielded five singles, including "No Limit", which reached number one in many European charts. The album went platinum in several countries. It was fronted by Ray Slijngaard performing the main rap and Anita Dels providing the chorus.
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released by various labels in January 1994 as the fifth and final single from the band's second album, No Limits (1993). The album version is largely instrumental and contains just a few spoken words from bandmembers Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth. The single version contains full verses rapped by Slijngaard and a new chorus sung by Doth, which were co-written by them both. The song enjoyed chart success in many European countries, peaking at number two in the Netherlands and within the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. It was nominated in the category for Best Song on MTV Awards. Nigel Simpkiss directed the music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body".
"Twilight Zone" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance act 2 Unlimited, released in January 1992 by Byte Records as the second single from the act's debut studio album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release of the single was the first 2 Unlimited single to include the vocals of Anita Doth, as they had not been featured on their breakthrough hit "Get Ready for This". However, Ray Slijngaard's rap verses were once again removed. The instrumental "Rave" version of the song sounds different from the original "Not Enough" version, with a more hi-NRG style with more bass and added cowbells. The music video was directed by David Betteridge.
"Faces" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released on 23 August 1993 as the third single from their second album, No Limits! (1993). Co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, it peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom and at number six on the Eurochart Hot 100. The accompanying music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones.
"The Magic Friend" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in August 1992 as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release once again omitted Ray Slijngaard's rap, which lasted for 16 bars three times through, but did include some of the vocals from Anita Doth, with the "mocking chorus echoes" being abandoned as only Ray's part remains, thus leaving Anita's sole vocals as "disembodied whispers" during the middle eight. The single experienced chart success in many European countries, including Finland, where it topped the chart. The Dutch leading afternoon radio program on national pop outlet Radio 3 FM/Hilversum renamed itself "The Magic Friend", after the single.
Hits Unlimited is the fourth album from Dutch/Belgian band 2 Unlimited and the last to feature Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth. It was a greatest hits package featuring 16 songs: 13 previous singles and 3 new ones. The album was certified gold in the Netherlands. Ray Slijngaard's raps on the verses were not cut on any of the songs on the UK release of this album.
Trance Remixes is a 2002 album by 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
Bizz Nizz was a Belgian dance act formed in 1989 by Jean-Paul de Coster of Antwerp.
Greatest Remix Hits is a 2006 remix album and DVD compilation by 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
Greatest Hits Remixes is a 2001 album by 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
Best Unlimited is a greatest hits compilation from 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth. The record was released on 30 September 1998 via Mercury Records.
Power Tracks is a 1993 album by 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
Ray & Anita was a Dutch electronic music duo act formed in 2009, comprising rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth, who previously were the voices and faces from eurodance group 2 Unlimited. Originally created by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, these two still held legal rights to the '2 Unlimited' name. Under that name, the Dutch duo fronting the Belgian / Dutch quartet scored 16 chart hits between 1991 and 1996, including "Get Ready for This", "Twilight Zone", "No Limit", "Tribal Dance", "Maximum Overdrive" and "The Real Thing".
Best Hits is a greatest hits compilation from 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
Non-Stop Mix Best is a 1998 album by 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth.
This is the discography of 2 Unlimited, a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth. With global sales of over 18 million units, 2 Unlimited is one of the biggest selling groups from the Netherlands and Belgium.
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