Who is Ryan Press? Brandy’s ex-fiancé supports singer at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony

Record executive Ryan Press supported his ex-fiancé, Brandy Norwood, as she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 30. Other industry peers of the R&B singer-songwriter, including Babyface and Issa Rae, were also in attendance.

“Congrats @brandy,” Press later captioned his Instagram Stories alongside a picture of Brandy.

Ryan Press, 42, is the President of A&R for North America at Warner Chappell Music Publishing. Earlier, he was a songwriter, recording artist, and music manager.

Following the event, Brandy, 47, shared a montage on Instagram and celebrated her feat. She began her caption:

“Seeing the stars on the Walk of Fame lit something in me. It made me believe. It made me affirm over my own life: ‘I’m going to sing my way onto one of these stars.’ And I did. I am beyond grateful. A star on the Walk of Fame is a definition of legacy.”

Brandy thanked everyone who contributed to building her career, including family, friends, and industry insiders. She also gave a shoutout to her mentors, collaborators, creatives, and believers who “poured” into her along the way. Norwood added:

“You are a part of this star. This moment brings so much meaning back to my life. Because if the little girl from McComb, Mississippi… could come to Hollywood… look down at those stars… and dare to believe that one day her name would be among them… then anything is possible.”

More about Ryan Press amid Brandy’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Ryan Press was born and raised in Mount Airy, Philadelphia, by a single mother, who worked as a social worker. His parents divorced when he was young, and he never had a steady relationship with his father, The Temptations vocalist Ron Tyson.

In March 2022, Press sat down with Hits Daily Double and shared:

“My experiences with my dad were often at shows in different cities and tours in the summer. It was pretty tough because she had to raise two boys on her own. She developed a hard exterior to deal with us. But we had fun. And I saw a woman who would do any and everything for her family. She was like a superwoman to me… That had a big impact on me.”

As a young boy, Ryan idolized artists such as Jay-Z, LL Cool J, and Mary J. Blige. He continued in the interview:

“My mom was a huge R&B fan, oldies, everything—she just loved music. And obviously, with my father being who he was, I was exposed to everything Motown. My uncle was a heavy record collector, too. Music was around me all the time.”

Ryan Press shared that his earliest memory of seeing the “power of music” was watching his dad’s band, The Four Tops, perform and engage audiences from different ethnic backgrounds.

For a brief period, he eyed an NBA career and even attended Thomas Jefferson University on a basketball scholarship. However, he soon decided to use his marketing degree to carve out a career in the music industry.

In fact, Ryan Press became the manager of his batchmate, close friend, and rapper Chad Wes and together “started making things happen.” He even launched his own company, Press Conference Management.

“My best friend, Chad Wes, music was his dream. He had music equipment from an early age. I’d sit in his house and watch him produce tracks when we were only 12 years old. He was so passionate about music. When he asked me to manage him, my focus in the beginning was just to help my best friend achieve his dream.”

A chance encounter with Omilio Sparks brought Ryan Press closer to his dream, as it was through him that he made several contacts among East Coast rappers and music magnates, including his idol, Jay-Z. He recalled:

“One day, I’m sitting in the Roc-A-Fella office. Biggs is running the company. He says, ‘I heard you’re the one with the music.’ Back then, the artists would say, ‘Don’t play any music for the label.’ So I’m, like, ‘Oh sh*t, should I play the music? But this is my shot.’ When I’m running an A&R meeting, I tell the young assistants, ‘Sometimes you gotta read the room and know when it’s time to take your shot.’”

Ryan Press and Chad Wes soon signed a production deal with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records and began working in the local Philadelphia scene. The former also began managing other artists, including J Erving, Cassidy, and Frankie Storm.

In 2006, his lawyer, Theo Sedlmayr, introduced him to Livio Harris at Notting Hill Music Publishing, which in turn cemented his career. Harris made him his creative consultant. Ryan explained:

“He said, ‘I don’t have any representation on the East Coast. Would you be interested in doing A&R as a publisher? We’ll pay you a commission on the deals you bring in.’ I had no idea what he was talking about, but it sounded like an opportunity. I was getting exhausted by people calling me ‘Freeway’s manager’; I just wanted to be Ryan Press when I came into the room... Livio gave me my first shot and influenced where my career would go from there.”

The rest is history. He continued working with big names in the industry and three years later moved to Los Angeles after landing the role of senior director of A&R at Warner Chappell Music. Since then, he has worked with A-listers including Rihanna, Meek Mill, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and DJ Khaled.

In 2019, Ryan Press was promoted to A&R President for the U.S. (excluding Miami and Nashville), soon bagging Vice President and co-head of A&R. Two years later, he became the A&R President of North America.

Today, he leads the talent-scouting division and helps with the artists’ creative and commercial aspects. His recent clientele includes Lizzo, Cardi B, Summer Walker, Saweetie, Jhene Aiko, Greta Van Fleet, and others.

Speaking with Jefferson200.org, Ryan Press once shared that it was his “hard work and hustle” that led to his success. He further mentioned:

“On my journey, I’ve done it all. I’ve managed, I’ve been someone’s assistant, I’ve driven people around. No job was too big or too small for me. The phrase I live by is: Your ego is not your amigo. Now, at the end of the day, I’m living the dream.”

Over the years, Ryan Press has also served as a co-manager for J Erving Group and a manager-producer at Day One Productions.

In brief, taking a glance at Ryan Press and Brandy Norwood’s relationship

On New Year’s Eve 2011, Ryan Press and Brandy Norwood hard-launched their romance, with the latter telling PEOPLE:

“I’m really blessed to have someone like him in my life. He’s truly a gift.”

In July 2012, she told The Insider:

“Yes, I am in love, yes, it's a good thing. If he acts right, it goes very far… and if he acts wrong, then it ends here today.”

A year later, a spokesperson for Brandy announced that she was engaged to the record executive. A source even told the U.S. Weekly:

“They are thrilled and happy and Brandy feels this is so right.”

However, the pair ended their engagement 16 months later with a rep telling PEOPLE:

“It was a mutual decision. They’re both taking a step back regarding their relationship. They’re definitely friends and will continue to be friends. There’s nothing malicious or negative about [their split].”

But Brandy’s songs offered a different insight into the break-up, with the singer claiming that her ex cheated and stole from her.

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It remains unknown whether Ryan Press is currently in a relationship.

Meanwhile, last year, Brandy was reported to be dating a man named Dalton. However, she never confirmed the same. She is mom to up-and-coming singer-songwriter Sy’rai Smith, whom she shares with her ex, Robert Smith.

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