ABOUT
VisionPlay Entertainment endeavors to not only deliver a diverse and dynamic compilation but the production company also aims to introduce an immersive world anchored by big-screen ambition.
ABOUT
Hip-hop history boasts numerous tentpole compilations. From Ruff Ryders’ Ryde or Die series to Maybach Music Group’s Self Made saga, these releases have left an indelible imprint on the culture as a whole by elevating a myriad of artists into the spotlight. In that tradition, VisionPlay Entertainment endeavors to not only deliver a diverse and dynamic compilation with its debut VZN SZN [VisionPlay Entertainment/MNRK], but the production company also aims to introduce an immersive world anchored by big-screen ambition.
It places emerging talent such as Rain 910, Poizonn, PC, Lea Robinson and more on tracks shoulder-to-shoulder with heavyweights including Rick Ross, Benny The Butcher, Jeremih, Mozzy, and Cozz. Moreover, the 21-song opus offers its own twists, turns, and thrills.
“I’ve been an avid fan of The Twilight Zone since I was a kid, and I love how no two episodes are the same,” says VisionPlayEntertainment Co-Founder and compilation producer Ian “J.Y.” Williams. “You never know what you’re going to get anytime you turn it on. To me, the album is reminiscent of The Twilight Zone because there are so many sounds, artists, walks of life, and perspectives. You don’t know what the next record is going to sound like, which is exciting. It was important to build a world.”
He has diligently and carefully curated this body of work. As a respected executive, he has helped galvanize the careers of artists at Def Jam, RCA, Empire, and more. MNRK tapped him in 2022 and he is now Sr. Director of A&R. He has remained a key player and trusted confidant for everyone from Kash Doll and K. Michelle to DJ Drama and Hitmaka.
J.Y. co-founded VisionPlay Entertainment alongside Tray Pizzy. The company assembled VZN SZN for its first salvo, representing both a full circle moment and a harbinger of things to come.
“We wanted to start up VisionPlay with people who could really rap, first and foremost,” he goes on. “At the same time, we had to be able to hang out with the artists and be a family. Growing up, I idolized black record companies with prolific figures like Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryders, Cash Money Records, No Limit Records, and Death Row Records. On VZN SZN, there needed to be something for everyone. There are street records, radio records, and records that might make you move and dance. It’s a mix.”
Throughout 2025, VisionPlay bulldozed the way for the compilation with a series of knockout anthems a la “OFTEN” [with (add Rain 910, Rick Ross & Ron E], “BENJAMIN CREW” [with Maliibu Miitch & Jeremih], “IS YOU COOL” [with Poizonnn & K Carbon], and “POSITION OF POWER” [with Rain 910, Austin Sour, & Benny The Butcher], generating over 1 million streams in the process.
The single “LIES THAT CAME TRUE” [with Rain 910, Cozz, Twayne Towns, & Landstrip Chip] hints at the scope of the project, though. Produced by Rain 910, an orchestral synth loop flutters in and out of focus just above a head-nodding beat laced tightly with bulletproof bars. It culminates in the chantable chorus from Landstrip Chip, “They was in my way, but then I ran right past them. I took some L’s, but I got M's right after.”
“Rain 910 sent me the beat, and I thought Twayne would sound really great on it because he’s so introspective and relatable,” recalls J.Y. “Twayne shined on it, and we got to Cozz do his verse. Chip knocked out the hook one, two, three at the house. It’s powerful.”
In the end, VZN SZN is just the beginning for VisionPlayEntertainment.
