Raqiyah Mays
Encyclopedia
Raqiyah Mays is an American
actress and former hip-hop journalist. a co-host on The Kiss Wake Up Club, and weekend personality on Emmis Communications
-owned station, 98.7 Kiss FM. Mays was also a Sunday afternoon personality at sister station WQHT ("Hot 97"), where she reported on entertainment and gave social commentary.
Mays was one of the founders and former executive editor of the politically-themed hip hop publication, The Ave magazine Founded in 2004, the magazine worked to balance coverage of social issues and entertainment. She resigned in December 2007 and The Ave folded in the summer of 2008. She has written for Vibe
, XXL
, The Source
, and the Associated Press
. Although an accomplished writer, Mays had trouble reading as a child. However, with help from her mother, her literacy improved. She attended Penn State to become a lawyer, but changed her interest to radio and transferred to Hampton University
without her mother's knowledge.
Mays once produced shows for DJ Grandmaster Flash
at Sirius Satellite Radio
, and worked at City College's college radio station WHCR-FM
. She was married on September 4, 2006, lives in Brooklyn
, and originates from Piscataway
and Newark, New Jersey
.
in New York, founded by Lee Strasberg
, the patriarch of American method acting
. Raqiyah also trained with esteemed acting coach Tracy Moore
-Marable and her ‘The Spirited Actor’ program. In Platanos & Collard Greens, the romantic comedy about the blending of Latino and African American cultures, Mays portrays the lead character, Malady, in one of NYC’s longest running AUDELCO award winning Off-Broadway plays. Rosalie is the role Mays covers in Auction Block to Hip Hop, the dramatic play about redemption and damnation. Mays says of her leap into the acting field, “This, along with hip-hop, has been the great passion of my life. To be a part of critical and commercial successes such as Platanos… and Auction…, is a blessing and an honor. My goal now is to parlay these opportunities into more theatre, film and TV roles that display the vast emotional range that I’m capable of.”
Raqiyah’s acting stints also include appearances in the NYC adaptation of the iconic play The Vagina Monologues
, and the indie film documentary The Art of Love and Struggle. She will also feature in the upcoming feature film releases Stephanie’s Wedding and Grand Slammed.
As a voice artist, she's the voice of BET's College Hill and the new show Brothers to Brutha
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and former hip-hop journalist. a co-host on The Kiss Wake Up Club, and weekend personality on Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications is a media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company owns radio stations and magazines in the United States, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria.-History:...
-owned station, 98.7 Kiss FM. Mays was also a Sunday afternoon personality at sister station WQHT ("Hot 97"), where she reported on entertainment and gave social commentary.
Mays was one of the founders and former executive editor of the politically-themed hip hop publication, The Ave magazine Founded in 2004, the magazine worked to balance coverage of social issues and entertainment. She resigned in December 2007 and The Ave folded in the summer of 2008. She has written for Vibe
VIBE
Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...
, XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
, The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
, and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Although an accomplished writer, Mays had trouble reading as a child. However, with help from her mother, her literacy improved. She attended Penn State to become a lawyer, but changed her interest to radio and transferred to Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
without her mother's knowledge.
Mays once produced shows for DJ Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
at Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
, and worked at City College's college radio station WHCR-FM
WHCR-FM
WHCR-FM is a radio station licensed to New York, New York, USA, the station serves the upper Manhattan area. The station is currently owned by City College of New York....
. She was married on September 4, 2006, lives in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and originates from Piscataway
Piscataway Township, New Jersey
The township consists of the following historic villages and areas: New Market, known as Quibbletown in the 18th Century, Randolphville, Fieldville and North Stelton...
and Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
Acting
A lifelong devotee of the theatrical arts, Mays studied at the renowned Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film InstituteLee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
__notoc__The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute is an acting school located at 115 East 15th Street between Union Square East and Irving Place in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, as well as at 7936 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California...
in New York, founded by Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He cofounded, with directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective"...
, the patriarch of American method acting
Method acting
Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques used by actors to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances...
. Raqiyah also trained with esteemed acting coach Tracy Moore
Tracy Moore
Tracy Moore is a Canadian television journalist and host of lifestyle magazine CityLine on Citytv since October 2008. She previously served as news anchor on Citytv Toronto's Breakfast Television from 2005 to 2008...
-Marable and her ‘The Spirited Actor’ program. In Platanos & Collard Greens, the romantic comedy about the blending of Latino and African American cultures, Mays portrays the lead character, Malady, in one of NYC’s longest running AUDELCO award winning Off-Broadway plays. Rosalie is the role Mays covers in Auction Block to Hip Hop, the dramatic play about redemption and damnation. Mays says of her leap into the acting field, “This, along with hip-hop, has been the great passion of my life. To be a part of critical and commercial successes such as Platanos… and Auction…, is a blessing and an honor. My goal now is to parlay these opportunities into more theatre, film and TV roles that display the vast emotional range that I’m capable of.”
Raqiyah’s acting stints also include appearances in the NYC adaptation of the iconic play The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler which ran at the Off Broadway Westside Theatre after a limited run at AFRICA in 1996. Ensler originally starred in the production which was produced by David Stone, Nina Essman, Dan Markley, The Araca Group, Willa Shalit, Mike Skipper...
, and the indie film documentary The Art of Love and Struggle. She will also feature in the upcoming feature film releases Stephanie’s Wedding and Grand Slammed.
As a voice artist, she's the voice of BET's College Hill and the new show Brothers to Brutha
Brothers to Brutha
Brothers to Brutha is a reality show on BET that premiered November 18, 2008. It follows five brothers who have a record deal on Island Def Jam Music Group as the R&B group Brutha. The show aired Tuesday nights at 10:30pm. The First Season consisted of six episodes. A Second Season has been...
.
External links
- SOHH.com article
- The Ave Magazine "A Street Movement in Print".