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Raqiyah Mays (born November 11, 1975, in Newark, New Jersey) is an author, screenwriter, executive producer, podcaster, journalist, and former radio personality, [1] Born in Newark, NJ, Raqiyah was featured in The Limited clothing store's 2015 nationwide "New Look of Leadership" campaign, honored as a female leader for her empowerment hard work.
A writer at heart, Raqiyah's debut novel, The Man Curse, was released by Simon & Schuster on November 16, 2015. The Man Curse chronicles the world of Meena, a young woman who spends her life trying to break The Man Curse and become the first woman in her family to marry. No stranger to the book world, Raqiyah contributed a chapter to Gil Robertson's anthology Where Did Our Love Go: Love & Relationships in the African American Community (Bolden/Agate). She was a featured profile in Thembisa Mshaka's book of entertainment industry professionals, Put Your Dreams First: Handle your entertainment business (Hachette), and Raqiyah was reporter at large for Cheo Hodari Coker's VIBE book Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of The Notorious B.I.G (Three Rivers Press), which was turned into the critically acclaimed feature film, Notorious.
Raqiyah's work in journalism goes back to the Quincy Jones owned days of Vibe Magazine. As an intern in the mid-90s, she became Executive Assistant to then editor-in-chief, Danyel Smith. And later, editorial coordinator assisting the managing editor. Moving on to pursue an early career as a freelance hip hop journalist, Raqiyah's bylines graced cover stories for publications like XXL, The Source , and Billboard. Expanding her beat to report on everything from women and R&B to politics and radio, she scored covers for XXL, The Source, Black Elegance magazine, profiles, and features for The Associated Press, VIBE, Essence, Ebony, Billboard, and Complex . She later became a founder and executive editor of The Ave Magazine, dedicated to coverage combining social issues with the intellect and outlook of the hip hop world.
Raqiyah's radio experience goes back 20 years to her days at Hampton University on WHOV FM hosting the late-night hip hop show The Underground Review. Her move to New York to pursue a journalism career with Vibe Magazine, led to the weekly show High Vision on City College's WHCR-FM, where Raqiyah brought her passion for combining social issues with hip hop music to the airwaves over five years. She left WHCR for Sirius Satellite Radio, where as a feature content producer she created content and wrote for Rock, pop, hip hop, reggae, and alternative channels along with producing a show hosted by DJ Grandmaster Flash. She also hosted shows on Top 40 Channel US 1, and R&B channel Hot Jamz. In a few short months, Raqiyah was hired as a weekend host on NY's Power 105. And after a year, she joined NY's Hot 97, where over five years she held a No. 1 weekly Sunday afternoon show before transitioning to become morning show entertainment reporter on 98.7 Kiss FM's the "Wake Up Club." Featuring radio veterans Jeff Foxx, Shaila, Bob Slade, and comedian Talent, The Wake Up Club drew top NYC ratings before being replaced by The DL Hughley Morning Show. Raqiyah moved on to also join Hughley, handpicked by DL to provide entertainment and colorful peanut crew commentary during her run on the now syndicated show. She left New York's No. 1 station, 107.5 WBLS in 2019. In the fall of 2019, her podcast Real Black News was named one of the top 50 podcasts in the US according to UVM. [2]
In 2009, named one of VH1's "Future Leaders of Black History," Raqiyah was featured in their Black History Month TV commercial campaign. A trained actress, she performed off-Broadway for five years, touring the country and appearing on stages nationwide as a cast member with the hit play Platanos & Collard Greens . Her numerous TV appearances have included correspondent work on Black Enterprise's TVOne /ABC news show Our World, being a regular guest co-host on Arise TV's film review show On Screen, and MTV, BET, VH1, the Fuse Network, and Fox News.
Raqiyah is a passionate activist for issues affecting women, children, and African Americans. As a child, Raqiyah was a girl scout who became president of Edison, NJ's NAACP Youth Council. In college, she helped create the Diversity Union on Penn State University's Altoona campus after acts of racism toward black classmates. Participating in student politics, she regularly represented the campus during Penn State's gathering of student government officers. After moving to New York, Raqiyah organized community and youth events in Brooklyn. While spending time in Los Angeles, she coordinated fundraising events for non-profits along with training canvassers and managing outreach campaigns in both LA and NY for organizations like The Southern Poverty Law Center, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU. She uses her journalism skills and celebrity interviews to humanize the entertainment world with shared superstar views on real life, social issues, and outlooks on making change today.
Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. She released a total of eight solo studio albums and an EP with Almost September.
Kimberly Denise Jones, better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, Jones would freestyle rap, influenced by fellow female hip hop artists like MC Lyte and the Lady of Rage. In 1994, she was discovered by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who invited her to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A.; their debut album, Conspiracy, generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Eve Jihan Cooper, known mononymously as Eve, is an American rapper, singer, and actress. In 1999, she released her debut album, Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady, which reached number one on the Billboard 200, making her the third female rapper to accomplish this feat. Eve followed up with three subsequent albums, Scorpion (2001), Eve-Olution (2002), and Lip Lock (2013). Those albums produced the commercially successful singles, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind", "What Ya Want", "Who's That Girl", "Gangsta Lovin'", "Satisfaction", and "Love Is Blind". Her 2007 single "Tambourine", reached the top 20 in the United Kingdom.
Vibe is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production in the summer of 2009, it was purchased by the private equity investment fund InterMedia Partners, then issued bi-monthly with double covers and a larger online presence. The magazine's target demographic is predominantly young, urban followers of hip hop culture. In 2014, the magazine discontinued its print version.
Aston George Taylor Jr., professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American disc jockey, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot 97 in New York, which was a pop radio station at the time.
Mashonda Karima Tifrere-Dean, is an American singer and songwriter from Boston, Massachusetts. Mashonda appeared on several songs from American hip hop artists in the 2000s. In 2004, she married American record producer Swizz Beatz, and was once signed to his label Full Surface, under the aegis of J Records. Mashonda released her debut studio album January Joy in 2005. In 2011, Mashonda was a member of the first season of VH1's reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York.
Minya Oh, professionally known as Miss Info, is an American radio personality and journalist.
Kim Osorio is an American journalist, writer, author, TV producer and personality. She was also a cast member on the American reality TV series, "The Gossip Game" on VH1.
Christian J. Ward, professionally known as Hitmaka, is an American record producer and former rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Ward began his career as a rapper under the name Yung Berg, having released his debut album Look What You Made Me in 2007. In his later career, he has become better known as a high-profile record producer and executive in the music industry. In 2020, he was appointed as the vice president of A&R at Atlantic Records.
Bianca Dupree, also known as Bianca Bonnie and formerly Young B, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and television personality. Born in Harlem, New York, she first gained recognition after being featured on Webstar's 2006 debut album Caught in the Web. The lead single "Chicken Noodle Soup" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Dupree's signature song.
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and predominantly features interviews with artists, actors and other entertainers. Issued quarterly, the magazine's target audience was the 14 to 28 demographic, although the demographic has become older over time.
Sandra Jacqueline Denton, better known by her stage name Pepa or Pep, is a Jamaican-American rapper and actress, best known for her work as a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa. Denton starred in The Salt-N-Pepa Show, a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group which aired on the VH1 network in 2008. Since January 2016, Denton has appeared as a supporting cast member on the music reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop which airs on We TV.
Elliott Wilson is an American journalist, television producer, and magazine editor. He is the founder and CEO of Rap Radar. In the past, he has worked as editor-in-chief of XXL Magazine. While there, he became known for his editorials under the nickname "YN".
Danyel SmithWilson is an American magazine editor, journalist, and novelist. Smith is the former and first African-American editor of Billboard and Vibe magazine, respectively. She is author of two novels and a history of African-American women in pop music.
Buffie Carruth, also known by her stage name Buffie the Body, is an American model, fitness instructor
Lenard Larry McKelvey, known professionally as Charlamagne tha God or simply Charlamagne, is an American radio host and television personality. He is a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy and Angela Yee; all three were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020 for their work on the show. He also hosts the late-night talk show Hell of A Week with Charlamagne Tha God on Comedy Central.
Love & Hip Hop: New York is the original installment of the Love & Hip Hop reality television franchise on VH1. The series premiered on March 6, 2011, and chronicles the lives of several people in New York City, involved with hip hop music. The show features appearances from notable figures associated with East Coast hip hop. Its success has produced the spin-offs Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, Chrissy & Mr. Jones, Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood, K. Michelle: My Life, Stevie J & Joseline: Go Hollywood, Leave It to Stevie, Love & Hip Hop: Miami and Remy & Papoose: Meet the Mackies.
Peter Elliot Rosenberg is an American radio disc jockey, television show host, and professional wrestling personality, who is signed to WWE where he is a one-time WWE 24/7 Champion. He is a co-host of two New York City radio programs: Ebro in the Morning, the weekday morning show at hip hop radio station WQHT ; and The Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio affiliate WEPN-FM, which is also simulcast on the YES Network.
Juliette "Juju" Castaneda is an American media personality, author, actress and businesswoman. She rose to prominence as a main cast member of the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York and she subsequently appeared as a supporting cast member on its spin-off show, Love & Hip Hop: Miami. Castaneda released her debut novel, Secrets of a Jewel, in January 2017.