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Shout Out 4
Miss Renaissance
A 'Shout Out' with 98.7 KISS FM'S Raqiyah Mays
By: Bryant Lewis
TeenNewsNet Co-Editor
During the early part of the last century the term "Renaissance Person" referred to someone that was very talented in many of the performing arts; singing, acting, dancing, maybe even painting. Today, there are the Will Smiths, Ice Cubes, Queen Latifahs of the world who have had some success in music and acting.
Then there is Raqiyah Mays,
currently one of the members of
the "Kiss Wake Up Club" on radio station 98.7 Kiss FM in New York that
caters to an older adult audience. She's been a DJ for Hot 97, one of
the biggest hip-hop radio stations in the country. She was also lead
editor for "The Ave." an urban magazine. She's written articles for Vibe, XXL, just to name a few. Now she's trying out her acting chops. She can be seen in two off-Broadway productions, Platanos and Collard Greens, a play dealing with the relations between Blacks and Hispanics, and Auction Block,
a show that displays what the future of hip-hop if the culture doesn't
change. I spoke to Mays on topics ranging from the current state of hip-hop, to speaking to youth on the importance of staying in school:
TNN: With all that you've done, DJ, acting, writing, etc. you are truly a modern-day renaissance woman.
RM: I'm a big believer in following my dreams and my goals. I truly believe in doing what I love, not just doing it for the money. I've always lived by that motto in what I do.
TNN: Was this something that something you lived by as a youngster growing up in New Jersey?
RM: No, I wasn't that self-aware of myself until I became a young adult. Though as a child, I was always involved in a lot of different things. Whether it was being on the NAACP Youth Council, to running track, I was always a busy child. My mother was under the belief that keeping us busy would keep us out of trouble.
TNN: Obviously, that shaped you into becoming what you are now?
RM: You know, looking at my mother, and her generation period, it was about stability and staying at one job for decades. No matter how much you hated it, no matter how stressed it made you, they would stay because it was all about stability. I would see my mom come home from from a job she had forever, tired. Though it was a good job, I don't think it was a job that brought her happiness. But she stayed with it because it brought stability. Well I made a promise to myself when I was in high school. I remember telling my brother I wasn't going to do that, be at a job that I didn't like. That I'm going to be at a job that I liked. I was going to do something that I love, and make money that way.
TNN: You spend time going to schools here in the tri-state area speaking to kids. What do you tell them when it comes to "living your dreams?"
RM: One of the first questions I ask the kids is: "How many of you think that money equals happiness?" It's funny the decreasing number of kids that raises their hands now. When I first started speaking at schools, almost everyone had their hands up, not the case today. I'll pose the question to them; "How many of you know someone who makes a lot of money, but isn't happy?" I tell them money doesn't equal happiness, do what you love doing, and the money will come.
TNN: What else do you advise them?
RM: Don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dream. There are going to be a lot of people who are going to question why you are doing something, why you chose a certain career goal, or job. They're going to say things like: "You don't want to make money, or you are crazy, you can't do that, or shouldn't do that." But I say "go with what you love, do what feels right to you. You have nothing to lose, especially when you're young."
TNN: Well out of the "practice what you preach" department, you were in college at Penn State thinking about being a lawyer when you made the decision that's changed your life.
RM: I had a career counselor in High School ask me what did I want to do with my life? I was 15-16 and I just didn't know. So she thought I should pursue a career as a lawyer. And it was suggested that I attend Penn State. Well I wasn't happy there, I wasn't doing well in my classes, and I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. I realize that I love music, talking about music, reading all the music magazines, and I always wanted to be on radio. So I decided to look into where I could go that had a good radio station, a good journalism program, and I decided to transfer to Hampton University.
TNN: Well how did your mom react? I'm sure she was happy that her daughter was going to Penn State and going to be a lawyer.
RM: Well first of all I was still at Penn State when I made this decision and had filed all the transfer papers, and was accepted at Hampton. And I was smart enough to tell her over the phone, didn't want to do that face-to-face (laughs). Well she yelled at me, she was sad, she was upset, she got emotional. But I told her this is what I wanted to do. I didn't want to tell her before-hand because I didn't think I would get the support. I wanted to make the decision on my own, and I told my mom afterward.
TNN: Back in 2004 you were terminated from WWPR (Power 105.1) in New York, for something you said about interracial dating. It wasn't a negative comment, just a comment that as a Black Woman, you felt needed to be said. What did you learn about that incident, and the business of being a radio personality?
RM: What I learned is the power of radio, and the responsibility I have in choosing words once I crack open that mike. Think about what you're going to say, think about the audience you're saying it to, think about the intended impact of your words to the audience. Think about HOW you're going to create a dialogue with your audience. It also taught me to not bring up certain topics when you're angry. You can say things out of anger, out of emotions that may not come out the right way. If I could have that moment back, I would have said things differently. When I made those statements then, I said them and then I was like" "OK thanks for listening, see you next week," I was gone. I would have said it earlier in the show, to give the audience a chance to respond to what I said. But I was new to the game, and I learned a valuable lesson.
TNN: What about now, being part of the morning ensemble; "The Kiss Wake Up Club" here in New York?
RM: I truly feel honored to be a part of this crew. Jeff Foxx (host) has been doing Hip-Hop on radio before there was a station like Hot 97. We call him "Ol G". "Talent" is a funny man, and Bob Slade, is just a professional. They have taught me so much about this business, and I feel blessed to be able to work with such a great group of people. Though I complain about being tired when I come into work, but I just feel so fortunate, and again so blessed to be working with people I love being around. And I feel that I am learning from the best.
TNN: You occasionally go on Hot 97 and do a show on the weekend, which is something that just isn't done, being on two stations even though they are owned by the same company. Tell us about that special phenomenon.
RM: I have the best of both worlds. When I do the "Wake Up Club," it's
geared for an older crowd, it's a show for my mom, her
generation, and all the "church folk" (laughs). My mom can always tell
the church folk and her friends about and listen to that show. Then I'm
also able to talk to my generation all the "hip hop heads" on Hot 97. TNN: What about the current state of hip hop?
RM: First of all, some people want to say hip hop is dead. I don't feel that's the case. I think it's where it's suppose to be. Everything goes through phases, the music that's out now, everybody isn't feeling it, and I can understand, music is generational. This music isn't for everybody, and that's always been the case throughout the history of music. Some music would come out, and the kids of that particular generation loved it, and someone older thought it wasn't good, or the devil's music. But today, whether it's Soulja Boy, TI, Kayne, the young generation of today enjoys it. Music is made for the entertainment of the youth of today, so like I said, hip hop is where it's suppose to be, and I'm not going to knock it. I feel hip hop is evolving, expanding, it's expressing itself in different ways. It's alive and good, and is being enjoyed by those who understand it.
Press Play below to view Mays in action at the NYC premiere of Dark Knight:
