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LisaRaye McCoy
McCoy in 2010
Born	(1967-09-23) September 23, 1967 (age 57) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	LisaRaye LRaye LR LisaRaye McCoy-Misick
Education	Eastern Illinois University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present
Spouses	Tony Martin ​ ​(m. 1992; div. 1994)​ Michael Misick ​ ​(m. 2006; div. 2008)​
Partner	Kenji Pace (1988–1990)
Children	1
Relatives	Cynthia McCoy Scott Da Brat (Sister)

LisaRaye McCoy (born September 23, 1967), known as LisaRaye, is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Diana "Diamond" Armstrong in the 1998 film The Players Club, Neesee James on the UPN/The CW sitcom All of Us from 2003 until 2007 and Keisha Greene in the VH1 romantic comedy series Single Ladies which originally aired from 2011 to 2015. She was also married to Michael Misick, the first Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, from 2006 until 2010; during that time she served as First Lady of Turks and Caicos.

Biography

Early life

McCoy was born in Chicago, Illinois. McCoy is the daughter of David Ray McCoy, a Chicago businessman, and Katie McCoy, a former professional model. Her paternal half-sister is Cynthia McCoy Scott. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, McCoy attended St. James College Prep school, Kenwood Academy and, later,Thornridge High School, graduating in 1986. After high school, McCoy attended Eastern Illinois University before pursuing an acting career.

Career

McCoy made her acting debut as the lead in Reasons, an independent film directed by Monty Ross. McCoy is perhaps best known for her role as Diamond in The Players Club, directed and written by Ice Cube. She also appeared in The Wood, opposite Taye Diggs, Rhapsody, All About You, and Go for Broke. In 2003, McCoy starred as Neesee James in the UPN/ The CW sitcom All of Us, where she played Duane Martin's ex-wife. The series ended in 2007. McCoy began her career as a model for fashion, but before that she was married to Archie Amerson. She did shows in churches and high schools in her native Chicago. In addition to acting, McCoy has also appeared in dozens of music videos, including "Know Filter 2" by Shleah, Tugoa, T.Lee, "Download" by Lil' Kim, Changing Faces's "Same Tempo", Ginuwine's "Last Chance", Ludacris' "Number 1 Spot", Calvin Richardson's “True Love”, Sisqó's "Incomplete", Lil Jon and Ice Cube's "Roll Call", "I Don't Wanna See" and "I Really Want to Sex Your Body”, by Link, Tupac Shakur's "Toss It Up", "Never Be The Same Again" by Ghostface Killah & Carl Thomas, "Unpredictable" by Jamie Foxx, ”Ooohhhwwweee” by Master P, “Slip N' Slide” by Danny Boy, and "Are You in the Mood" by Teddy & Dru Down. She also had a cameo in Seven's music video "Girls" & Jaheim's music video "Back Tight Wit You" McCoy also recorded the single "Would You?" with rapper Benzino. In 2005, McCoy launched two fashion lines: Luxe & Romance, a lingerie line that was introduced during New York's Fashion Week, and Xraye, a jeans line for women. In 2011, she launched her jean collection "The LisaRaye Collection" in partnership with PZI Jeans, and a hair line, "LisaRaye Glamour"; That same year, she was the Ambassador/Grand Marshal for the 70th Magic City Classic parade and football game in Birmingham, Alabama.

Personal life

McCoy has a daughter named Kai Morae Pace (born December 5, 1989) with Kenji Pace. In 1992, McCoy married American football player Tony Martin. They divorced in 1994. In April 2006, McCoy married Michael Misick, who had been elected the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (a position previously known as Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands), in 2003. They were married in a lavish ceremony before 300 guests, followed by a three-week honeymoon to Jerusalem, Bali and Dubai. During their marriage, McCoy's title was "First Lady of the Turks and Caicos." In August 2008, Premier Misick released a statement announcing that he and McCoy were divorcing. Misick resigned from office in March 2009 after an investigation found "clear signs of corruption", involving the selling-off of public land to fund his own investments. He fled the Turks and Caicos, and was eventually arrested in Brazil, where he was extradited back to the islands to stand trial.

McCoy is a convert to Christianity.

"Queen Mother of Ghana" claims

McCoy has inaccurately referred to herself as the "Queen Mother" of Ghana on multiple occasions, including during a 2019 appearance on The Wendy Williams Show. Her remarks, along with the lax and uncritical reporting of American media outlets in response, were widely mocked on Ghanaian social media, with journalist Nana Aba Anamoah accusing her of "ignorance"; Anamoah further stated that the title does not exist in the country, as Ghana is a republic and not a monarchy. McCoy was allegedly crowned "queen mother" during a ceremony at a Los Angeles nightclub, in September 2019. She was given the supposed title by Yahweh ben Yahweh ben Yahweh, a self-proclaimed "imperial king" and former member of a hip-hop group from Orange County, Florida. McCoy, at the time, stated that "To have such an honor bestowed upon me by my own African people is a testament to my hard work and character". Yahweh, who refers to himself as "The Imperial Majesty King Yahweh The Holy Ghost", purchased the title of nkosuohene from a chief of the small town of Kwanyako in Ghana's Central Region.

McCoy visited Kwanyako herself in July 2021, promising to finance a vocational centre for women and a local performance troupe.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Stage

• If These Hips Could Talk (2003)
• The Vagina Monologues (2006)
• You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (2006)
• Gossip, Lies & Secrets (2007)
• Married But Single (2016)
• Married But Single Too (2017)

Award nominations

See also

• Hip hop models

References

1. Behlin III, Johnnie Lee (2009). WHY: A Guideline for Relationships (Ways of Women/Minds of Men). Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781441576798. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
2. NewsOne – Michael Misick
3. Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and TV, p. 209.
4. This Week's Best Photos, Jet magazine, p. 42. October 15, 2007.
5. "Lisa Raye 50th Birthday". September 24, 2017. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2017 – via YouTube.
6. Thaddaeus McAdams (September 23, 2017). "LisaRaye's 50th Juke Joint Birthday Celebration – Arrivals". Getty Images. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
7. Historical Dictionary of Native American Television
8. New Millennium First Lady' Lisaraye – Sexy and Savvy (JET Magazine – January 7, 2008)
9. Lisaraye's Fairy Tale Comes True – Ebony Magazine – September 2006
10. "IMAGINEI MAGAZINE". imagineimag.com. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
11. Historical Dictionary of African American Television – By Kathleen Fearn-Banks, Anne Burford-Johnson
12. "This single lady is the real McCoy". August 2, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
13. Essence – Things You Didn't Know About LisaRaye
14. Black Celeb Kids -The Big Kids File (Three Generations Of Black Women)
15. Classfinders – Lisaraye McCoy
16. ^ Jason Buchanan (2008). "LisaRaye McCoy". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
17. "CW Cans 'All of Us'". Vibe (magazine). May 16, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
18. "Discography – Benzino/Mario Winans/Lisa Raye". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
19. "Lisa Raye with Ginuwine 'Last Chance' video". THEINSIDER. January 5, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
20. "Turks & Caicos Chief Minister announces engagement to Hollywood actress". caribbeannetnews.com. August 11, 2005. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
21. "Will You Marry Me 2008 – Celebrity Weddings – LisaRaye & Michael Misick's Gallery". Essence. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
22. "Turks and Caicos premier to divorce US actress LisaRaye McCoy". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 13, 2008. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
23. "Michael Misick Extradited From Brazil & Charged". bernews.com. January 7, 2014.
24. "Lisa Raye McCoy's Truth!". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
25. ^ "FACT-CHECK: Lisa Raye McCoy is Queen mother of Ghana?". Ghana Fact. November 15, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
26. crabbe, Nathaniel (November 2, 2019). "Nana Aba 'angrily exposes' top US actress over her claim of being Queen Mother of Ghana in video". YEN. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
27. Morgan, Glennisha (September 24, 2019). "LisaRaye Crowned Queen Mother Of Ghana For Her Humanitarian Work". Retrieved January 1, 2022.
28. Atwell, Ashleigh Lakieva (September 25, 2019). "LisaRaye McCoy Crowned A Queen Mother Of Ghana". Blavity. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
29. "Actress LisaRaye McCoy Received At the Royal Palace in Agona Kwanyako (Ghana) – Photos/Video". Eurweb. July 17, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
30. "LisaRaye TV Film 'Skinned' to Debut in 2016". October 27, 2020.
31. "LisaRaye McCoy Confronts Colorism, Pigmentocracy in Her Directorial Debut, "Skinned"". January 8, 2016.
32. "LisaRaye's Film on Skin Bleaching to Make TV Debut in 2016". December 15, 2015.
33. "LisaRaye McCoy -- Threatened with Defamation Suit over Skin Cancer Claims".

External links

• LisaRaye McCoy at IMDb

• 1967 births
• Actresses from Chicago
• African-American fashion designers
• American fashion designers
• American women fashion designers
• American film actresses
• American television actresses
• Eastern Illinois University alumni
• Living people
• Spouses of prime ministers
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses
• 20th-century African-American actresses
• 21st-century African-American actresses
• Kenwood Academy alumni