Mae Day

THEHIPHOPDIVA.COM SPOKE WITH UNDERGROUND DIVA OF THE WEEK MAE DAY AND GAINED A BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON WHY MC LYTE IS PROUD TO SAY SHE’S COMING—WE’RE PROUD TO SAY SHE’S HERE AND SHE’S REPRESENTING US

HHD (HIPHOPDIVA): You’ve received the endorsement from hip hop pioneer MC Lyte.  What does that mean to you?

MD (Mae Day): I think that’s big.  I haven’t heard MC Lyte really vouch for many other artists.  It kind of gives me confirmation that I’m going in the right path.  Not too many compliments get much bigger than that.

HHD: When did you begin your career as a hip hop artist?

MD: I was playing sports in college and that required a lot of discipline and a lot of hours in the day.  When I decided to make the transition from leaving sports I transferred the energy, discipline, and work ethic that I had learned.  I was listening to a lot of music at the time and I was like I can do this.  I have a passion for it, probably more than a lot of people I was listening to at the time.  This was something I could see myself doing 20 years from now and sports wasn’t.

HHD: Musically what do you feel you represent?

MD: I think I represent the everyday struggle that doesn’t get talked about now.  I think there are two extremes in music right now—the extreme balling life and the extreme gangsta life.  I feel like the majority of the world does not fit in those categories.  I don’t feel like they’re getting represented properly.  I represent the person that’s working hard, that has struggles, that has ups and downs.

HHD: What’s the significance behind the name Mae Day?

MD: When I was looking for a name I went online and was searching 1970’s movies websites.  One of the first black bond girls name was Mae Day.  As everyone knows Mae Day is also a distress call.  I thought it was perfect.  It had multiple meanings for me.  I also like the fact that everyone’s talking about hip hop’s dead…so you call out Mae Day when you need some help.

HHD: You’re heating up the streets and performing shows in different pockets of the country.  What’s your plan on taking it to the next level?

MD: Continuing to network and build relationships.  Getting to the point where there’s national distribution.  I think there’s a plus to being an independent artist.  I can do what I want and what I feel.  But I do like what a major label can bring as far as national distribution.

HHD: What reaction do you want to receive from people listening to your music?

MD: I want them to be like finally.  This is what music has needed…what’s been missing.  I want to exceed expectations of what a female artist can be.

HHD: How has hip hop impacted your life?

MD: It’s been a soundtrack for me.  I want to make music that’s a soundtrack for the everyday people that don’t really have a voice right now.  When I was growing up listening to hip hop whatever artists I was listening to were the soundtracks for what I was going through at the time.  I could pop in a CD and relate to it. Now I’m having a hard time relating to what the artists are talking about.  No one’s touching on the real issues

HHD: What’s up next for you?

MD: A lot of things aren’t totally set in stone yet but more national exposure.  I’m working on my next album and a new mixtape is coming up in the fall.

HHD: What is your definition of a hip hop diva?

MD: First off on the hip hop aspect you gotta be relatable.  You gotta be stylish with it.  I’m a hip hop artist. I’m making this music from the heart.  I’m putting time in it when I’m writing my lyrics.  I’m not just making some bubblegum rap.

I  gotta freestyle from Mae Day when she was on F.O.K.U.S. radio.  It backs up what she’s saying.  How many rappers in this day and time can freestyle off the top back to back like that? Respect!

Check Mae Day out:

www.myspace.com/maedaymaeday

www.maedaymaeday.com

Follow her on twitter @maedaymaeday