LisaRaye McCoy-Misick was born on September 23, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of African American and Native American descent, and she is proud of her heritage. She initially attended Eastern Illinois University, but it wasn't until she was persuaded by an insistent roommate to attend a local audition in Chicago that she began to take her interest in acting seriously.
LisaRaye's screen debut was in the low-budget action movie Reasons (1996),which received numerous critical kudos despite the film going largely unseen. She is known for her charmingly seductive smile and a distinctly vibrant but laid-back personality. Her early television appearances included guest roles on popular shows such as Martin (1992) and In the House (1995).
LisaRaye's breakthrough role came in 1998 with her appearance in rapper Tupac Shakur's final music video, which caught the eye of rapper/actor Ice Cube, leading to her role in The Players Club (1998). Her memorable performance as a troubled stripper left a solid impression on audiences. Her appearances thus far were impressive, but LisaRaye's career truly began to ignite after her appearance in the movie The Wood (1999).
In 2000, LisaRaye found her widest audience yet as the host of Source: All Access (2002),a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. She quickly gained a loyal following with her winning smile and extensive knowledge of all things hip-hop. As film roles continued to roll in, she came across her biggest role to date in the 2002 film Civil Brand (2002),a harrowing look into life in women's prison, which took home top awards at both the American Black Film Festival and The Urbanworld Film Festival.
LisaRaye soon followed her little sister Da Brat into a career in music, collaborating with Benzino to record a song to be featured in the film Redemption (2004). In 2003, she prepared for the release of the Barry Levinson comedy Envy (2004),the female-driven Western Guns and Roses (2000),and her new sitcom, All of Us (2003),which ran from 2003-2007.
