Kellee Maize
| Kellee Maize | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kellee Maize |
| Born | January 18, 1980 (age 36) New Berlin, Pennsylvania |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop, Baltimore club |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, doula |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Independent Artist |
| Website | www.kelleemaize.com |
Kellee Maize (born January 18, 1980) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her first album, Age of Feminine, was released in 2007. Maize has now been involved in the music business for just over a decade and has recorded and released six full albums leading to a handful of singles. As of 2011, her YouTube videos had combined for over four million views, and she had over 180,000 Twitter and Facebook fans. Her albums had been downloaded over 400,000 times, and she has been mentioned in various media outlets over 200 times. According to a news report in 2011, a Google search for “female rapper” displayed her website as the number one search result.
Maize was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and adopted by a family that lived in New Berlin, a small town in Central Pennsylvania. At the age of nine she started her first rap group, Thunder and Lightning. In her teens she moved to Pittsburgh and in 2000 began rapping and singing on stage, but financial need led her to the workforce. Maize graduated from Mifflinburg Area High School. She later studied at the University of Pittsburgh.
Maize worked at the Pittsburgh City Paper and began promoting events around the city. During her time there, she helped launch multiple programs supporting and promoting local musicians and spoken word artists, as well as a local fashion show. She was soon promoted to the position of events and promotions director. After experiencing her mother going through a near death bout with cancer and the sudden passing of her father, Maize again turned to music as a way to cope.
Maize was adopted as a baby by Chris and Terry Maize and reconnected with her biological family at the age of 22. Her biological father is actor Jimmy McNichol and her biological aunt is former actress Kristy McNichol. Maize is married and has one son.
In 2006 Maize founded Näkturnal, a Pittsburgh-based guerrilla marketing firm. The company has worked with many big name organizations, including the ONE Campaign, and EcoSMART and is involved in Pittsburgh nightlife. Maize remains the owner and CEO of the company.
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