Raven Valentine’s album title Everybody Loves Raven is a manifestation of her relationship with the world to come. Today, the rising artist is known — and beloved — in the queer underground, but her debut project has legs to move her well beyond the community that raised her.
Over 13 tracks, the rapper reckons with feeling “alone and hopeless at times,” having navigated death, homelessness, drug addiction and more along her journey as a trans woman. “But still we are victorious in this game called life,” Valentine says, rising above the pain and using music as a vehicle to heal her trauma.
Below for PAPER, she breaks down the project, track by track, in her own words. “It was truly such a beautiful privilege and experience to create this body of work,” she says, “and I’m so thankful for it.”
“All On My Own”
This song was the first song I recorded on the album. I recorded it in the closet of my shitty mismanaged apartment where my beautiful next door neighbor had passed away in her apartment. I was in the height of my addiction, my mother was homeless and my sister was in the custody of CPS. I felt alone and hopeless at times, but my community held me up.
“I Miss U”
A lover of mine had died and another left me and another left me, causing me to become homeless again (seven years prior to the album being made). It was about my yearning to be loved and to love. Self-deprecation and the means of which I was doing it to isolate myself long enough to figure out what Raven really wanted from life.
“Days Like This”
I was tired of being so sad, and this song allowed me to finally cry my first tears of joy and understanding to truly begin to heal my trauma and humanize my experience.
“Guess I Care”
A quick summary of my life and why things happened the way they did. My family is so strong and I’m so proud to be a part of it. I come from a family of women who suffered at the hands of men and broken systems. Drug addiction caused by horrendous acts beyond our control. But still we are victorious in this game called life.
“Serina’s Interlude”
I asked my mother to do this interlude because I felt that it was important for her to explain that spirituality is an important part of our family. We are Native Americans, so we believe in many things. We wanted to teach people that you can still have a personal relationship with “God” or any higher power regardless of the hateful things evil men project onto us.
“Realest Bitch I Know”
Second song I made from the album, and the start of me believing in myself and my purpose. It was a cocky, fun feeling that I wanted everyone to feel. They’re the realest bitch they know.
“Cunt”
This was me really stepping into my alter ego and letting bitches have it. I am so humble, but Raven isn’t. She’s a free flying bird who doesn’t give a fuck about making bitches feel comfortable, especially with all that she has been through. I feel like she kept me safe and protected me in my hardest times. Whenever I felt like I wasn’t strong enough, she took the wheel and ate these men up.
“Fuck Everybody”
The feeling of walking through a club or event, and you are bumping people with your shoulders. Storming the function, shades on, no fucks given. Then you leave and go get some dick.
“Bust It/Wettest”
I think it’s so necessary as a creative and artist to truly believe you’re the best at what you do, and that’s what this song is about. You gotta believe in what you’re doing so much that it’s almost delusional. No one can do it like me.
“Fancy”
“Fancy” is a manifestation of the life I envision for myself. It’s the type of song that just makes you feel good, like you have everything you always wanted and all your dreams have come true.
“NLB”
“NLB” is such a classic rap song. It talks about losing the ones closest to you from envy and projection, while also maintaining a level of self-love and care by allowing myself to have healthy boundaries with those in my life.
“I’ll Be Alright (GMA)”
It was truly such a beautiful privilege and experience to create this body of work, and I’m so thankful for it. It healed me from the inside out, but it was painful and completely shattered the person I was. I was tired, but I knew I was going to make it through stronger, wiser and different in all the best ways.
“God’s Plan (Sarah Jake)”
I am a woman of faith. I choose to believe in my ability to create whatever reality I design. I am not a victim and I am not a minority. I am divine, and my purpose is unique and beautiful. Also finite, and that is what makes life worth living. This song makes me cry every single time I listen to it. It’s the reason I make music and who I make it for.
Photography: Julian Dakdouk
Creative direction: Andrew Makadsi
Styling: Pia Davis and Autumn Randolph