Raven Sorvino 2013 Brownies & Lemonade stage
The journey for Houston, Texas’ Anna Maria Pink began with a mic and a dream. Upon moving to LA with her mother, Anna crafted her lyrical prowess at North Hollywood High School, crushing the competition in talent shows & other school events. Influenced by other female emcees of the time such as Lauryn Hill, Lady Bug, Foxy Brown, and Lil’ Kim, Anna began cultivating her sound and set out on her journey with then producer, ChrEYEst-Allah. Drawing further influence from the silver screen, Anna took on the alias, Raven Sorvino, an ode to her favorite actress Mira Sorvino, “Raven because it’s a mysterious black bird that flies the skies, and skies the limit for me. Sorvino just sounded gangsta to me. Mira Sorvino in replacement Killers was way too cool, so I wanted to play her role instead.” After turning 18 and graduating high school, Raven invested in her talents, paying for her first demos.
Making her way through the ups and downs of the recording industry, Raven eventually hooked up with an all male hip hop crew, “Rise and Shine”. Raven saw early success in her career, opening up for the likes of Eminem, Tha Liks, Xzibit, Krs-1, Cam’Ron, Ja Rule, and Jay Z. Her raw lyrics and stage presence led to her being discovered by Mail Man, Dr. Dre’s producer on Aftermath at the time. Ultimately, Mail took her music to Dr. Dre, a dream that became overshadowed by the rise of Eminem on the label. Always the fighter, Raven eventually signed a deal on Mike Tyson’s start-up label with Def Jam Records, which unfortunately ended sour between Tyson and Def Jam.
Undefeated by her trials, Raven is now pursuing her passion for music with Language Artz Records out of Los Angeles. Scouted by Language Artz CEO, Picaso, Raven released her critically acclaimed "Inspired" EP in 2011, a project influenced entirely by the late songstress Aaliyah. Continuing on her path of success, Sorvino released her debut album "Paper Girl" to rave reviews at the top of 2012. The album, executive produced by Los Angeles production team, The Formula (J. hyphen & ChiKotiq), garnered Sorvino more fans and respect across the board, as well as being selected as a nominee for Best Female Artist at the 2012 Underground Music Awards in New York. Raven's latest summer release "Playa del Rey", with appearances by Casey Veggies, Problem and production from TDE’s Willie B, Ro. Blvd., The Formula & Woody, further solidified Sorvino as one of the premier MC's in today’s music industry. Raven Sorvino recently completed her first U.S. tour across the southern states on the #LoveStoryTour alongside Shawn Crystopher, El Prez, and Sean Falyon. Raven is currently wrapping up her sophomore studio album "Queen of Hearts" due out May 2013.