HHW: Describe what a Valley girl is, because the first thing that comes to mind is the movie Clueless, and that may not be you.
Raven: [Laughs]. A Valley girl to me is honestly someone who puts on for the Valley. They’re not what you think she is. She’s not rich. I went to Hollywood High and was mistaken for someone rich because of the school I attended.
HHW: So what’s so great about the Valley, because you rep it hard in your music?
Raven: I think there’s an unrepresented territory that comes with the Valley, it’s not put on for really. The Valley is great to me because it’s 10 minutes from everything. We’re right in the middle. We have such great house parties, which was my favorite thing growing up. The kids growing here are so closely knit, because we all knew each other. It’s very much a family environment. And don’t quote me, but the Valley is like 95 percent Hispanic and we’re all somehow related and know each other. The 818 is so big and not really represented, but it’s becoming important now.
HHW: You mentioned you’re Mexican? Talk a little bit about that, what was it like growing up in your household?
Raven: I’m half and half –– half white, half Mexican. My dad is white and my mom is Mexican. So I didn’t grow up with my dad’s side of the family too much, I grew up mostly with my mom’s because he just wasn’t around. Growing up with my mom’s side was like growing up in a typical Mexican household. Lots of food, the different variations of it, the overwhelming sense of unity and just being very proud of where you come from.
For me it was hard because I am half and half. Growing up I was made fun of for not being Hispanic enough, but also for not being white enough since I’m so light. I may not be the darkest girl or not speak Spanish too well, but I am super proud of where I come from and try to represent that in what I do.
HHW: How did you react when you first heard Snoop hop on one of your tracks?
Raven: No one told me anything! [Laughs]. They were just like ‘oh, peep this, we mixed it.’ So I’m there listening to it and his voice is the first one that comes on, so I’m sitting there waiting to hear my own voice, but it’s his that comes on. And when Snoop says my name and then says Valifornia, I was immediately brought to tears.
That’s something that you can only dream of, as a rapper from the West coast. I remember bringing it to my family and they were all in tears as well. It was a moment that solified for my family that I was really doing this, that this was just a pipe dream that I was really trying hard to make happen.
HHW: You dropped Valifornia in August. What’s next?
Raven: I want to drop a little something before the year ends. But it’s always so unpredictable. I want to keep making music and keep putting it out. I try to drop as many records as possible. Going forth now we’re just going to keep releasing music every couple weeks. The next mixtape or EP will be out very soon. Wait on it.
