Raven Night$hade
Raven Night$hade (also styled Raven NightShade or Raven Night$HADE) is a horror-gothic rap-rock artist, underground emcee, and paranormal storyteller from Lansing, Michigan. Known as “The Reverend,” Raven Night$hade is a long-standing figure in Michigan’s underground music scene, blending hip-hop, rap-rock, and horrorcore with mysticism, folklore, and spiritual symbolism.
Formerly affiliated with DropTop Productions/Records, Raven is a core member of the Mystik Mindz collective and has collaborated extensively with regional groups including DTP Family, Wicked Willow, Wicked Willowz, and 111rd Degree. His work reflects decades of creative output across music, spoken word, and multimedia storytelling.
Music & Style
Raven Night$hade’s sound fuses aggressive rap delivery, rock and metal influence, and dark gothic atmospheres. Lyrically, his work explores themes of horror, spirituality, inner warfare, folklore, and the unseen world. His music often serves as both entertainment and testimony, reflecting his role as an ordained minister and elder voice within the scene.
He has been active on platforms such as SoundClick and SoundCloud since the early 2010s, releasing tracks including “Breathe” and “Wayside,” and contributing vocals and writing to numerous collective projects tied to DropTop Productions.
Podcast & Media
Raven is the creator and host of The Raven Night$hade Show: Michigan Legends and Folklore, a long-running podcast dedicated to paranormal investigation, urban legends, Indigenous history, and regional mythos. The show merges storytelling, cultural preservation, and spiritual inquiry, further establishing his reputation as a mystic-storyteller and cultural archivist.
Many music projects from Mystik Mindz and Wicked Willowz are embedded directly into podcast episodes, creating a crossover between audio drama, music, and folklore narration.
Background & Legacy
Born circa 1969, Raven Night$hade (born Steven D. Wooten Jr.) is an ordained minister with deep interests in shamanism, Indigenous traditions, and spiritual symbolism. A single father of four, he is also the father of Lansing rapper Nomad, continuing a multigenerational creative lineage.
He has been a long-standing artist associated with Westing Media Studio in Lansing, Michigan, and is widely regarded as an elder presence within the local underground scene.
Current & Upcoming Work
New music created using Suno AI
 https://suno.com/invite/@ravennightshade7676
Upcoming 2026 release blending Blackfoot-Cherokee–inspired country, rock, and rap, featuring Kismet Karma and other collaborators
Continued podcast episodes and collective projects through Westing Media Studio, Lansing, Michigan. He also has a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Communications. He is currently studying at Invisible College for Indigenous Medicines for Addiction Recovery. Last but not least, he is a Minister of 7 Times Back Ministries in Lansing, Michigan, with a mission to teach that recovery and second chances are possible for addicts and prisoners.
Also, Radio Host for https //futureairadio.com for 2026.