Born and bred in Chicago, Marisol Vélez (also known as Pinqy Ring) has always had a passion for writing. She first shook hands with the mic at age 15 during her Sophomore year at Lane Tech High School when her love for learning Hip Hop songs turned into a curiosity to try it for herself. During her Senior year she became the first female student to rap at her school’s talent show, and she vowed she would let herself feel that rush for the rest of her life.
A tough childhood, troubled teen years and a catastrophic car accident in 2004 have all worked to mold the young artist into the powerful MC she is today. The accident, (which left Pinqy in a coma with a brain contusion, broken teeth, and several scars), served as the defining turning point in her life. When she cameto, her feet hit the ground running fast with her rap dream held tightly in hand. The experience made her realize that telling her story is paramount.
In 2013, following her first mixtape A Beautiful Mess, Pinqy released Herstory, an EP celebrating her story and touching on different aspects of women’s narratives. The MC courageously released her follow up single “Little Hearts” (a song that detailed her past experience with childhood sexual abuse) in early 2014. Her first album Herstory: The Lost Chapters, partially sponsored by the City of Chicago’s DCASE, debuted in May of 2015.
During the span of her career she has performed in countless Chicago venues, and has captivated audiences in St. Louis, New York, San Francisco, New Orleans and even Ghana, West Africa. As an Honors graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a proud Puerto Rican, an educator, and a philanthropist, Ms. Ring has dedicated her career to creating social change through music and separating herself from the norm. Pinqy has been the subject of local, national and international online media features. She has been a guest on regional radio and internet interviews topping 150,000 listeners.