Travis Miller (musician)
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Travis Miller (born May 13, 1984), best known professionally as Lil Ugly Mane, is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. Noted for his diverse style, introspective lyrics, and various side projects, Miller's work spans a wide range of
genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...
s, including
experimental hip hop Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap and experimental hip-hop) is a subgenre of hip-hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising "hip-hop group ...
,
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...
,
lo-fi music Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate stylistic ch ...
,
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
, and
free jazz Free jazz, or free form in the early to mid-1970s, is a style of avant-garde jazz or an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventi ...
. He has also produced under the alias Shawn Kemp, and has recorded under the names Bedwetter and Vudmurk. Miller began his performing career in the 2000s in the
noise Noise is sound, chiefly unwanted, unintentional, or harmful sound considered unpleasant, loud, or disruptive to mental or hearing faculties. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrat ...
and
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
circles of
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
, though his published work includes pieces from as early as 1999. He first gained wider recognition in the early 2010s through his work with Florida hip hop collective Raider Klan and his debut album '' Mista Thug Isolation'' in 2012. ''Mista Thug Isolation'' drew influence from
East Coast hip hop East Coast hip-hop is a regional subgenre of hip-hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip-hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx borough of New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Co ...
,
Memphis rap Memphis rap, also known as Memphis hip hop, or Memphis horrorcore, is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-late 1980s. Characteristics Memphis rap has been has been characterized as being low bu ...
,
horrorcore Horrorcore (also called shock rap, horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, death rap, or murder rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from ...
, and
chopped and screwed Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a genre of hip-hop music and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and DJing. It was pioneered by DJ Screw, and became a staple in the ...
music, and has since been hailed as a pivotal work in the
underground hip hop Underground hip hop (also known as underground rap or simply underground) traditionally refers to hip hop music that is outside the general mainstream canon or counter-cultural in nature, usually with a heavy emphasis on emotion, lyricism, and/or ...
scene. Following a brief retirement beginning in 2013, he released his second album ''
Oblivion Access ''Oblivion Access'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp on December 18, 2015, with a vinyl release by Ormolycka Records. Released with the intent to be the final Lil Ugly Mane studio al ...
'' in 2015. From 2016 to 2018, Miller was a member of the underground rap supergroup Secret Circle with rappers
Wiki A wiki ( ) is a form of hypertext publication on the internet which is collaboratively edited and managed by its audience directly through a web browser. A typical wiki contains multiple pages that can either be edited by the public or l ...
and
Antwon Antonio Paul Williams (born October 25, 1986), better known by his stage name Antwon, is an American rapper based in San Jose, California. In 2013, he was included on ''Complex''s "15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW" list. He wa ...
. In 2017, he released the album ''Volume 1: Flick Your Tongue Against Your Teeth and Describe the Present'' as Bedwetter. Miller released the third Lil Ugly Mane album, ''
Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern ''Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern'' is the third studio album by American musician and rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp,Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, having lived in
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the List of cities in Virginia, most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeaster ...
and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
. In a 2024 interview with comedians Brandon Wardell and Jamel Johnson, Miller said that he had previously lived in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, and
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. As of 2024, Miller lives in
Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. Located at the confluence of the French Broad River, French Broad and Swannanoa River, Swannanoa rivers, it is the county seat of Buncombe County. It is the most populou ...
.


2000s–2014: Beginnings and ''Mista Thug Isolation''

Miller began performing in the mid-to-late 2000s, playing with local
noise Noise is sound, chiefly unwanted, unintentional, or harmful sound considered unpleasant, loud, or disruptive to mental or hearing faculties. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrat ...
and
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
acts in Richmond. He started recording
Southern hip hop Southern hip-hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip-hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip-hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee ...
-inspired tracks as Lil Ugly Mane in 2010, initially only releasing
demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
and
remixes A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
on the music distribution platform
Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...
before releasing his first full-length project, ''Playaz Circle: Pre-Meditation (The First Prophecy) Preview Mixtape (Real Murder Posse Underground Version)'', in 2011. During this period, he collaborated with Florida hip hop collective Raider Klan, designing the group's
album art An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to: * the printed paperboard covers typically used to package: ** sets of and 78 ...
and appearing on the song "My Hood" from group founder
SpaceGhostPurrp Markese Money Rolle (born April 1, 1991),Fri, Crossfade. (June 8, 2012Best of Miami 2012 – Best Solo Musician: SpaceGhostPurrp Blogs.miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved on November 4, 2013. known professionally as SpaceGhostPurrp, is an American rapp ...
's 2011
mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...
'' Blackland Radio 66.6''. In January 2012, Miller released the EP ''Criminal Hypnosis: Unreleased Shit'', featuring cut tracks from ''Playaz Circle''. On February 11, 2012, Miller released his first
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, '' Mista Thug Isolation'', exclusively on Bandcamp. The album was produced by Miller under the alias Shawn Kemp, and contains a feature from rapper and Raider Klan member
Denzel Curry Denzel Rae Don Curry (born February 16, 1995) is an American rapper. Born and raised in Miami Gardens, Florida, Curry started rapping while in the sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape, ''King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995 ...
on the song "Twistin". It received a limited cassette release through the record label Ormolycka, and a
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
pressing through Hundebiss Records. Despite a lack of promotion by Miller, the album gained attention primarily through
word-of-mouth marketing Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM, WOM marketing, also called word-of-mouth advertising) is the communication between consumers about a product, service, or company in which the sources are considered independent of direct commercial influence that has ...
, and was praised by
Odd Future Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF or OFWGKTA, was an American alternative hip-hop Musical collective, music collective formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. The group consisted of rap ...
members
Earl Sweatshirt Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), known professionally as Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, but changed his na ...
and
Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
. The album's sound has been described by music writers as being influenced by
East Coast hip hop East Coast hip-hop is a regional subgenre of hip-hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip-hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx borough of New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Co ...
,
Memphis rap Memphis rap, also known as Memphis hip hop, or Memphis horrorcore, is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-late 1980s. Characteristics Memphis rap has been has been characterized as being low bu ...
,
horrorcore Horrorcore (also called shock rap, horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, death rap, or murder rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from ...
, and
chopped and screwed Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a genre of hip-hop music and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and DJing. It was pioneered by DJ Screw, and became a staple in the ...
music, and has drawn comparisons to the works of
Three 6 Mafia Three 6 Mafia is an American hip-hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip-hop group, they went on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mystic Stylez'' became an influen ...
,
Gravediggaz Gravediggaz were an American Hip hop music, hip hop group from New York. Known for their Black comedy, dark sense of humor and abrasive, menacing soundscapes, Gravediggaz blended hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap with horror elements to pioneer t ...
,
Smif-N-Wessun Smif-N-Wessun, also known as Cocoa Brovaz and Tek-N-Steele, is an American hip hop duo from Brooklyn, New York City. It is composed of rappers Tekomin "Tek" Williams (born June 3, 1973) from Bedford–Stuyvesant and Darrell "Steele" Yates (born ...
,
DJ Screw Robert Earl Davis Jr. (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000), better known by his stage name DJ Screw, was an American hip hop DJ based in Houston, Texas, and best known as the creator of the chopped and screwed DJ technique. He was a centra ...
, and
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...
. ''Mista Thug Isolation'' has since been acclaimed as a landmark and a classic in
underground hip hop Underground hip hop (also known as underground rap or simply underground) traditionally refers to hip hop music that is outside the general mainstream canon or counter-cultural in nature, usually with a heavy emphasis on emotion, lyricism, and/or ...
; in a retrospective review for ''Pitchfork'', Andy O'Connor called it "one of the decade's most defining underground rap albums". ''Mista Thug Isolation'' was followed by a number of smaller releases, including the EP ''Uneven Compromise'' in October 2012 and two volumes of the mixtape ''Three Sided Tape'', consisting of unreleased songs and
instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...
s that were recovered from Miller's broken computer, in August 2013. On August 30, 2013, Miller released the
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
"On Doing an Evil Deed Blues", in which he outlined his grievances with the music industry and his intention to retire the Lil Ugly Mane project. After the release of the single, Miller labeled Lil Ugly Mane as "defunct" on his Bandcamp page, and largely withdrew from the public eye. He infrequently returned to upload new music, including the 18-track mixtape ''Absence Of Shitperson'' and the EP ''
The Weeping Worm ''The Weeping Worm'' is the fourth extended play by American rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp on October 26, 2014. Guest appearances include DJ Dog Dick and Nickelus F. The EP also contains a video for "End Your Whole Shi ...
'' in 2014, but remained quiet on social media.


2015–2018: ''Oblivion Access'', Secret Circle, and Bedwetter

On April 29, 2015, Miller released ''Third Side of Tape'', the third and final volume of the ''Three Sided Tape'' series, featuring a compilation of tracks recorded from 1999 to 2012. In a statement made alongside its release, Miller announced that a physical
box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...
of the trilogy would be distributed and suggested that his listeners "shouldn't be so Stratfordian". The
liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards. Origin Liner notes are descended from the prog ...
of ''Third Side of Tape'' implied that it would be Miller's penultimate project. In September 2015, Miller and fellow Richmond rapper
Nickelus F Daniel W. Jones, known professionally as Nickelus F (formerly known as Nick Fury), is an American rapper from Richmond, Virginia. He is best known for his work with Canadian rapper Drake during his earlier career phases, having guest appeared ...
released a collaborative mixtape titled ''Trick Dice''. Miller's second album ''
Oblivion Access ''Oblivion Access'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp on December 18, 2015, with a vinyl release by Ormolycka Records. Released with the intent to be the final Lil Ugly Mane studio al ...
'' was released on December 18, 2015; he described the project as "the last of the filthy water funneling out of the bathtub I've been soaking in for 5 years". An
experimental hip hop Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap and experimental hip-hop) is a subgenre of hip-hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising "hip-hop group ...
album, its lyrics were characterized by music publications as the darkest thus far in Miller's discography; they explore topics such as
existentialism Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and valu ...
, boredom spurred by the
Information Age The Information Age is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technology ...
, and the
cycle of violence The term cycle of violence refers to repeated and dangerous acts of violence as a cyclical pattern,eschatological Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negative world ...
/
scatological In medicine and biology, scatology or coprology is the study of faeces. Scatological studies allow one to determine a wide range of biological information about a creature, including its diet (nutrition), diet (and thus habitat (ecology), where ...
compendium A compendium ( compendia or compendiums) is a comprehensive collection of information and analysis pertaining to a body of knowledge. A compendium may concisely summarize a larger work. In most cases, the body of knowledge will concern a specific ...
of life and death in the rap game", and highlighted the stylistic contrast between the album and ''Mista Thug Isolation'', commenting: "There's no self-serious reinvention to be found, and maybe that's the point — what started as a jokey pastiche of Memphis rap is coming to an ironic conclusion, even with the former veneer stripped away." ''
Bandcamp Daily Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epi ...
'' Christina Lee described the album as "bleak" and noted feelings of
claustrophobia Claustrophobia is a fear of confined spaces. It is triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a l ...
, particularly on the track "Grave Within a Grave". Jots of ''
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic (abbreviated as Sputnik) is a music website that publishes music reviews and news entries. The site hosts both professional and amateur content, covering metal, punk, indie, rock, hip-hop, pop and other styles. Its reviews are us ...
'' called it "an album of dealing with... ugly, ''real''
baggage Baggage, or luggage, consists of bags, cases, and containers which hold a traveler's personal articles while the traveler is in transit. A modern traveler can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, small possessions, tr ...
" and "a collage of Miller's capabilities, and a lament of what he is incapable of." In 2016, Miller formed the underground hip hop supergroup Secret Circle with rappers
Wiki A wiki ( ) is a form of hypertext publication on the internet which is collaboratively edited and managed by its audience directly through a web browser. A typical wiki contains multiple pages that can either be edited by the public or l ...
and
Antwon Antonio Paul Williams (born October 25, 1986), better known by his stage name Antwon, is an American rapper based in San Jose, California. In 2013, he was included on ''Complex''s "15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW" list. He wa ...
, releasing their first track "Keep It Low" on June 8. The group released the single "Satellite" featuring the rapper Despot in early January 2017. On January 29, 2017, Miller released his third album ''Volume 1: Flick Your Tongue Against Your Teeth and Describe the Present'' under the alias Bedwetter. The following day, he posted a statement on
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
in which he recounted a three-month-long struggle with finding
psychiatric Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of deleterious mental conditions. These include matters related to cognition, perceptions, mood, emotion, and behavior. Initial psychiatric assessment of ...
care, eventually leading to his admittance and discharge from a hospital after asserting he was not
suicidal Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or acad ...
or at risk of hurting others. In the same post, he criticized the American mental healthcare system as "absolute shit" and said that it had a "very real potential to turn people who voluntarily seek help ... into violent suicidal monsters". After the release of the album, Miller continued working with Secret Circle, releasing the single "Tube Socks" in May 2017. In June, Miller made a guest appearance on the song "Zeltron 6 Billion" from Denzel Curry's EP '' 13''. In July, Secret Circle followed up with the single "Tonka Truck", produced by Left Brain of Odd Future, and later released "Ounce Of It" in February 2018. In April 2018, Miller released a new project titled ''Thing S Thatare Stuff'', a compilation of four tracks recorded from 2006 to 2011. On May 17, 2018, Miller announced on his
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
account that Secret Circle had disbanded and that all shows and an upcoming album were canceled. The following night, Antwon posted a statement on
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
in which he addressed unspecified allegations, admitting to selfishly using his platform and mistreating women. In a subsequent post, Miller expressed regret for initially trying to protect Antwon and reacted to his statement: "This is all about the people you hurt. These aren't 'allegations' and 'accusations.' This is shit you did."


2019–present: ''Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern''

Miller greatly reduced his output from the latter half of 2018 through 2021. In a 2023 interview with ''Spin'', he attributed the break to a need to discard creative ideas, likening the process to that of painter
Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626) was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England under King James I. Bacon argued for the importance of nat ...
: In April 2019, Miller and Wiki were featured on the track "Smores" from
Your Old Droog Dmitry Kutsenko, known by his stage name Your Old Droog, is a Ukrainian-born American rapper and producer from Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. He first gained public attention in June 2014 when online rumors were circulated that his self-p ...
's album ''It Wasn't Even Close''. In June, Miller appeared on
Culture Abuse Culture Abuse was an American rock band from San Francisco that was active from 2013 to 2020. History The band formed in San Francisco in 2013. The band released two full-length albums. The first album, titled ''Peach'', was released in 2016 ...
's song "War Time Dub, Culture City". He appeared alongside Denzel Curry on the track "Grim" from Wiki's album ''
Oofie ''Oofie'' (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by American rapper Wiki. It was released on November 8, 2019 by his own independent label Wikset. It features guest appearances from Denzel Curry, Princess Nokia, Your Old Droog, Lil U ...
'' in November. In 2021, he resumed publishing music on his Bandcamp page for the first time in over three years, releasing the singles "Headboard" and "Here I Am" on July 27, followed by two more singles, "Porcelain Slightly" and "Into A Life", on September 14. In early October, he released a
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...
demo project titled ''Obedient Form'' under the name Vudmurk. On October 12, 2021, Miller released ''
Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern ''Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern'' is the third studio album by American musician and rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp,Rate Your Music Rate Your Music (often abbreviated to RYM) is an online encyclopedia of music releases and films. Users can catalog items from their personal collection, review them, and assign ratings in a five-star rating system. The site also features comm ...
, Miller said of the album: Music writers noted the album's shift from Miller's hip hop background to a
lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate stylistic ch ...
and
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
sound, and likened it to the music of
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi mus ...
,
Eels Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order (biology), order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 Family (biology), families, 164 genus, genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the earl ...
,
Sparklehorse Sparklehorse was an American indie rock band from Richmond, Virginia, led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous. It was active from 1995 until Linkous's 2010 death. Before forming Sparklehorse, Linkous fronted local bands Johnson Fa ...
, and
The Folk Implosion The Folk Implosion is an American band founded in the early 1990s by Lou Barlow and John Davis. It was initially a side-project started by Barlow to explore different territory than that which was being canvassed with his primary band at the tim ...
. Tom Breihan of ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'' called it an "unexpected and pretty-great take on Folk Implosion-style '90s
breakbeat Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that uses drum breaks, often sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as Florida breaks, hip-hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat ...
-
slacker A slacker is someone who habitually work aversion, avoids work or lacks work ethic. Origin According to different sources, the term "slacker" dates back to about 1790 or 1898. "Slacker" gained some recognition during the UK, British Gezira Sche ...
indie rock", while Patrick Lyons of ''Spin'' labeled it "something resembling a specific corner of '90s alternative music". Miller appeared with
Billy Woods Billy Woods (born 1978) is an American rapper based in New York. He is the founder of the record label Backwoodz Studioz, and has been a member of Armand Hammer, Super Chron Flight Brothers, and The Reavers. Early life Billy Woods was born in W ...
on the single "Meteor Man" from Your Old Droog's album ''Space Bar'' in November 2021. In 2022, he released a number of singles, beginning with "Low Tide At The Dryin' Out Facility" on July 19. On September 12, he released the track "Blue Sand", along with two songs as Thermos Grenadine, "Christmas Cowboy" and "
Poisoning Pigeons in the Park ''An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer'' is an album recorded by Tom Lehrer, the well-known satirist and Harvard University, Harvard lecturer. The recording was made on March 20–21, 1959 in Sanders Theater at Harvard. In October 2020, Lehrer tran ...
". In October, he released "Pink & Rose", "Easy Prey", and "Split Ends". On November 20, Miller released "Redacted Fog" and "Unassisted". On January 9, 2023, the single "Ricochet" was released. He released the tracks "Orange Over" and "Spill" on December 5.


Artistry

Miller's discography covers a diverse array of genres. In an undated interview with ''Cult Classic'', he described himself as "intersectional" and outlined his musical background: "I grew up
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
. I got into
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
and through that I got into hip hop. Through hip hop I got into all sorts of shit because I was obsessed with the idea of sampling. I love sampling." His earliest works as Lil Ugly Mane were heavily inspired by Southern hip hop, horrorcore, and East Coast hip hop, while later projects have been described by writers as experimental hip hop,
free jazz Free jazz, or free form in the early to mid-1970s, is a style of avant-garde jazz or an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventi ...
,
breakbeat Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that uses drum breaks, often sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as Florida breaks, hip-hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat ...
, black metal, indie rock, and lo-fi music. His lyrics have been described as vulnerable and
self-loathing Self-hatred is a state of personal self-loathing or low self-esteem. In psychology and psychiatry The term "self-hatred" is used infrequently by psychologists and psychiatrists, who would usually describe people who hate themselves as "people wi ...
. They have explored themes including braggadocio,
existentialism Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and valu ...
, the
cycle of violence The term cycle of violence refers to repeated and dangerous acts of violence as a cyclical pattern,boredom In conventional usage, boredom, , or tedium is an emotion characterized by Interest (emotion), uninterest in one's surrounding, often caused by a lack of distractions or occupations. Although, "There is no universally accepted definition of bo ...
,
nihilism Nihilism () encompasses various views that reject certain aspects of existence. There have been different nihilist positions, including the views that Existential nihilism, life is meaningless, that Moral nihilism, moral values are baseless, and ...
,
addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
, and depression. According to Miller, his lyrics were written when he "was drunk, probably", and are simply what he thought "sounded cool". Much of Miller's work incorporates
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...
imagery. Miller has cited
L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', part of a series. In addition to the 14 ''Oz'' books, Baum penned 41 other novels ...
,
Carl Barks Carl Barks (March 27, 1901 – August 25, 2000) was an American cartoonist, author, and painter. He is best known for his work in Disney comics, Disney comic books, as the writer and artist of the first Donald Duck stories and as the creator of ...
,
Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating ''Fraggle Rock'' ( ...
,
Pee-wee Herman Pee-wee Herman is a comedy character created and portrayed by the American comedian Paul Reubens. He starred in films and television series during the 1980s. The childlike Pee-wee Herman character developed as a stage act that quickly led to an ...
,
ShowBiz Pizza Place ShowBiz Pizza Place, or simply ShowBiz Pizza, was an American family entertainment center and pizza chain founded in 1980 by Robert L. Brock and Creative Engineering (CEI). It emerged after a separation between Brock and owners of the Chuck E. ...
,
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (; 7 December 1805 – 13 June 1871) was a French watchmaker, magician and illusionist, widely recognized as the father of the modern style of conjuring. He transformed magic from a pastime for the lower classes, se ...
, the Hamburglar, and
Carl W. Stalling Carl William Stalling (November 10, 1891 – November 29, 1972) was an American composer, voice actor and arranger for music in animated films. He is most closely associated with the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts produced by War ...
as inspirations for his aesthetic.


Impact

Multiple artists have praised or cited Miller's work as an influence on their own. Denzel Curry said that Miller had inspired his decision to draw the cover art for his debut album ''
Nostalgic 64 ''Nostalgic 64'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Denzel Curry. It was released on September 3, 2013. Production Producers who contributed to this album include Rem, Ronny J, MarkMC9, Poshstronaut, Klvn Tyler, Nuri, Steven A. Clark, ...
'' (2013). Billy Woods lauded Miller's production as Shawn Kemp in a 2015 interview with ''Tiny Mix Tapes''. Earl Sweatshirt named "Throw Dem Gunz" from ''Mista Thug Isolation'' as one of his favorite songs in 2012. In a 2016 interview with ''
Dazed ''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a quarterly British lifestyle magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. ''Dazed'' is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for produ ...
'', singer
Lauren Auder Lauren Auder (born 1998) is a British-French singer-songwriter and record producer. Born in Watford and raised in the French town of Albi, she began her career producing for underground French and English rap artists. Auder signed to True Pan ...
called Miller "one of our generation's best rappers". Producer Gud called Miller his favorite artist and labeled him "the best
apper PackageKit is a free and open-source suite of software applications designed to provide a consistent and high-level abstraction layer for a number of different package management systems. PackageKit was created by Richard Hughes in 2007, and ...
of them all." Rapper Scrim of hip hop duo
Suicideboys Suicideboys (stylized as $UICIDEBOY$) is an American hip hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana. Formed in 2013 by cousins Scrim (stylized as $crim) and Ruby da Cherry, the duo initially rose to popularity on SoundCloud for their abrasive, self-pr ...
described the production on the track "O Pana!" from ''Eternal Grey'' (2016) as being influenced by Miller. Miller's 2015 album ''Oblivion Access'' is the namesake of the Oblivion Access Festival in
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
. On May 12, 2022, he performed at the festival for the first time; the show featured sketches involving Miller and an
animatronic An animatronic is a puppet controlled electronically to move in a fluent way. Animatronics are the modern adaptation of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions. Anim ...
dog named Thermos Grenadine.; . On June 16, 2023, Miller performed at Oblivion Access Festival for the second time.


Selected discography


Studio albums

*'' Mista Thug Isolation'' (2012) *''Trick Dice'' (2015, as Shawn Kemp with
Nickelus F Daniel W. Jones, known professionally as Nickelus F (formerly known as Nick Fury), is an American rapper from Richmond, Virginia. He is best known for his work with Canadian rapper Drake during his earlier career phases, having guest appeared ...
) *''
Oblivion Access ''Oblivion Access'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp on December 18, 2015, with a vinyl release by Ormolycka Records. Released with the intent to be the final Lil Ugly Mane studio al ...
'' (2015) *''Volume 1: Flick Your Tongue Against Your Teeth and Describe the Present.'' (2017, as Bedwetter) *''
Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern ''Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern'' is the third studio album by American musician and rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp,The Weeping Worm ''The Weeping Worm'' is the fourth extended play by American rapper Lil Ugly Mane. It was self-released via Bandcamp on October 26, 2014. Guest appearances include DJ Dog Dick and Nickelus F. The EP also contains a video for "End Your Whole Shi ...
'' (2014) *''Thing s Thatare Stuff'' (2018) *''Obedient Form'' (2021, as Vudmurk)


Footnotes


References


Primary sources

* * * *


Secondary sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* * {{authority control 1984 births Alternative hip-hop musicians American graphic designers American male rappers Rappers from Richmond, Virginia Musicians from Virginia Beach, Virginia Musicians from Richmond, Virginia Rappers from Virginia Underground rappers Living people 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians