Miller rose to popularity in the early 2010s with an experimental approach to Southern hip hop. His debut album Mista Thug Isolation gained him notoriety in the underground hip hop scene. Since then, he has experimented with a number of styles within and outside the hip hop genre, most recently releasing the indie rock album Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern. His other work spans genres including instrumental and abstract hip hop, black metal, free jazz and noise music.
Career
Miller began recording music in the 2000s under a number of aliases. Much of his early music cannot be found today on the internet, however some of it has been re-released, such as on his Register compilation album. Some of his early work included the black metal projects Vudmurk and Seidhr, the industrial and noise projects Across, Public Garden and Rats, and the underground hip hop group The Legacy, during which time he rapped under the name Young Gus.
Miller began releasing hip hop under the name Lil Ugly Mane on Bandcamp and producing beats for himself and other artists under the name Shawn Kemp in 2010, releasing his debut mixtape Playaz Circle in 2011. His early work under the Lil Ugly Mane name drew on various styles of underground Southern hip hop from the 1990s such as Memphis rap and chopped and screwed. His style was similar to that of the contemporaneous Raider Klan collective, with whom he collaborated. His 2012 debut album Mista Thug Isolation earned positive reviews from Mishka NYC, among others and support from members of the popular hip hop collective Odd Future. The album has since been hailed as a classic of the 2010s underground hip hop scene, earning later praise from Pitchfork and The Needle Drop. The album was followed by a number of smaller releases, including the Uneven Compromise EP, which is ranked in the top 10 greatest EPs of all time by user-generated music review site RateYourMusic, and the single "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.
Miller announced he would release one final album under the Lil Ugly Mane name, and began sporadically releasing compilations of beats and older material on Bandcamp, including the Three Sided Tape series, the final installment of which, Third Side of Tape, received positive coverage from Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop among others. In 2015, Miller released what was intended to be the final Lil Ugly Mane album – Oblivion Access and the final Shawn Kemp project – Trick Dice, a collaboration with rapper Nickelus F. Oblivion Access saw Lil Ugly Mane taking a more experimental approach divorced from his earlier '90s Southern rap influences.
In 2017, Miller announced he would continue rapping under the name Bedwetter and released his debut project under the name – Vol. 1: Flick Your Tongue Against Your Teeth and Describe the Present. The album continued with the more introspective and experimental style of Oblivion Access. Around the same time however, Miller began rapping under the Lil Ugly Mane name again as part of the group Secret Circle with Antwon and Wiki. After releasing a few singles, the group disbanded and scrapped their debut album due to a personal falling out. Miller began working with the remaining members of GothBoiClique, however then appeared to go on hiatus, only releasing small collections of older material sporadically.
In 2021, Miller began releasing new music under the Lil Ugly Mane name. He released the single "Headboard", followed by "Porcelain Slightly" and then his third major release under the Lil Ugly Mane name – Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern, which was covered positively by Sputnik Music and Stereogum. Around the same time, Miller released a new black metal demo under the Vudmurk name.
Styrofoam
Lil Ugly Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, this is Purgatory! The Devil, speaking!
My teeth are contraceptives
They keep the words inside my mouth
My seat′s been ejected
Now I'm flying past your house
If everything was styrofoam
Love would cost a dime
Crime scene photos of a moth without its wings
Goes unnoticed
But it still hears everything
Smoke is heavy and I think I'm going blind
If everything was styrofoam
You'd still be on my mind
It′s always midnight
And the day shift never starts
And I just pick fights
And I fall asleep in bars
I feel tired and I think I′m done with trying
If everything was styrofoam
I wouldn't be alive
The lyrics to "Styrofoam" by Lil Ugly Mane explore themes of exhaustion, disillusionment, and the idea that everything in life is disposable. The opening lines, with the devil speaking from purgatory, set a dark and eerie tone for the song. The reference to teeth being like contraceptives suggests that the singer is withholding their true thoughts and emotions, keeping them locked away. The line "My seat's been ejected, now I'm flying past your house" could symbolize the singer feeling detached from their surroundings and moving on from relationships or situations.
The chorus further illustrates the singer's weariness and resignation. They express feeling tired of trying and suggest that if everything in life were as disposable as styrofoam, then love would lose its worth. This indicates a sense of disillusionment with relationships and a belief that love has become cheapened and superficial.
The second verse introduces the metaphor of a moth without its wings, symbolizing someone who is damaged or vulnerable. The lyrics suggest that despite feeling unnoticed, this person still hears and absorbs everything around them. The mention of heavy smoke and going blind could represent the singer feeling overwhelmed and detached from reality.
The final verse portrays a sense of perpetual darkness and aimlessness. The singer feels stuck in a never-ending cycle, always picking fights and seeking distraction in places like bars. The repetition of feeling tired and done with trying reflects their exhaustion and possible desire to give up. The closing line, "If everything was styrofoam, I wouldn't be alive," suggests that the singer sees their existence as pointless in a world where nothing has lasting value.
Overall, "Styrofoam" paints a picture of someone grappling with deep disillusionment, fatigue, and a sense of detachment from the world around them. It conveys a feeling of hopelessness and the longing for something more substantial in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello?
Is anyone there?
Yes, this is Purgatory! The Devil, speaking!
Yes, this is a place between heaven and hell, and I represent the darkness.
My teeth are contraceptives
My words are prevented from escaping my mouth.
They keep the words inside my mouth
They prevent my thoughts and feelings from being expressed.
My seat’s been ejected
I feel like I've been forcefully removed from my place in life.
Now I'm flying past your house
Now I'm moving forward without any restraints.
I feel tired and I think I'm done with trying
I'm exhausted and no longer want to make an effort.
If everything was styrofoam
If everything was cheap and disposable.
Love would cost a dime
Love would be easily obtained and of little value.
Crime scene photos of a moth without its wings
Evidence of a damaged and and vulnerable existence.
Goes unnoticed
It is overlooked or disregarded.
But it still hears everything
Despite being ignored, it is aware of what is happening around it.
Smoke is heavy and I think I'm going blind
I feel suffocated and overwhelmed, losing my ability to see clearly.
You'd still be on my mind
I would still think about you constantly.
It’s always midnight
It always feels like the darkest hour.
And the day shift never starts
There is no change or relief from the darkness.
And I just pick fights
I constantly engage in conflict or arguments.
And I fall asleep in bars
I find solace or escape in a state of intoxication.
If everything was styrofoam
If everything was superficial and lacking substance.
I wouldn't be alive
I would not be truly living or experiencing fulfillment.
Writer(s): Travis Miller
Contributed by Bentley V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.