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.
porcelain slightly
Lil Ugly Mane Lyrics
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You just go back and forth and back and forth again
It′s like your fucking occupation
How you shatter my relief like porcelain
I wait for panic to subside
And scrape the tarnish from my mind
There's never any place to hide
Rotting home
Rotting home
Rotting home
Rotting home
I hate these courtroom presentations
There's no one here with something to defend
These long obnoxious conversations
They just go on and on and on and never end
I count the stars like anniversaries
From a window of this prison that I'm in
Sometimes the world will show me mercy
Then shattered my relief like porcelain
I wait for panic to subside
And scrape the tarnish from my mind
There′s never any place to hide
There′s never any place to hide
Rotted home
Rotted home
Rotted home
Rotted home
In "Porcelain" by Lil Ugly Mane, the lyrics convey a deep sense of frustration and disillusionment within a relationship or possibly within oneself. The repetition of "I hate your constant oscillations, you just go back and forth and back and forth again" suggests the instability and inconsistency of the person or situation being discussed. This constant wavering creates a sense of unrest and unease, as though the subject's actions and emotions are unpredictable.
The line "How you shatter my relief like porcelain" metaphorically compares the person's actions or behavior to shattering delicate porcelain. Porcelain is fragile and easily broken, representing the singer's sense of vulnerability and how easily their peace of mind is disrupted. The use of the word "relief" implies that the singer seeks solace or a sense of calm in this relationship or situation but is constantly disappointed by the other person's actions.
The lyrics also touch on themes of confinement and entrapment, with the mention of a "prison" and a "rotting home." This suggests a feeling of being stuck or trapped in a situation that is deteriorating. The repetition of "there's never any place to hide" emphasizes the sense of being unable to escape or find respite from the constant turmoil and dissatisfaction.
Overall, "Porcelain" delves into the frustration, confusion, and emotional toll that can come from being in a tumultuous relationship or dealing with internal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate your constant oscillations
I despise how you continuously vacillate between different opinions or actions
You just go back and forth and back and forth again
You constantly alternate between contradictory positions or behaviors
It's like your fucking occupation
It feels as if your main task or purpose in life is to do this
How you shatter my relief like porcelain
You destroy my sense of comfort and solace in a way that is delicate and fragile, like breaking porcelain
I wait for panic to subside
I patiently anticipate the reduction or calming of my anxiety
And scrape the tarnish from my mind
I make an effort to remove the blemishes or impurities from my thoughts or psyche
There's never any place to hide
There is always a lack of refuge or escape from the troubles or challenges I face
Rotting home
Deteriorating, decaying dwelling
I hate these courtroom presentations
I detest these formal legal proceedings or discussions
There's no one here with something to defend
There is no person present who has a valid reason or argument to protect or support
These long obnoxious conversations
These extensive and unpleasant exchanges of ideas or opinions
They just go on and on and on and never end
They persist and continue endlessly without any conclusion or resolution
I count the stars like anniversaries
I interpret the stars in the sky as significant markers or milestones, similar to anniversaries
From a window of this prison that I'm in
Observing these stars from the perspective of being trapped or confined in a metaphorical prison
Sometimes the world will show me mercy
Occasionally, the world displays kindness, compassion, or forgiveness towards me
Then shattered my relief like porcelain
But then proceeds to break and destroy my sense of comfort and solace in a way that is delicate and fragile, like porcelain
Rotted home
Decayed, decomposed dwelling
Writer(s): Travis Miller
Contributed by Josiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.