KenTheMan Is A “Firecracker” Ready To Explode
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Listening to KenTheMan is an instant confidence boost. Her slick rhymes, often laced over bass-laden beats, make the rising rapper one to watch. And she knows it.
“I would define myself as a firecracker, wild, aggressive, confident, ratchet, a big ego…massive,” she explained as her newly-dropped “Gorgeous” freestyle played in the background.
“I would just say I’m a very strong presence. I feel like you can feel me, my vocals, you can feel my punchlines. You can feel my metaphors,” a surprising perception when coupled with the Houston-bred rapper standing only about 5’3”—arriving at VIBE’s Los Angeles office with a contagious smile and distinct, warming accent amplifying her natural Southern charm.
Kentavia “KenTheMan” Miller’s goal as an artist is to explore all aspects of herself through song. Her adolescence included writing poetry, singing in her church choir, talent show performances, and brief stints in various girl groups, which all laid the foundation for her rap career.
In 2015, KenTheMan titled her first public offering Kenny’s Back although she had technically never gone anywhere. From there, the “IDGAF” performer diligently kept at her craft. Inspired by Nicki Minaj, 2Pac, Eminem, and Lil Wayne, she continued freestyling and making original songs for five years straight.
In 2020, she released her debut EP 4 Da 304s (pronounced For the Hoes) featuring fan-favorite records “He Be Like,” and “Try Me.” She’d no longer have to make a living delivering DoorDash.
Continuing on, the “No Name” rhymer dropped the 10-track project What’s My Name in 2021, secured a coveted spot on the 2022 XXL Freshman cover, and appeared in the 2022 BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher. Now, KenTheMan is ready to expand her territory, with the release of her latest EP Back To 304’n, a new deal with Roc Nation, a nationwide tour with sold-out dates, and new goals.
VIBE: What do you hope to add to the legacy of Texas and Houston Hip-Hop?
KenTheMan: Just something different. I’m very versatile. I feel like I have a wide range of sounds. That’s something I just want to bring to Hip-Hop in general. I feel like I can kind of morph myself into any type of beat, any type of sound. I feel like that’s what I want to bring. I want to bring ratchet. I want to bring serious, I want to bring deep, I want to bring love. I want to bring R&B. I just want to do a number of things.
The song that just dropped with you and Rapsody [“Love Answers All”], how was that process? Did you achieve what you wanted to achieve?
A person off of the team called me at midnight and was like, ‘We need this verse by tomorrow morning.’ They woke me up out my sleep and I wrote it off of sleep brain. I always say that it’s crazy, because sometimes I don’t know what I can do and how I can push myself, because I am a very tough critic on my music and what I put out. It felt good to be a part of it, and she said she liked the verse. I love her vibe. She’s so cool. She’s so sweet and she really gave me my props, so it was good.
Going forward, what are some aspects in your music that you haven’t really uncovered yet that you hope to get into?
My R&B side. I really can sing and I want to do it, but I never wanted people to ever think that y’all about to just get singing music. That’s something I’m very, very, very anxious [about]. I feel like I’ve done a lot of rapping, so I’m super excited to tap into that softer side. And not even saying I’m about to be talking about so much love, it’s just in my way of singing, so I’m ready for that.
Like you said, you’re a big presence. Did you have to shape yourself up to become this?
No, it’s always been in me. I’ve always been a class clown. I’ve always been a character. I feel like it wouldn’t be shocking that I did some type of entertainment. Acting or rapping, I’ve always had this strong presence and this confidence and this security about myself…That’s something I live for. I wanted to be a therapist, I wanted to make people feel better. I feel like doing it through music is just what I wanted to do and the way I wanted to say it.
Are you able to use music as your own therapeutic outlet?
I always try to write when I’m in a pleasant space because it’s like, you still know how you feel. I’m going to try to channel it a little more because I feel like maybe my feelings at the present moment could… Sometimes I just feel like I can’t find the words. I do feel like it is kind of a very important part for me to be in a good mood. People can feel music. I always want them to feel it in the light, not feel it in the dark. I just kind of vibe and whatever I’m feeling at that moment, I try to push it to the side, remember what I was feeling, or jot down some stuff that I was feeling, and then put it into the music. I just like to make happy music. Sh*t talking, happy music, bashing ni**as, that’s my favorite type of music because it’s like, we all go through the same thing.
What was your brothers’ first reaction to you bashing ni**as?
They like it. Actually, I was playing ‘Deserve’. I remember not being sure about this track a long time ago, and I was in the bathroom and I called my brother and I said, ‘You think I’m rapping too aggressive on this beat?’ And he was like, ‘Nah, you smashing that sh*t.’I think that they are very receptive of it because they know it’s just music. They know it’s entertainment, they know it’s fun. Even with my dad, he knows it’s fun. Because I was like, ‘I don’t want my daddy to think I’m some type of whore with my music.’ because it’s not whore music. It’s just free music.
Relating to your 304 series, how would you define the term h*e? What does that mean to you in your music?
At the time, I didn’t see no curse words in titles, so I just said 304, because that’s what we used to say in school. Then it’s just been the saga. I got it tatted, not because I’m a whore or a h*e, it’s just the project that changed my life. It made me never have to work a job no more. Outside of that, it doesn’t mean selling pu**y to me, it means freedom. It means expression in whatever way you want to express it. Even if you are selling it, that ain’t my [business]; I make h*e music. I make music that you can’t play in church. It’s fun. It’s an expression of doing what you want, because h*es do what they want, right? It’s kind of an expression of wearing what you want, doing what you want, feeling how you want, speaking how you want. It’s just freedom.
So where are some of the places you’re most excited to perform on the Back To 304’N Tour?
I’m super excited about Atlanta because it’s selling out crazy. Chicago is selling out crazy, and it’s just like, me being me and just running with myself. I’ve been rapping for so long and I’ve always… I’ve been trying to plan a tour for a year or two years, and I felt like I wasn’t ready and I kept pushing it back. This time I still wasn’t ready, but it was like, okay, let’s just see, because people are asking. I was like ‘Wow, people all over the world seriously want to see me.’
That’s amazing.
It just feels so beautiful and it almost be making me want to tear up because it’s unbelievable where I came from…That sh*t wows me.
With the tour, with the Roc Nation Deal, with the project, at the end of the year, when you look back and reflect, what do you hope you can look back and say?
No matter what I accomplish, I just want to look back and say, ‘You put your best foot forward.’ I kept telling myself this year, I’m going to go harder than I ever went. I’m going to keep pushing. No matter what I give, no matter what I see, no matter how many likes, no matter how many comments, I’m going to just make sure I make myself proud. No matter what I accomplish, I just want to know that I worked hard.
Back To 304’N Tour Dates
September 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Catch One
September 24 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theatre
September 29 – Baton Rouge, LA – The Basin Music Hall
October 1 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
October 4 – Washington, DC – DC9
October 5 – New York, NY – SOB’s
October 6 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fallser Club
October 7 – Detroit, MI – Andy’s Arts
October 8 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Rock Club
October 11 – Dallas, TX – Trees
October 12 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
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