Kentavia “KenTheMan” Miller is on her way to becoming a lyrical legend in Houston, Texas. The rapper has utilized her humble beginnings and alter ego as fuel to propel her along an impressive journey. You may have seen her recently receiving co-signs on Instagram from Cardi B or maybe you noticed when Rolling Stone named her as having one of the best hip hop albums of 2021. Last year assisted KenTheMan in understanding her impactful influence and how her unique personality was her secret sauce, which she sprinkled on everything. She rightfully earned a coveted spot on the 2022 XXL Freshman cover and her Freshman freestyle oozed with confidence and spicy charisma that showcased her playful yet bossed up sex appeal. KenTheMan also got the opportunity to flex on the mic for the 2022 BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher, taking her crafty wordplay to an elevated dimension. Ken’s years of grinding from Doordash-ing to pay for studio time to her 2015 independent freestyle mixtape has finally paid off.
Citing Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne as her primary influences, KenTheMan continues to hone her distinctive sound and express herself unapologetically on wax, her skills as a multifaceted rapper consistently shine through. With a lyrical prowess that can compete with the best of ’em, KenTheMan is as much at home delivering raunchy punchlines as she is crafting melodic narratives through engaging storytelling, tactical metaphors and infectious hooks. Proud to have worked her way into the national conversation and become part of a rich lineage of strong-willed women in rap—all on her own terms.
KenTheMan is now officially signed to Jay-Z’s megalith Roc Nation and her new EP Back to 304’n is here. Three years ago, Ken made her EP debut with 4 Da 304s letting her freaky flag fly high turning skeptics into stans. The project was a play on social media codewords that allows for adult verbiage and taboo topics without being flagged. The exhilarating listen from top to bottom was a fearless toast to sexual autonomy, self-empowerment and getting after it. The powerful independent offering climbed to No. 9 on the Apple hip- hop charts and generated more than three million streams within its first 24 hours. Now she’s “back” full circle making music for the sexually liberated woman with her Back 304’n. On Back to 304’n, KenTheMan made prodigious use of her artistry by curating a project that is vastly different from the ones before it. While her sexual prowess and the individuality of her voice live through the explicit content, her cadence and tone communicate a modern form of womanhood.
With a penchant for crafting fierce, free-spirited bars that reflect her dynamic personality the newly signed Roc Nation MC is fresh off the heels of her smash single “Not My N*gga” which boasted over 20 million streams. Ken’s first single off her latest EP is the spicy “I Love a Freak” where she waxes poetic about her love for rich men and oral pleasure. The single offers an assertive and self-indulgent warning about the type of man KenTheMan likes, both in and out of the bedroom. On this curated body of mood music, KenTheMan kicks it up a notch by insisting she’s willing to seek other options if her feminine and financial needs aren’t met.
Ken explains, “Men have been sexualising us for decades but when we sexualise ourselves, it’s seen as this taboo thing. Why can’t we talk about our own bodies? Why can’t we live our lives where our pleasure is at the centre of the story?”
KenTheMan has made a sport out of taking control of her narrative and artistry by curating a soundtrack for women to reclaim their power; over their bodies, minds, finances and relationships. With women having experienced a storied history of sexual oppression, she boldly brags about who she bags while getting to a bag without shame. Her outspokenness on the subject of sex isn’t so much about shock value as it is for women to know their value and prioritise their own satisfaction, be it sexual or otherwise. KenTheMan’s sex and body-positive feminism has given her a seat at the table. However, in authentic Big Ken fashion, she chooses to shake the table along with the culture. The future is not only female, but it belongs to KenTheMan.
Watch the visuals for “I Love A Freak”…
Listen to the EP…