Meet Yuno Miles, the Internet's Favorite Rapper
While music fans celebrated the 2024 Grammys, there were two distinct types of celebrating that reverberated throughout the music industry. The first was the unparalleled joy that comes with an artist being recognized by the Recording Academy. Countless artists overcoming the odds and being given the opportunity to win a Grammy is a triumph that should be celebrated to the highest degree possible. From corporate executives to “creative directors,” many spent the past few days celebrating their Grammy recognition with more motivation to succeed than ever before.
The second? People celebrating Jimmy Fallon playing Yuno Miles on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
To some, Yuno Miles is another artist competing to become music’s next big star, but to others like myself, he’s already there. Long before Fallon, there was The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano and a legion of fans online singing Miles' praises, with the viral rapper racking up over 33 million likes and 947 thousand followers on TikTok. Joining the ranks of Swae Lee, 645AR, and Future, Yuno Miles pushes the culture forward with his boundary-crossing vocals and unparalleled affinity for clever writing.
Unlike his name suggests, it is impossible to fully understand the tortured genius restless inside Yuno Miles' head. Tracks like “Hong Kong” offer just a glimpse into the psyche of one of hip-hop’s brightest and darkest minds. Though there are lyrics I’d like to quote for you, the reader, I’ll let the track speak for itself.
Artists with Yuno Miles’s talents and platform frequently shy away from socio-political topics such as race, class, and even history itself, but Yuno Miles is unlike any of his peers. On the track “Martin Luther King” he reflects on his favorite civil rights leaders with grace and sensitivity. Again, there are many quotable lyrics but as you’ll see in the video below, they do not translate well to the written form.
With more music slated for release this year, few artists have captured my eyes and ears like the DMV icon. Though the Jimmy Fallon might have expedited Yuno Miles’ rise to fame, there is still time to be an early fan. All you need to do is accept him and his music into your heart.
