Rakeem Tyree Miles is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer from Baltimore, Maryland. Miles was raised by his grandparents from a young age due to his mother’s drug addiction and his father’s mental illness. Miles struggled in school and often acted out, leading him to attend 14 different schools during the course of his education. Inspired by artists such as Pharrell and Kanye West, Rakeem first started making music as a form of self-expression at eleven years old. As he grew older he began to take his own music more seriously, both as a mode of expression and a way to connect with others who may share similar struggles. Miles’ music is best categorized as “Alternative Hip Hop,” although his music tends to defy confinement into any one genre.