Miami Student

Issue date: 3/29/05 Section: Community

He's white. He's a rapper. And he's not Eminem. Oxford rapper "Mission Man," otherwise known as Gary Milholland, 26, is trying to make his way into the spotlight. Proclaiming his music type on his Web site as "very self-expressive hip-hop from a nerdy straight-edged nice guy," Milholland has released fifth album Antis Trype, which includes his most popular song "Chillin' at the Papa."His name of Mission Man originated in 1996 from his desire to show he was trying to accomplish something through a quest or mission."I also liked it because it fit between Method Man and Mo Thugs in the alphabet," Milholland added. "They were both big at the time when I actually came up with the name."Mission Man has played at uptown locations, including several open-mic nights at Stadium and three full shows at Hole in the Wall.He began rapping at 13 when his friend B.J. Fuller told him to "kick a rap" during a basketball game. Milholland and his friends then formed a rap group in late 1992 called the Multi-Culturals, but when his mom developed cancer in 1994, Milholland moved back to Ohio from Orlando, Fla. and the Multi-Culturals broke up. Milholland used his rap as a way to help him through his mother's death in Sept., 1994. His mother, Amy Milholland, had four children, worked three teaching jobs and attended school full-time for her Ph.D. She is an inspiration to her son and is mentioned in number of his songs.Last year on the 10th anniversary of her death, Milholland organized an event called Playing for the Cure, a concert at Madison Theater in Covington, Ky. to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Although he organized promotions through 30,000 flyers, ticket giveaways at three radio stations, coverage in CityBeat and CinWeekly, and advertisement on CincyMusic.com, only 31 people purchased tickets to attend the event. Milholland ended up losing $1000."I just dismissed as being the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area," Milholland said. "Even though I have a following here in Oxford and Dayton, nobody came. In general, if I have a show where there's no turn out, it's still fun. I'm doing what I love to do and that's ultimately what keeps me going."Mission Man has written an unreleased song called "My Heroes" about the role models in his life ranging from his parents to siblings and grandparents. Though his family has inspired him greatly, he has other influences as well."My biggest influence is Tupac," Milholland said. "My content is nothing like his, but my life is nothing like his. His level of self-expression and depth of poetry make him, in my opinion, the best rapper ever, and one of the best musicians ever."By the time Mission Man was 17, he had recorded and released his first CD Into My Mind, funded by his brother. Between 1999 and 2000, he taught himself how to play the drums, bass, guitar and keyboard.His next show in Oxford will be uptown April 15 at 11:00 p.m. at Hole in the Wall. For more information on Mission Man visit his Web site at http://www.missionman.net.

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