Terry Milla Explains His ‘Learn Ya Bout Me’ Journey
Hip Hop powerhouse Terry Milla is on a mission to drive positive change in and out of the music industry—crafting stories rooted in authenticity and brimming with unmatched energy. An Atlanta hip-hop veteran, Terry began rapping in his early teenage years, building a career with notable placements, performances, and flourishing recognition. However, his path took a dramatic turn in 2007 when he faced a series of life-altering challenges. Despite enduring profound loss, physical injury, and financial hardships, Terry’s unshakable resolve propelled him forward. Remarkably, he channeled his struggles into a healing journey—eventually recovering while reigniting his passions for martial arts, wellness, and music. Moving forward, this transformative period influenced his approach to life and art, inspiring him to change the rap game and “Keep It 100%” in all of his pursuits.
Incredibly, the impact of Terry’s “never give up” mindset extends far beyond his music. Through his innovative entertainment company, 100 Trillion Entertainment, he aims to uplift fellow artists and creators. Its unique name is inspired by the 50-120 trillion cells in the human body, symbolizing the limitless potential and extraordinary power one carries within. As a firm believer in the tremendous capability of the mind and body, Terry leads by example in his ventures, encouraging others as a dedicated martial arts instructor at his gym, Warrior Garden Combat, and founder of the plant-based food provider Winner Winner Vegan. Whether through his expertly crafted hip-hop tracks, his entrepreneurial pursuits, or his work as a mentor and instructor, Terry Milla is a consistent, clever, and creative champion of empowerment.
Immersed in the Hip Hop scene from a young age, Terry Milla refuses to let his years of expertise sideline him. Instead, he offers the community—and listeners from all walks of life—a glimpse into the paths that led him to stability and success. Playing on the southern slang often used by figures of authority, Terry plans to teach listeners a lesson—straight from a rapper who was rapping “before OutKast came out.” That is—a powerful lesson in resilience and determination. Set against a booming trap beat and dark, twisted melody, “Learn Ya Bout Me” carries an unexpected sense of vulnerability while staying true to his authentic Atlanta sound as he recounts the struggles that inspired him to live a more holistic lifestyle and connect with his passions on a deeper level. By diving into his origins and setbacks—Terry spins the negative into the positive, reminding listeners that this OG rapper “can only go hard.” Having beaten “impossible odds,” Terry continues to prevail and defy expectations—proving that the door never really closes for a veteran artist with determination and talent like Terry.
The visuals in the “Learn Ya Bout Me” music video masterfully weave a triumphant narrative that brings the intensity and authenticity of Terry’s story to life on screen. Immediately, viewers are immersed in Terry’s world—finding him first in a familiar setting—rapping in the neon, ultraviolet wonderland of Mudnoc Studios. Beyond showcasing his lyrical prowess, this video reveals the depth and dimension of Terry as a multifaceted artist and person. The narrative effortlessly transitions from the studio to one of Terry’s other spheres: the martial arts gym. The scenes of Terry mentoring and practicing almost take on a “Rocky” -like feel, visually symbolizing Terry’s journey of perseverance and gradual climb towards healing. Eye-catching visual filters and flashes of x-rays and album covers add a layer of nostalgia and emotional resonance—creating a captivating timeline of the challenges he has faced and conquered. As a vivid, personal backdrop, the video invites viewers to step into Terry’s shoes—and feel both the weight of his journey and the joy of his accomplishments. In every frame, his unwavering determination shines through, making it impossible not to root for him as he continues to rise above adversity and redefine the measures of success in the music world and beyond.
You have been rapping for a few decades now—what inspires Terry Milla to keep making music today?
Music is therapy for me. It’s one of my passions. My man Slappy from the band Entropy said, “music is what I love and I want to keep what I love in my life”. I love that concept. I had to get out of the mindset that everything has to have an immediate financial benefit for me to do it. The irony is that now that I do it because I love it, it’s making me money. We treat things differently when we love them, and I’m bringing that energy to everything I do.
“Learn Ya Bout Me” is an anthem of resilience inspired by your own life experiences. Can you tell us a little bit about your story and what motivated you to share your experiences in this track?
Life can hit hard and when it does we always have the option to let it beat us or to rise above the circumstances. For me, it was a defining moment that I chose to use as motivation. I told myself I wasn’t going to let this or anything else beat me and I pushed forward. I like artists that share their real life story in their music. Over the years, I had plenty of “opportunities” to “sell out” or compromise the integrity of the music but I chose not to. I think it’s like everything else, you get better at it the more you do it. Since I started down this road as “Terry Milla”, I defined the type of artist that I would be and I just continued down that path.
How has your sound and Terry Milla signature style evolved since first making music? In what ways does this song showcase your evolution as an artist?
When I first started, I was trying to find myself and my sound. I listened to the greats like Rakim, Chuck D., Ice Cube, Kool G. Rap, RUN DMC, Tupac, and others and studied their bars. I was influenced by them and more but I wanted to be original. That was a time when music had a message and I was dropping gems in my verses. Artists like E-40 inspired me to make my own slang and be different. In today’s music, the streets run the game. I came up on Boulevard (4th Ward) and the S.W.A.T.S in ATL. We used to be outcheer wilin’ for real. We did it all and didn’t realize that our actions had consequences. At that time, that lifestyle influenced me and my music. But as I evolved, I started to see that the street life only leads to prison, death, addiction, & bad habits. I watched my homies die, go to prison, or end up junkies. I made it out of this hell by the grace of God literally. Now I’ve come back to my musical roots so to speak. This song comes from where I am now. I always aim to evolve so my new songs will come from that place.
Who could you NOT have done the “Learn Ya Bout Me” music video without? What was your collaboration process like?
I’m grateful for my students Shane and Kani, my cousin Carolyn, and my potnas Mudnoc, Dejuan, Mic Chamberz, and Joe Black for helping to bring this vision to life. Our collaboration was basically what we do every day anyway. We train, do music, and eat vegan food, lol, so it was like always. I’m glad they were available on the days we were filming so we could get it done.
Do you have any interesting or fun stories about Terry Milla from the filming process you can share?
The food scene was actually supposed to be filmed at my potna Black’s backyard. He has a food trailer and we were going to show me serving food in the video. His dog’s did their business all over the yard though and we weren’t able to get it cleaned in time. We had to improvise and that’s what we shot.
You infuse a lot of your personality and interests into this visual—how important is it for you as an artist to share music that feels authentic?
For me, authenticity is everything. I can only be me and I shouldn’t have to pretend or glamorize something that isn’t authentic. I was at Pay Attention Productions studio with DJ Tim a while ago and there was a kid in there rapping bout all these drugs and how he’s trapping all the time. I was still smoking at that time so I asked him if I could buy some weed from him. He said, “oh I was just rapping about that. I don’t sell anything or do anything at all”. I just shook my head. I think that’s one of the main things wrong with the game. Many people feel compelled to make songs about crime, drug life, violence, etc. that’s “what’s hot in the streets”. We secretly are afraid to be ourselves because we think our real selves won’t be accepted. I denounce all that and just do me.
As a “champion of empowerment,” how do you hope your music inspires others? What do you hope audiences take away from the track and music video?
I hope that this song and my other music will inspire others to persevere through their challenges in life. I felt and still feel like I got hit by a ton of bricks but I know that I will never quit. People may say you’re too old or too different but if you truly believe that it’s worth it, then you must continue. My ex made a post that said “if you’re over 40 and still rapping you need to start a blues band ha ha ha lol lol lol”. Hip hop just turned 50 and I’m younger than hip hop so how am I too old? When I teach my classes, I have some teenagers that can’t keep up with me. There is chronological age and biological age. My chronological age is 49 but my biological age is probably in my late twenties. I take care of my health, and exercise regularly, and my mindset is that anything is possible. I’m not “too old” to do anything. Pretty soon, I’m going back to do parkour, please believe it. I’m already jumping off the walls but I’m going to a whole new level. So never give up. If I can do it, you can do it. The same naysayers that said it wasn’t possible will witness you do the impossible.
What can fans look forward to from you next—in your musical career or otherwise?
This song is one of 3 singles from the upcoming album, “Off Tha Leash”. “Off Tha Leash” means that I’m unrestrained, unchained, and doing me to the fullest. That will be released after the singles drop. My plant based foods company, Winner Winner Vegan, will have retail food and beverage products on the shelves soon. The “Tea of Immortality” and “Bliss Brownies” are being packaged and will be manufactured for placement in more stores. You can now place large/ catering orders on our website, winnerwinnervegan.com also. The Warrior Garden Combat and Fitness classes are being recorded and are going to be offered live and through video on demand. Sekm Maa (“True Power”) Warrior Arts, the system that I founded, has several drills and techniques that will be offered as video based training. More info on the classes and video training at warriorgarden.net. Other things will follow but I’m just taking it one step at a time.
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