Corey “C-Murder” Miller took a relatively easy road to stardom; he is the younger brother of Percy “Master P” Miller, the No Limit Records impresario who burst onto the scene in the early ’90s. They, along with their other brother Vyshonne “Silkk the Shocker” Miller, formed the trio TRU, the success of which — along with his solo work and countless features on other No Limit artists’ material — made Miller among the more high-profile rappers of the label’s roster.
Unfortunately for him, that high profile made it difficult to defend himself when, in 2002, he was arrested for shooting and killing 16-year-old Steve Thomas during an altercation in a New Orleans nightclub. Miller has long maintained his innocence, and his lawyers have claimed that the whole thing was a case of mistaken identity. Despite problems with witnesses attempting to recant statements, the granting of a new trial in 2006, and support from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Miller has remained in prison since his conviction in 2009, which saw him handed a life sentence. He has continued to record and release music while in the big house — notably, under his real name and not his unfortunate moniker — and while he continues to lobby for his release, his prospects don’t look good. In 2023, based largely on sketchy testimony from witnesses, his lawyers brought a motion to vacate his sentence before a federal judge, who upheld Miller’s conviction.
