Plato III

Rapper and songwriter Ryan Silva's music as Plato III merges atmospheric indie rock guitars with vulnerable narratives, reflecting the artist's troubled upbringing in West Texas. Equally influenced by Midwest emo and conscious rap, the musician put out several self-released efforts beginning with 2016's Life Before Death. He then became indie rock mainstay Polyvinyl's first hip-hop signee with the release of the 2022 full-length The Devil Has Texas. Silva was raised in Abilene, Texas, by a single mother; they lived in a trailer park during his teenage years. He recorded rap songs at home and formed a group called Native Strangers, who uploaded songs to Myspace and released music through a local label. Silva attended the University of Texas and spent time in Austin before later moving to Los Angeles. Plato III's first single, "Natalie Portman," co-produced by JOBA of BROCKHAMPTON, appeared in 2015, and debut album Life Before Death arrived a year later. My First Word Was Juice was released in 2017, and its track "Illuminate" (featuring Remi Lekun) was later featured in the 2019 romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe, gaining Silva increased exposure. The brief, dreamy 9 Love Songs appeared the same year. Silva wrote, directed, produced, starred in, and recorded the soundtrack for the 2021 film Let Me Be Frank, about a young rapper who moves to Los Angeles in order to find success. Plato III then became the first hip-hop artist to sign with Polyvinyl. His first release for the label, The Devil Has Texas, appeared in 2022. The album includes guest appearances by American Football's Mike Kinsella, who sings part of Daniel Johnston's Abilene-name-checking "Spirit World Rising" on the opening track, as well as Lil B on the song "Summon the Based God." Additionally, the single "Sorry If I Dissed You" contains a sample of Modest Mouse's song "Trailer Trash."
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