New York-based rapper billy woods is highly praised for his complex, literate rhymes and inventive flows, accompanied by boundary-pushing production. The enigmatic rapper frequently obscures his face in press photos and issues all of his music on his own label, Backwoodz Studioz. He began releasing albums in the early 2000s, but was largely unknown until his 2012 solo album, History Will Absolve Me, began receiving attention. His profile has continued rising, with albums appearing nearly every year since. 2019's Hiding Places (with Kenny Segal) and 2020's BRASS (with Moor Mother) are two of his most praised releases, in addition to numerous albums with E L U C I D as the duo Armand Hammer. In 2022, woods addressed subjects related to history and religion with full-lengths Aethiopes and Church. Maps, a travelogue based on woods' touring experiences, appeared in 2023.