Local rapper Jake Miller says 2012 is his year

Get used to hearing the name Jake Miller.

The Weston rapper is on his way. At just 19, the singer-songwriter is a Web sensation.

Cred? Yup. The ditty is produced by The Fliptones, who are behind Jason Derulo’s Don’t Wanna Go Home, J Randall featuring T-Pain’s Can’t Sleep and Britney Spears featuring Lil Wayne’s Bad Girl, among others.

Things began moving quickly since Jake put out a few homemade videos two years ago on YouTube, singing and partying with his friends. On the Move, a remix of McFadden & Whitehead’s Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now, currently plays on Florida, Atlanta and California radio.

The talented fast talker is already a local hero: Stop Burgers in Weston named a patty after him, joining the ranks of Dan Marino, Paul & Young Ron and Jason Taylor. It’s an 8-ounce top sirloin burger topped with American cheese, green leaf lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup and applewood-smoked bacon on a kaiser bun; proceeds go to the Make A Wish Foundation.

The self-taught guitarist and drummer has already opened for Snoop Dogg at Club Cinema in Pompano Beach and shared air with Flo Rida at the Think Pink Rocks concert at Mizner Amphitheater. The youngster’s latest stint was over New Year’s Eve at the Miami Beach Orange Drive festival with headliners Cee Lo Green, Ne Yo and Gym Class Heroes.

Yup, he’s in heaven.

“I think 2012 is gonna be my year and that’s not just because 12 is my lucky number,’’ says the Cypress Bay High School graduate. “I just think the new songs I’ve written are going to take things to the next level. I can’t wait for everyone to listen to them.’’

Part of the ride is rubbing elbows with celebs, even when they had no idea who he was. Ambitious from an early age, at 16, Jake would attend all the Heat games with a stack of his CDs and distribute them to the bold faced names sitting in the front row during halftime.

“I would sneak down and hand them out to everybody: Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Rick Ross…I could go on and on,’’ says Jake, who will be releasing a new song, What I Wouldn’t Give, next week. “It was good to put my name in their heads.’’

These days his inspiration is a mix of old and new school. “Drake is probably my favorite right now, I listen to him on repeat on my iPod,’’ he says. “And Eminem. I hate to be cliche.’’

Jake has no problem being the next Justin Bieber, paternity suits and all. “I at least wanna have the opportunity to see whether I’d like it or not. I’ll go to the mall and be stopped a few times because people want to take my picture. I don’t mind any of it. I think it’s cool.’’

This story was originally published January 19, 2012 at 1:01 AM with the headline "Local rapper Jake Miller says 2012 is his year."