J-Milla, often styled J-MILLA, is an Aboriginal Australian hip hop musician . He was born as Jacob Nichaloff in Darwin in the Northern Territory.
J-Milla | |
|---|---|
 At the 2021 Adelaide Festival | |
| Born | Jacob Nichaloff Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Known for | "Ball and Chain" (2022) |
Early life and education
editJ-Milla was born in Darwin as Jacob Nichaloff,[1] and is of the Marranunggu people of the Litchfield Park area in the Northern Territory (NT). He spent his childhood in Darwin (where he started rapping at the age of 11),[2] but came to Adelaide, South Australia, to attend Scotch College,[3] at the age of 12.[1]
Career
editJ-Milla started releasing rap videos on social media when he was around 18, which built a large following.[1]
His first single, "My People", was released in 2018.[2][4]
In 2020, J-Milla pledged to donate the earnings from his single "Unlock the System" to the family of Kumanjayi Walker, an Aboriginal man who was killed during an arrest attempt. The song was strongly supported by the ABC radio station Triple J.[5] In November 2020, he performed at the TREATY festival as part of NAIDOC Week at Tandanya in Adelaide, along with Dem Mob, MLRN x RKM, and shared the MC duties with actor Natasha Wanganeen.[6] J-Milla was selected for TikTok's online music festival that year.[7]
He performed on the closing day of the Adelaide Festival in March 2021, at an event called "Hip Hop Finale", along with Ziggy Ramo, JK-47 and Jimblah.[3][8]
On Saturday 16 November 2024 J-Milla will be performing at the After Race Concert of the Adelaide 500 motor racing event in Adelaide. It will be the biggest show so far for him, and he intends to showcase unreleased work. Others performing that night are Crowded House and Meg Mac.[9][1]
Some of his music deals with problems affecting Aboriginal Australians, such as intergenerational trauma and reconciliation.[1]
Other activities
editJ-Milla works with Aboriginal children in remote communities, teaching songwriting at schools and helping the children to express their emotions in music. He also does workshops on domestic violence and mental health.[1]
Personal life
editAs of October 2024[update] J-Milla is married with two children and lives in Adelaide.[1]
Awards and nominations
editThe National Indigenous Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music. The award ceremony commenced in 2004.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "Ball and Chain" (with Xavier Rudd) | Song of the Year | Nominated | [10][11] |
Discography
editSingles
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "My People"[2] | 2018 | Non-album singles |
| "Juice" | 2019 | |
| "No Lie" | ||
| "Lately" | ||
| "Route 66" | ||
| "Unlock the System" | 2020 | |
| "Fresh" | ||
| "60K+" | ||
| "Lit" (with Tha Trigger, Mark Lyrik & Yully) | ||
| "Thang for Me" | 2021 | |
| "Ball and Chain" (with Xavier Rudd) |
2022 | |
| "Nicest" (with Their[13]teen)[12] |
2023 | |
| "On My Soul"[13] | ||
| "Gammon"[14] | ||
| "Boomerang"[15] | 2024 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Dare, Laura (4 October 2024). "Burning rubber, breaking beats: J-MILLA drives hip-hop to new heights at VAILO Adelaide 500". The Post. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Hayley (16 November 2020). "J-MILLA Releases His New Single '60K PLUS'". 3 Kool n Deadly. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ a b "J-MILLA is a rising star in Adelaide hip hop". CityMag. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ "Get to Know: uncompromising NT rapper J-MILLA". Tone Deaf. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ Knowles, Rachael (21 January 2020). "J-Milla to donate song earnings to family of Kumanjayi Walker". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Looking forward to NAIDOC Week: things to do". ArtsHub Australia. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ "First Nations TikTok creators in the spotlight for NAIDOC Week". NITV. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Adelaide Festival: Ziggy Ramo + JK-47 + Jimblah + J-Milla Elder Park". The Music. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Oates, Tayla (8 October 2024). "MusicSA Acts gear up for an unforgettable VAILO Adelaide 500 after-race concert". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Nominees and Performers Announced For National Indigenous Music Awards 2022". Music Feeds. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ "2022 NIMAs: Baker Boy Wins Two Awards, Archie Roach and Gurrumul Honoured". The Music Network. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "RAPPER J-MILLA RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE "NICEST FT THIR13EEN" PROVING – ONCE AGAIN – THAT HE IS 'THE ONE TO WATCH'". Silly MC Wiggles. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "j milla on my soul single". Tone Deaf. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "J-MILLA's 'GAMMON' release sets the stage for jam-packed end to 2023". National Indigenous Times. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "J-MILLA is back like a 'BOOMERANG' with infectious new single". Happy Mag. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.