View source for J-Milla

{{Short description|Australian musician}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = <!-- defaults to article title when left blank -->
| image         = J-Milla performs at Adelaide Festival 2021.jpg<!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = At the 2021 [[Adelaide Festival]]
| birth_name    = Jacob Nichaloff<!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date    = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per [[WP:DOB]]. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. -->
| birth_place   = [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], [[Northern Territory]], Australia
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) -->
| death_place   =
| other_names   =
| occupation    = [[Rapping|Rapper]]
| years_active  = 2018–present
| known_for     = "Ball and Chain" (2022)
| notable_works =
}}
'''J-Milla''', often styled '''J-MILLA''', is an [[Aboriginal Australian]] hip hop musician . He was born as '''Jacob Nichaloff''' in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] in the [[Northern Territory]].
==Early life and education==
J-Milla was born in Darwin as Jacob Nichaloff,<ref name=dare2024/> and is of the [[Marranunggu]] people of the [[Litchfield National Park|Litchfield Park]] area in the Northern Territory (NT). He spent his childhood in Darwin (where he started [[rap music|rapping]] at the age of 11),<ref name=hayley/>  but came to [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]], to attend [[Scotch College, Adelaide|Scotch College]],<ref name=rising>{{cite web | title=J-MILLA is a rising star in Adelaide hip hop | website=[[CityMag]] | date=4 March 2021 | url=http://citymag.indaily.com.au/culture/j-milla-is-a-rising-star-in-adelaide-hip-hop/ | access-date=29 August 2021}}</ref> at the age of 12.<ref name=dare2024>{{cite web |last=Dare |first=Laura |title=Burning rubber, breaking beats: J-MILLA drives hip-hop to new heights at VAILO Adelaide 500 |website=The Post |date=4 October 2024 |url=https://thepostsa.au/events/2024/10/04/burning-rubber-breaking-beats-j-milla-drives-hip-hop-to-new-heights-at-vailo-adelaide-500/ |access-date=9 October 2024}}</ref>
==Career==
J-Milla started releasing rap videos on social media when he was around 18, which built a large following.<ref name=dare2024/>
His first single, "My People", was released in 2018.<ref name=hayley>{{Cite web|last=Hayley|date=2020-11-16|title=J-MILLA Releases His New Single '60K PLUS'|url=https://www.3knd.org.au/post/j-milla-releases-his-new-single-60k-plus|access-date=2021-03-15|website=3 Kool n Deadly|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-07|title=Get to Know: uncompromising NT rapper J-MILLA|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/get-to-know-j-milla/|access-date=2021-03-15|website=Tone Deaf|language=en-AU}}</ref>
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 [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] radio station [[Triple J]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Knowles|first=Rachael|date=2020-01-21|title=J-Milla to donate song earnings to family of Kumanjayi Walker| url=https://nit.com.au/j-milla-to-donate-song-earnings-to-family-of-kumanjayi-walker/|access-date=2021-03-15|website=National Indigenous Times|language=en-US}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Looking forward to NAIDOC Week: things to do | website=ArtsHub Australia | date=6 November 2020 | url=https://www.artshub.com.au/2020/11/06/looking-forward-to-naidoc-week-things-to-do-261369/ | access-date=29 August 2021}}</ref> J-Milla was selected for [[TikTok]]'s online music festival that year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=First Nations TikTok creators in the spotlight for NAIDOC Week|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/11/08/first-nations-tiktok-creators-spotlight-naidoc-week|access-date=2021-03-15|website=NITV|language=en}}</ref>
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]].<ref name=rising/><ref>{{cite web | website=The Music | url=https://themusic.com.au/gigs/Ee4a1NXW19g/14-03-21-elder-park-adelaide-ziggy-ramo-jk-47-jimblah-j-milla-adelaide-festival/|title =Adelaide Festival: Ziggy Ramo + JK-47 + Jimblah + J-Milla Elder Park| access-date=29 August 2021}}</ref>
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]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Oates |first=Tayla |title=MusicSA Acts gear up for an unforgettable VAILO Adelaide 500 after-race concert |website=Glam Adelaide |date=8 October 2024 |url=https://glamadelaide.com.au/musicsa-acts-gear-up-for-an-unforgettable-vailo-adelaide-500-after-race-concert/ |access-date=9 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=dare2024/>
Some of his music deals with problems affecting [[Aboriginal Australians]], such as [[intergenerational trauma]] and [[Reconciliation in Australia|reconciliation]].<ref name=dare2024/>
==Other activities==
J-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.<ref name=dare2024/>
==Personal life==
{{as of |October 2024}} J-Milla is married with two children and lives in Adelaide.<ref name=dare2024/>
==Awards and nominations==
The [[National Indigenous Music Awards]] is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of [[Indigenous Australians]] in music. The award ceremony commenced in 2004.
{{awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| rowspan="1"| [[National Indigenous Music Awards 2022|2022]]
| "Ball and Chain" (with [[Xavier Rudd]])
| Song of the Year
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="NIMA noms 2022">{{cite web|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/nominees-and-performers-announced-for-national-indigenous-music-awards-2022/|title=Nominees and Performers Announced For National Indigenous Music Awards 2022|website=[[Music Feeds]]|date=13 July 2022|access-date=14 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="NIMAwins2022">{{cite web|url=https://themusicnetwork.com/baker-boy-2022-nimas-winners/|title=2022 NIMAs: Baker Boy Wins Two Awards, Archie Roach and Gurrumul Honoured |website=The Music Network|date=6 August 2022|access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref>
|-
{{end}}
==Discography==
===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with year released and album name shown
! Title
! Year
! Album
|-
! scope="row"| "My People"<ref name=hayley/>
| rowspan="1"| 2018
| rowspan="15" {{N/a|Non-album singles}}
|-
! scope="row"| "Juice"
| rowspan="4"| 2019
|-
! scope="row"| "No Lie"
|-
! scope="row"| "Lately"
|-
! scope="row"| "Route 66"
|-
! scope="row"| "Unlock the System"
| rowspan="4"| 2020
|-
! scope="row"| "Fresh"
|-
! scope="row"| "60K+"
|-
! scope="row"| "Lit"<br> {{small|(with Tha Trigger, Mark Lyrik & Yully)}}
|-
! scope="row"| "Thang for Me"
| rowspan="1"| 2021
|-
! scope="row"| "Ball and Chain" <br> {{small|(with [[Xavier Rudd]])}}
| rowspan="1"| 2022
|-
! scope="row"| "Nicest" <br> {{small|(with Their[13]teen)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sillymcwiggles.blog/2023/04/26/rapper-j-milla-returns-with-new-single-nicest-ft-thir13een-proving-once-again-that-he-is-the-one-to-watch/|title= RAPPER J-MILLA RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE "NICEST FT THIR13EEN" PROVING – ONCE AGAIN – THAT HE IS 'THE ONE TO WATCH'|website=Silly MC Wiggles|date=26 April 2023|access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref>
| rowspan="3"| 2023
|-
! scope="row"| "On My Soul"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/j-milla-on-my-soul-single/|title= j milla on my soul single |website=Tone Deaf|date=25 August 2023|access-date= 9 September 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| "Gammon"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nit.com.au/27-10-2023/8359/j-millas-gammon-release-sets-the-stage-for-jam-packed-end-to-2023|title= J-MILLA's 'GAMMON' release sets the stage for jam-packed end to 2023|website=National Indigenous Times|date=27 October 2023|access-date=30 October 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| "Boomerang"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://happymag.tv/j-milla-new-single-boomerang/|title= J-MILLA is back like a 'BOOMERANG' with infectious new single|website= Happy Mag|date=5 July 2024|access-date=6 July 2024}}</ref>
| rowspan="1"| 2024
|-
|}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Indigenous Australian musicians]]
[[Category:Australian male rappers]]
[[Category:Hip hop activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]