Mila J

Mila J modeled her approach to singing and rapping after TLC and Missy Elliott. Her additional enthusiasm for dance and songwriting suggested that the Los Angeles native sought comparable recognition and commercial achievement. Of Black, Japanese, and Native American heritage, Jamila Chilumbo, who performs as Mila J, recalled taking up rap at age four under the influence of the Fat Boys and the 1980s hip-hop film Krush Groove. Because her father worked as a studio musician, the same inclination appeared in her sisters Jhené and Miyoko.

Her first industry opportunity arrived at nine when she encountered Chris Stokes, owner and CEO of The Ultimate Group, on the set of a video for his group Immature and further impressed him with her appearance in Prince’s 1991 “Diamond and Pearls” video. Between the ages of 12 and 15 she danced professionally for Stokes and Immature. Alongside Miyoko she belonged to the Stokes-assembled Gyrl, which issued singles on Silas/MCA. She later joined the short-lived Dame Four, another Stokes project, before embarking on a solo career.

Her vocals appeared on the 2006 singles “Complete” and the charting “Good Lookin’ Out,” raising expectations for the ultimately unreleased debut album Split Personality slated for Universal Motown. After using the name Japollonia she returned to Motown as Mila J with the 2014 single “Smoke, Drink, Break-Up.” “My Main” followed before the October arrival of her M.I.L.A. EP. In 2015 she worked with Jodeci and BC Kingdom, released the mixtapes The Waiting Game and Covergirl, and issued the single “FreakNic.”

The 213 EP appeared the next year, during which she also collaborated with Timbaland on “Don’t Get No Betta.” Early in 2017 she released the single “La La Land” and the MILAULONGTIME mixtape ahead of Dopamine, issued that April and featuring a cameo from I Rich.