Mila J’s confidence is conspicuous. Instead of shying away from who she really is, she capitalizes on her true self: fearless and resilient. No filter. Her devotion to music was destined. Born Jamila Akiko Chilombo, Mila J was raised in a multi-cultural and multi-talented family. Her father, a musician himself, introduced Mila J to music at 2-years old when taking her to her first concert: Prince. From the knee-high age of 5-years old, Mila J, embraced her innate creativity and pursued the arts. Her parents – Christina Yamamoto and Dr. Karamo Chilombo – enlisted her and her sisters in a range of dance classes at All That Dance in her birthplace of Los Angeles. “I knew I wanted to be a performer. I fell in love with the stage through dance,” she says. Mila J is heavily influenced by Janet Jackson: “Janet Jackson was the first performer that I saw live. When I saw Janet, I knew that was the kind of artist I wanted to be. Her innovation, her dancing inspired me.”
Through Bobby Ball Agency, Mila J took on auditions and struck a guest appearance in Prince’s 1991 music video for his single, ”Diamonds and Pearls.” She and her sister Miyoko, who alongside Paulette Maxwell were in a three-girl group at the time called Innocence, caught the eye of music executives. With their spark being obvious, they were aligned with management and underwent a name change & eventually became known as “Gyrl”. Gyrl signed to Universal Music Group’s MCA/Silas Records in the late 90’s. Mila J’s inimitable vocal prowess, and admiration towards TLC member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, drove her to take on the roles as both rapper and singer while in Gyrl. “I gravitated towards TLC, especially Left Eye because she had such a unique voice. They were different. They were tomboys. You could, and still can, relate to each one of them for different things,” she says of TLC.
Mila J: Me & You
“Even though we were really young, we were on a 52-city tour. It prepared me for everything that’s happening now. It taught me about the music business and work ethic,” Mila J says. After charting on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart with singles as “Play Another Slow Jam,” the group experienced interchanging of members and creative differences. Gyrl disbanded after a few years, and Mila J took time to focus on a career as a solo artist. “Everyone was different ages, and in different places in their lives. It was a mutual disbandment,” she says. “I had spent the majority of my life in groups. This time I wanted to do it on my own, and find my identity as a solo artist. I took the time to develop myself as a solo artist.” In 2006, Mila J returned as a solo artist and quickly began crafting her solo album, “Split Personality.” She signed to Motown Records, under the direction of label executive and trail blazer, Sylvia Rhone.Due to internal shifts in Universal Music Group, “Split Personality” was placed on hold indefinitely. Being the strong-willed and sanguine being she is, Mila J grasped the act as a blessing. She took a hiatus from the music industry to focus on herself.Mila J returned rejuvenated, and noticeably more comfortable in her own skin. She playfully took on a new moniker, Japollonia, for her self-titled 5-song mixtape.”It was just something I felt like I wanted to do. I’m the kind of person that goes with my gut, and I wanted to give my fans some music from me. Songs that I felt best represented me as an artist.” The mixtape garnered over 700,000 downloads, and turned the heads of tastemakers and label executives alike. President of Motown and president of urban music/co-head of creative at Universal Music Publishing Group U.S., Ethiopia Habtemariam, re-signed Mila J to Motown in 2013. “Motown felt right because of our history, and also because of Ethiopia. She believed in me, and encouraged me to be who I am.”
Mila J: Me & You Lyrics:
I swear it’s just me and my
I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my nikkas
I swear it’s just me and my (uh)
I swear it’s just me and my
I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my bitches
I swear it’s just me and my
Take it personal
If I don’t hit your line
I ain’t tryna see what’s up wit ya
Or if I don’t be around all the time
Maybe I don’t really fuck wit you
Shit, I gotta keep an eye out for these niggas
I don’t vibe with these niggas
I don’t trust ’em
Really man, I’m tired of these niggas
I don’t lie to these niggas
Keep it 100, we don’t love ’em, no
Uh, you may not like it
But that’s just the way it go
Yeah, I know that you see it
Should know that I’m ’bout to blow
Oh, oh
I got no more room for you
So you just got to go (uh, uhh)
It only takes a few to run the show, oh
Yeah, we all in this bitch
Ain’t nobody say it cause my niggas all killin’ shit (oh?)
Guess you can say we are wit it then
Numb to the bullshit
So nigga, I ain’t really feelin’ it at all
They don’t really get it ’til they got it
Get it ’til they partners
Get it, I ain’t trippin’
That’s the motion
They feel you now cause everybody knows you
Tell ’em what you want but don’t tell ’em I told ya, oh
I swear it’s just me and my. I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my nikkas
I swear it’s just me and my (uh)
I swear it’s just me and my. I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my bitches
I swear it’s just me and my.
Wait. I need a moment, said whoa wait a minute
Had to get it on my own so I did it
If you ain’t stickin’ to the mothafuckin’ code, you ain’t wit us nigga
What you mean you ain’t know?
They ain’t ever seen me fold
Lord knows I been winnin’
Lord knows I’ma get it
Let me paint the picture vivid so these hoes don’t forget it (uh)
Yeah, we all in this bitch
Ain’t nobody say it cause my niggas all killin’ shit (oh?)
Guess you can say we are wit it then
Numb to the bullshit
So nigga, I ain’t really feelin’ it at all
They don’t really get it ’til they got it
Get it ’til they partners
Get it, I ain’t trippin’
That’s the motion
They feel you now cause everybody knows you
Tell ’em what you want but don’t tell ’em I told ya, uh
I swear it’s just me and my. I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my nikkas
I swear it’s just me and my (uh)
I swear it’s just me and my. I swear it’s just me and my team
I swear it’s just me and my bitches
I swear it’s just me and my.
Only a two or three
Just me and my team
Swear I got, that’s enough
Only one way to go
It’s that way or move along
All these niggas worried ’bout me
But I ain’t never been worried ’bout them
