Ahead of his string of headline shows, which kick off with a performance at Fitzroy’s Laundry Club on December 16, we’re sorting through all the reasons why you can’t miss J-MILLA’s national ‘Ego Trip’ Club tour.
Few artists are enjoying an ascendance quite like J-MILLA.
Since the release of his 2019 track, Unlock The System — made in response to the killing of a young Aboriginal man in Central Australia — the NT musician has gradually scaled Australian hip hop’s upper echelons to become the country’s breakout star, with no signs of slowing down.
In between releasing a string of stellar singles, performing at festivals across the country and delivering show-stopping live performances, J-MILLA is poised to continue his ascent with his imminent national tour slated for mid-2024.
As audiences anxiously await his movements — from debut festival appearances to a new single due out December 8, and more — we’re sorting through all the reasons why J-MILLA’s ‘Ego Trip’ Club tour will be an unmissable event on 2024’s music calendar.
Catch him this month before he blows up (even more)
The ‘Ego Trip’ Club tour is a hot-ticket item simply because of J-MILLA’s transcendent artistry — and audiences are rightfully taking notice.
In 2023 alone, the rapper dropped a string of hugely successful singles, including Nicest and On My Soul, earning him a showcase performance at Brisbane’s BIGSOUND.
Elsewhere, J-MILLA was crowned the winner of the Northern Territory Music Awards in the Hip Hop and Youth categories, was a featured artist on Triple J Unearthed, and was named among NT’s most powerful social media influencers of the year.
All of this points to an artist in the midst of their breakout moment, but with plans to further extend his meteoric rise, it would be wise to catch J-MILLA’s 2024 shows on the cusp of his ascent — and earn bragging rights before he inevitably blows up even more.
Historic sets and remote outreach
Among J-MILLA’s biggest achievements in 2023 was his historic set in Wadeye in Northern Territory as part of Yidiyi Day, the first festival of its kind to be held in the community.
Headlining the inaugural event alongside his brother, Yung Milla, J-MILLA’s livestreamed set was groundbreaking; reaching up to 689,000 viewers and marking TikTok’s first-ever dedicated livestream from a remote Indigenous community.
J-MILLA’s connection to his roots elsewhere saw him host concerts and motivational workshops in remote regions like Garma, Maningrida, Groote Eylandt, Beswick and Alice Springs, showcasing his commitment to — and celebration of — the culture that informs his music.
This outreach speaks to the broader impact of J-MILLA’s work, and the important side of his artistry that makes his ‘Ego Trip’ tour all the more unmissable.
Festival experience and undeniable stage presence
Yidiyi Day was only the tip of the iceberg of J-MILLA’s bustling 2023 festival dates. Alongside BIGSOUND, the rapper also performed at Gilyong Festival in Eden, NSW, where he joined a lineup that included fellow greats like Emma Donovan and Radical Son.
What’s more, J-MILLA is set to make his debut at Field Day 2024 alongside the likes of Genesis Owusu and Mall Grab, with additional sets slated next year for NT’s Bass in the Grass festival and the FlewNT Block Party as part of Perth Festival.
More imminently, the rapper will take to his hometown of Mayberry, Darwin for a headline show on December 8, the same day he’s set to release his next single.
These, of course, are merely precursors of what’s to come. With such a hectic touring schedule under his belt, J-MILLA is sure to deliver his best-ever performances when he embarks on his national ‘Ego Trip’ Club tour, the dates for which are slated for mid-2024.
String of stellar singles
Naturally, a tour is only as good as the music that informs it, and thankfully, J-MILLA has delivered on that front in spades.
2023 saw the release of a smattering of much-acclaimed singles, from the unfiltered energy of the Thir13een-assisted Nicest in April to the infectious bombast of August’s On My Soul.
J-MILLA’s most recent single, the simmering tongue-in-cheek cut Gammon, arrived in October, and adds to what’s sure to be a no-skip setlist for the rapper’s ‘Ego Trip’ Club tour.
The tour’s crown jewel, the namesake single Ego Trip, is set for release today (December 8), all-but confirming that J-MILLA’s live shows will achieve hot-ticket status.
Be sure to catch J-MILLA as he embarks upon his ‘Ego Trip’ tour, beginning December 16 at the Laundry Club in Fitzroy. In the meantime, listen to his just-released single Ego Trip below.
