Rappers J-Milla and brother Yung Milla charged with aggravated assault after late night CBD punch-up

Brothers and rising hip-hop stars J-Milla and Yung Milla have faced court over an alleged drunken attack on a stranger during a night out. Read what happened.

Star Territory rappers J-Milla and younger brother Yung Milla have faced court over an alleged drunken attack on a stranger during a night out in the Darwin CBD.

Jacob Kolya Nichaloff Jnr, known by his stage name J-Milla, narrowly escaped conviction after pleading guilty to aggravated assault over the Mitchell Street fracas in the early hours of August 15, 2021.

The 25 year old entered the national music scene in 2018 with his single My People, and has since performed Brisbane’s BIGSOUND, been nominated for Indigenous artist of the year at the South Australian Music Awards, and song of the year at last year’s National Indigenous Music Awards.

J-Milla, AKA Jacob Kolya Nichaloff Jnr. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Yung Milla, AKA Levi Colin Nichaloff. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Darwin Local Court on Thursday heard he had been about to hop into a taxi home about 2.30am when he spotted his brother Levi Colin Nichaloff, aka Yung Milla, allegedly punching a man on the other side of the road.

The court heard that thinking his brother was being assaulted, J-Milla ran over and began punching the victim, taking several swings and leaving the man with bruises to his face and body, grazes, and a sprained ankle requiring crutches.

Judge Therese Austin said she “did not want to downplay the seriousness” of J-Milla’s offending, but accepted he had misread the situation and “overreacted”.

“This was not a fight – I have to make that clear – it was an assault,” Ms Austin said.

“Your case is you didn’t know that; you felt very protective and you got involved, your brother’s a lot younger than you and you wanted to do everything you could to make sure he was okay.

“But when you became involved the whole thing got even more out of hand and the complainant was quite badly hurt … he was hurt and frightened.”

Ms Austin said it was “unusual” not to record a conviction for such a case but she had been swayed by J-Milla’s “good character” and “contribution to the community”.

“I really believe this is really out of character for you, a total aberration,” she said.

Judge Austin said she believed J-Milla’s assault was “really out of character”. Picture: Jason Walls

J-Milla was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond, and ordered to pay the victim $229 for his glasses and jeans which were damaged in the assault.

Speaking out the front of court, J-Milla said he felt relieved the legal ordeal was behind him.

“I’m pleased the matter’s over and happy with how the court has dealt with it,” he said.

Footy star Shane Radbone was called to give a character reference for J-Milla to the court, describing him as “a lover not a fighter” whose “credentials and integrity are unquestionable”.

The former Sturt and Essendon AFL player met J-Milla while acting as a mentor and footy coach at Adelaide’s prestigious Scotch College, where the young rapper was awarded a scholarship to attend high school.

J-Milla went on to become engaged to Mr Radbone’s daughter, influencer Poppy Radbone, with whom he shares a one-year-old daughter.

“I’m very protective of my daughter and whoever holds her hand has to be first class, and that’s Jacob Nichaloff in my opinion,” Mr Radbone said.

Asked what J-Milla was like on the footy field, Mr Radbone was less complimentary: “I’ll be honest, he was scared”.

“I’d often say ‘Jacob, just get the ball!’ and his comment would be ‘I’ll leave that to someone else’ … it was not in his DNA to be aggressive at the man or the ball”.

Yung Milla stands charged with aggravated assault and damage to property, the court hearing he was contesting the allegations.

His hearing was adjourned to November 1, when four witnesses including J-Milla are expected to give evidence.