(Photo By Mila J Facebook)
“Smoke, Drink, Break – Up” (iTunes)
Mila J is a singer/songwriter/rapper/dancer from Los Angeles, California. She has been active in the music world since 1991 and is the older sister of another R&B diva, the beloved Jhene Aiko. She is known for being affiliated with manager Chris Stokes (Immature, B2K). Currently, she is signed to Universal Motown and is preparing to release her sophomore effort, M.I.L.A (Made In Los Angeles). To get the ball rolling, she released a new single/video titled “Smoke, Drink, Break-Up.”
The track has a heavy hitting 90’s R&B style about it. The production is of five star quality. The booming bass, savvy musical components, mid-tempo groove, and urban vibe fit effortlessly together. The hook is dope too. The vocals and distortion are befitting. The lyrics are simple yet contagious. The verses are good. Mila J exhibits polished harmonies with honest purposeful lyrics. She brings the listener into the world of a romantic relationship that requires mood altering substances to function. So, not a very ideal scenario. A few standout lines include: “See I love you but I don’t like that I leave but then I come right back to you. So what is the point? I might as well sit here and roll me a joint. Or pour me a drink. So I can get wasted and don’t have to think no more. Get high as a plane. Cause sober we drive each other insane. And we know if we don’t, we just start fighting again.” Those words definitely portray an intriguing situation. Overall, this is a top notch selection and a great way to build up buzz for the pending LP.
The video kicks off with a black & white scene of Mila rolling in the car with her girls. Their dark attire complete with bandanas and fly dance moves make it an attention grabbing opener. Next, the viewer is privy to Mila and her significant other having a disagreement of sorts. Her boyfriend is played by fellow artist Ty Dolla $ign. Eventually, Ty decides to fallback and do some smoking which seems to calm things down. From there, color shots are introduced. The color scenes feature Mila J decked out in an array of sultry outfits, flexing her dance skills. Variations of all of the mentioned shots play out for the remainder of the visual. The piece ends with a glimpse of Mila J sauntering away from the camera down a lit alleyway. All in all, this was a premium video.
**My Two Cents: I am a fan of Mila J and her music. So I was very happy to see that she had some new material out. I loved both the song and video. The gritty old school vibe of the track is super catchy and it was very well reflected in the visuals. Plus, Mila J looks gorgeous. I am looking forward to hearing what else she has in store for the M.I.L.A (Made In Los Angeles) album. -MinM
