Meet: Lil Youngin's and their Debut Single 'The Problem'

Image: Still from 'The Problem' video

Dropping their powerful debut single of bouncy, conscious hip hop are Lil Youngins out of Arnhem Land, creating on Kunibidji country, with The Problem and its music video premiering on Pilerats today ahead of its March 16 release!

First involved in dancing together, Lil Youngins soon realised their shared passion for music and crafting political raps with important messages, leading to the writing and recording of The Problem. Lyrically, The Problem tackles the issue of youth crime in their community of Maningrida, highlighting the ongoing systemic issues while also offering a voice of strength and inspiration.

Of the song, Lil Youngins say “This song has been an opportunity to be a voice for the young people of Maningrida. It is for the kids and the community of Maningrida. It has made our families proud.”

Acclaimed artist J-MILLA creatively mentored the group for their new single, saying "I’m really proud of Lil Youngins for the challenge they have taken on. And also for the community of Maningrida who supported this project. This is a new experience in life for these boys and I feel nothing but privileged to be part of their journey and see exactly how far they go in their life.”

To celebrate the release of The Problem, we caught up with Tillo (age 14) and DK (age 17) to find out more about their new single and video, working with J-MILLA, and all things Lil Youngins - check it all out below!

Tell us about Lil Youngins?

We all met from growing up together. We formed from all sharing the same interest in rap and musc. The idea came from an interview we did with J-MILLA back in April 2022. We talked to him about his meaningful music, leadership, and career advice. By the end of the interview, we were freestyling together, having the best time. And we just said, we should make a song together… We got funding from Stronger Communities for Children (SCFC) and here we are.

Tell us about your new single The Problem?

Our single, The Problem, is a response to the issue of youth offending by the young people of Maningrida. This issue is about us, and is always talked about without us, so this is our creative way to share our voice. Life is hard for us, for our families, for our people, that the system has to answer for. We developed this song with J-MILLA, who creatively mentored us through the whole process of songwriting, recording, and filming. Our inspiration and influences were ourselves, our family, our friends, our community, as well as J-MILLA. This idea started from an interview we did with J-MILLA back in April of 2022. J’s always been a role model to us and we liked the way he sends a message through his lyrics. The music video was improvised over the weekend when J-MILLA and videographer Tully Hemsley were in Maningrida. It captures different parts of our lives and reflects the lyrics.

What has it been like being mentored by J-MILLA?

It’s been fun! For DK it was good for him to meet J as they are family. For Tillo, it was exciting because J’s always been an inspiration to him.

What's coming up for the rest of the year?

We’re not putting any expectations or pressure on ourselves. We’re just having fun, doing what we want to do. If people like our music we’ll make more.

How can fans best support your music?

Go stream our song on all music platforms and check out our music video on our YouTube channel - LIL YOUNGINS. And follow us on Instagram and TikTok!!

What have you been listening to lately?

DK is loving King Von and NBA Young Boy and Tillos listening to RJMrLA. We listen to music that we relate to and that brings attitude and swag.

Lil Youngin's new single The Problem is out March 16

Follow Lil Youngins: Instagram / TikTok