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Lil Man J turns a familiar melody toward a relationship he wishes he could restart on “Strangers,” his new single interpolating B.o.B’s “Airplanes.” Released Sept. 18, the track previews his 11-song debut album, The Underdawg, scheduled for Oct. 16.
Written by Lil Man J, Kendall Goodman, Sebastian Garcia, and Carlo Colasacco, “Strangers” imagines meeting a former love without the history that drove them apart. The song explores the difficulty of living without that person and the attempts to numb the loss.
Listen to “Strangers” and watch the accompanying video.
A Childhood Favorite Becomes a Starting Point
The idea emerged after Goodman’s publishing company presented potential songs for interpolation. “Airplanes” became the group’s preferred choice, with a personal connection for Lil Man J, who grew up listening to the record.
“There was something special in the room writing this song. ‘Airplanes’ was one of the earliest songs I remember hearing, so building around something already tried and true was a blast,” Lil Man J said, adding, “thanks to B.o.B and all the original writers for letting us put this one out!”
According to the release announcement, securing clearance from the original writers took several months and was completed in August.
Lil Man J initially previewed the song for his social media audience the day after the writing session. Those clips drew more than 1 million views on each platform, according to his team. A renewed round of previews ahead of the release also attracted attention, including a response from B.o.B:
“Dis 
tho 
!!”
‘The Underdawg’ Arrives Oct. 16
“Strangers” is one of 11 tracks on The Underdawg, a debut album that brings together ballads, upbeat songs and material reflecting Lil Man J’s experiences with adversity and persistence.
The project includes TAELA on “Who’s Laughing Now” and DJ Paul on closing track “Comin’ In Hot.” Its mix of collaborators reflects the country, Hip Hop and pop influences that inform his work.
Fans can pre-save The Underdawg here.
‘The Underdawg’ Tracklist
- “I Plead The 5th”
- “Working On Me”
- “Black Dirt Red”
- “Strangers”
- “Bad & Ugly”
- “Who’s Laughing Now” featuring TAELA
- “Too Far Down”
- “Keep Breathing”
- “Barefoot Running (Hallelujah)”
- “I Can’t Help”
- “Comin’ In Hot” featuring DJ Paul
From Online Releases to the Touring Stage
Born Jackson Benfield, Lil Man J is a 21-year-old independent artist from Lake Wylie, South Carolina. He began releasing music with “It’s Just The Beginning” in 2019 and has since accumulated more than 250 million streams across platforms, according to his team.
The Hype Magazine previously covered his development with the 2023 release of “Dominoes”. His more recent work has brought him to stages including the Wrangler stage at CMA Fest 2026 and Dax’s Lonely Dirt Road Tour.
Alongside his music, Lil Man J advocates for the disability community, drawing on his experiences living with physical disabilities.
His fall schedule includes appearances with Dax and an October-to-November run supporting Jay Webb’s The Homesick Tour. The album’s Oct. 16 release coincides with a scheduled performance in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Lil Man J’s Announced Fall Tour Dates
| Sept. 18 | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall | Dax |
| Sept. 19 | Alamo, GA | The Office Venue | — |
| Sept. 20 | Cleveland, OH | House of Blues | Dax |
| Sept. 25 | Evansville, IN | Ray Leo’s at Lamasco | — |
| Sept. 26 | Centralia* | Castle Ridge Event Center | — |
| Oct. 3 | Alexander, AR | Carter Off-Road Park | — |
| Oct. 13 | Kansas City, MO | Knuckleheads Saloon | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 15 | Denver, CO | Bluebird Theater | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 16 | Grand Junction, CO | Warehouse 25 Sixty-Five | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 17 | Laramie, WY | Cowboy Saloon | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 19 | Boise, ID | 9th St. Parallel at Knitting Factory | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 20 | Spokane, WA | District Bar | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 21 | Seattle, WA | Hidden Hall | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 23 | Portland, OR | Ponderosa at Jubitz | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 24 | Bend, OR | Silver Moon Brewery | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 25 | Reno, NV | The Alpine | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 27 | Morro Bay, CA | The Siren | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 29 | Pioneertown, CA | Pappy and Harriet’s | Jay Webb |
| Oct. 30 | Anaheim, CA | House of Blues Anaheim, The Parish | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 1 | Tucson, AZ | 191 Toole | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Valley Bar, Music Hall | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 4 | Santa Fe, NM | Meow Wolf | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 6 | Las Cruces, NM | Whiskey Dick’s | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 7 | Lubbock, TX | Jake’s Sports Café | Jay Webb |
| Nov. 8 | Oklahoma City, OK | 89th Street Collective | Jay Webb |
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Editorial note: The supplied release lists the Sept. 26 stop as “Centralia, IN.” Confirm the state with the publicist before publishing the tour table.
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