Pioneering “Afroswing” British rapper & singer “JHUS” tops our AOTW

Momodou Lamin Jallow (born 26 May 1996) known professionally as J Hus, is a British rapper and singer who has been credited with pioneering the genre Afroswing. He is currently signed to Black Butter Records. J Hus was born in London to Gambian parents and grew up in the city’s Stratford district. He was raised by his mother, who emigrated to England when she was 25 years old. Jallow was raised Muslim and is of ethnic Fula and Wolof heritage. J Hus got his stage name from the word “hustler”, explaining that he would buy a pack of doughnuts profit when he was in secondary school.

Four: Dem Boy Paigon

He gained popularity in 2015 following the release of his song “Dem Boy Paigon” which garnered over 14M views on its official audio on YouTube. It was released on the 16th of July, 2015 as the 15th track of his debut Mixtape “The 15th Day. It was produced by JoshuaBeats, Blakey and Hendrix.

Three: Did you see

J Hus’ “Did You See” became his most successful single in 2017, peaking at number nine on the UK Singles Chart and eventually being certified Platinum. This is off his debut album “Common sense”. It garnered over 101M views on the official music video on YouTube and over 200M streams on Spotify. It was certified Platinum in United Kingdom, selling over 1.8M copies. It peaked at the Fourth spot on UK R&B Charts also.

Two: Masculine Fr Burna Boy

With over 2.4M views on its official music video on YouTube and over 14.6M streams on Spotify, “Masculine” by British rapper JHus featuring Burna Boy was released on the 14th of July, 2023. It serves as the 7th track of his album “Beautiful and Brutal Yard” with the track produced by TobiShyBoy & Levi Lennox. It was written by JHus, Burna Boy, TobiShyBoy & Levi Lennox.

Controversy

• In June 2018, he was arrested in Stratford and charged with carrying a knife in public. This was following a “mass attack” on four people in which ended in one of them being stabbed. Prior to this, he had already received a referral order that same year after being caught with a knife in public.
• In 2014 and 2015, he was arrested and served stints in His Majesty’s Feltham Prison. He accrued six convictions for ten offences between 2011 and 2016, including for carrying a knife and for violent disorder. He has also been given an ASBO which is called An Anti Social Behavior Order.
• In September 2015 the musician was admitted to hospital after being stabbed five times in London. (Whilst in hospital, he was criticised for posting on Instagram a photo of him making a gang sign from his hospital bed with the message “5 stab wounds could never stop me #AntiCh #F***DaOvaSide”.

Discography

• Common sense(2017)
• Big Conspiracy(2020)
• Beautiful and Brutal Yard(2023)

Awards / Nominations

• At the 2018 VO5 NME Awards, his album “Common Sense” won the award for Best Album
• In 2018, “Did you See” was nominated for British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards
• In 2021, his album “Big Conspiracy” was nominated the award for Best Album and JHus won the award for Best British Male at the Brit Awards.

One: Who told you Ft Drake

Becoming his biggest highest charting single till date, reaching number two on UK Singles Chart, “Who Told You” garnered over 11M views on its official music video on YouTube and over 109.4M streams on Spotify. The song serves as the second single off his third studio album “Beautiful and Brutal Yard” which was released on the 8th of June, 2023. J Hus and Drake wrote the song with produc alongside Gaetan Judd and EY. It was certified Gold in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. It also peaked number one in US Bubbling Under 100 Singles and number 2 on UK Hip Hop/ R&B charts.