Everything you need to know about rap superstar J Hus
The ‘Lean and Bop’ hitmaker is making serious waves
Before making it clear that he likes his Fanta with no ice, J Hus established himself in the UK rap scene, honing his charismatic delivery and versatility as he rose through the underground. After the release of his latest album 'Beautiful and Brutal Yard' in August 2023, we’ve decided to highlight his journey and some fun facts you may not have known about him!
The East London native now boasts three Top 10 albums, with his debut album ‘Common Sense’ peaking at Number 6, 2020’s ‘Big Conspiracy’ debuting at Number 1 and 'Beautiful and Brutal Yard' also reaching the top spot. He has also bagged a Platinum plaque for his smash crossover hit ‘Did You See?’ in addition to winning a coveted BRIT Award for British Male Solo Artist in 2021.
Who is J Hus?
J Hus, born Momodou Jallow, is a rapper from Stratford, East London, and is of Gambian descent. He’s a Gemini, and has previously attributed his Air-type star sign to his mood constantly changing from ‘dancey-dancey’ to cooping himself up in a corner, minding his own business.
How old is he?
He was born on 27th May 1996 making him 28-years-old.
Where does the name ‘J Hus’ come from?
During his school days, the rapper built a reputation for being a hustler. He would buy packs of doughnuts, selling them individually to his peers and making a profit. Before establishing himself in the music scene, he was known around his area by his last name, and, deciding to combine his initials with ‘Hustler,’ the moniker J Hus was born.
Does he have any siblings?
J Hus has a brother as well as a sister, who’s a singer by the name of icee TGM. After she appeared on the opening two tracks of his 2020 Number 1 album ‘Big Conspiracy’, speculation arose surrounding the identity of the then-unknown guest collaborator. Later, it was revealed that the two are in fact siblings, with J Hus appearing in videos posted on her social media.
His early career and rise to fame
Growing up, J Hus’ mum played what he has described as ‘African music’ around the house, as well as dancehall artists like Beenie Man. Like many rappers and MCs from London, he practised freestyling at school during break time with his friends.
The ‘No Denying’ rapper managed to cut through the masses of underground rappers with his old-school flows incorporated with his West African inflected swagger. Spearheading the Afroswing genre, early freestyles like ‘#Rated’ on GRM Daily and his SBTV ‘Warm Up Session’ displayed his ability to switch between hard-hitting raps and infectious sung melodies, the influence of which is evident in the catchy Afroswing hits that followed.
The buzz that followed was an early sign of how big the Stratford-born rapper would become. Classics such as ‘No Lie,’ ‘Dem Boy Paigon’ and the danceable ‘Lean and Bop’ cemented his position as one of the UK’s most exciting newcomers.
Since then, J Hus has taken the UK by storm, performing at festivals such as Glastonbury, Wireless, Reading and Leeds and Parklife, as well as KISS’ own House Party Live. In 2017, he released his debut album ‘Common Sense’, securing the Number 6 spot on the UK Album Charts as well as a sold-out European tour.
The following year, J Hus kept the momentum up with his EP ‘Big Spang’, keeping his ever-expanding fanbase satisfied.
2020 went on to be a huge year for the artist, with ‘Big Conspiracy’ - his sophomore album - debuting at the top of the album chart and hitting the Number 1 spot.
Then, in 2021 he won his first BRIT Award, for Best British Male, having also received a nomination that year for Best Album ('Big Conspiracy').
In July 2023, J Hus released his third album, 'Beautiful and Brutal Yard.' The album features collaborations with artists including Drake, Jorja Smith and Burna Boy and was shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.
'Beautiful and Brutal Yard' reached Number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
Who has he collaborated with?
J Hus works closely with fellow East-ender, Jae5, and the superproducer played an important role in J Hus’ formative years. At first, Jae5 wasn’t too impressed by Hus, but as time went on, the pair clicked, and their relationship has resulted in hits such as ‘Did You See’, ‘Bouff Daddy’ and ‘Must Be.’
J Hus worked with ‘Psychodrama’ star Dave, on their 2017 track ‘Samantha’, and 2019’s ‘Disaster.’ Other frequent collaborators include MoStack and Burna Boy, and he has also worked with stars such as Stormzy, Ed Sheeran, Skepta, Ella Mai and Koffee.
In 2022, J Hus appeared on Burna Boy's track 'Cloak & Dagger'.
His 2023 album 'Beautiful and Brutal Yard' includes collaborations with Drake, Naira Marley, Jorja Smith, Burna Boy, Popcaan, CB, Villz and Boss Belly.
Has he won any awards?
Yep. Loads of them. In 2017, ‘Did You See’ won Best Song at the MOBOs, as well as Best Track at the RATED awards. ‘Common Sense’ also picked up Best Album in the same show.
'Common Sense' continued to win awards the following year - notably, Best Album at the VO5 NME Awards. Fast forward to 2020, J Hus scooped up Best Album at the RATED Awards. The following year, in 2021, he was rewarded for the success of ‘Big Conspiracy’ by collecting the award for Best British Male Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards.
What’s next for J Hus?
Since the back end of 2020 the self-described ‘Top Militerian’ has been sharing snippets on Instagram from sessions for his third studio album, which was released in July 2023.
He’s kept quite a low profile since 'Big Conspiracy', but he is a man about his business, evidenced by the launch of his own luxury clothing line, ‘The Ugliest.’
Alongside THAT TikTok, which made sure every household with Alexa was playing his tunes, it’s safe to say that we can expect big things from the ‘Big Spang’ artist.
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