Back in 2015, J Hus had us practically chanting “I don’t trust you if you ain’t mandem” — despite some of us perhaps not necessarily even knowing what that meant — thanks to his breakout track Dem Boy Paigon. Two years later and the Stratford-raised 20-year-old seems to be everywhere, with Samantha, Did You See, and just last week, delivering one of the most interesting and accomplished debut albums of the year: Common Sense. Things are really getting good now.
On the record, Hus is exacting and irresistibly likeable. The album’s perfectly interweaving threads of afrobeat, hip hop, grime, and pop make for a very good time, while Hus’ unique phrasing and cheeky one-liners may well make you feel like you know him. We wanted to get to know the East Londoner even better, so we asked about some of his firsts.
First album you ever bought?
A Michael Jackson greatest hits. It was like a video thing as well. My mum got me that one.
First house you lived in?
The first house I ever lived in was in Stratford in London. I lived there for about 19, 20 years. I try to go back there as much as I can.
First meal you learned to cook?
I actually can’t cook I’m a horrible cook. The best thing I can probably cook is noodles. Haha!
First website you ever loved?
It was probably MSN, wasn’t it? That was the first thing I got on the computer.
First movie you were ever obsessed with?
Get Rich or Die Trying is the main thing I can remember.
First fan encounter?
You know the area where I grew up in, they have this big shopping centre and I went to buy some clothes or something, and I just started getting ambushed innit.
First celebrity crush?
My first crush was probably Ashanti. She was bad, she was bad.
First time you got away with something?
I think there was a time when I smashed one of my mum’s vases, and I used to blame my sister for things. And my sister took the blame for me! ‘Cause she was too young to get in trouble.
First live music thing you went to?
One of my own shows! I never used to go to shows and then I started performing so it was one of my own shows.
First job?
When I was in school I had work experience and I worked at an Estate Agent.
First big thing you bought?
I haven’t really bought nothing really really big yet! First big thing is like, helping my mum get our house innit.
First trend you got into?
When we was young we were into Nike Huaraches. I had a crazy collection. Well, for a kid I had a good collection haha.
First kiss?
I was a really bad kid… so I was young! I was one of those kids who got married in primary school.
First bad date?
I can’t say I’ve ever had a bad date, nah.
First person you looked up to?
It’s got to be my mum, innit?
First song you wrote?
I can tell you the first lyric I ever wrote, I was in primary school, about 9 or 10? It was, um: “Look in your door / Who could it be / Na na it’s me / You might see me in the Bentleigh.” Haha!
Credits
Text Issy Beech
Screengrab via YouTube