JAE5: The Producers
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It is not too much of a stretch to say that if there were no Jonathan “Jae5” Mensah, then there probably would be no J Hus. Since he announced himself as executive producer of Common Sense, Mensah’s beats—which tend to balance sturdy hip-hop classicism with bright, tropical warmth—have been a central pillar of Hus’ dextrous, all-conquering appeal. “Did You See” is perhaps the apex of both their fruitful partnership and Jae5’s Afro-infused vibe: an irresistible bed of chiming marimba, spacey finger-snap percussion and a wah-wah refrain that is, ingeniously, actually Mensah’s voice pushed through a guitar pedal effect. It’s a risk-taking musicality that has grown alongside the British Ghanaian East Londoner’s reputation, be it through the layered, minimalist keys of NSG’s “Options” or with Dave and Burna Boy on “Location”—a shifting, summer-ready miracle of saxophone, kicking drums and echoed synth stabs.