J Hus and Burna Boy link up once again in the video for “Masculine” from Hus’ new album, Beautiful And Brutal Yard. The video, shot in greyscale, captures the boys backstage at a show, where they put each other to the test in a pushup contest and share a few laughs before they hit the stage to perform. “Masculine” is the duo’s fifth collaboration, according to Genius, and their chemistry shines through not just in the lyrics but also in their joyful performance in the video.
“Masculine” is the third video from Beautiful And Brutal Yard, following “Who Told You” with Drake and “Militerian” featuring Naira Marley. The British rapper’s latest slate of songs has raised his profile significantly stateside, to the point where he’s even received a coveted spot on former President Barack Obama’s annual summer playlist.
Burna Boy, meanwhile, continues to expand his own foothold on the American music scene with a slew of summer singles that have him “Sittin’ On Top Of The World.” In addition to that ’90s-hit-sampling single, he’s released “Talibans II” alongside Byron Messia and announced his next album, I Told Them…, with the star-studded video for “Big 7.”
Watch the video for “Masculine” above. Beautiful And Brutal Yard is out now via Black Butter Ltd.
Burna Boy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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The most fascinating thing about J Hus’ third album Beautiful And Brutal Yard is that the rapper rarely faces a loss. Sure, the British rapper has had to put his career on pause at times, most notably to serve a five-month sentence after the release of his 2018 debut album Common Sense for carrying a knife in public. For the most part, he’s a villain with no chinks in his armor, but one that has inflicted damage to varying levels against his enemies. He has neverending stories about finding himself in the middle of crossfire, self-induced or not, but through it all, he’s in control of the beautiful and brutal yard he lives in. The beauty is clear as J Hus charms as a slick-talking and charismatic man with all the talents and lines to whisk away the woman of his choice. On the flip side, the brutal moments come from the rapper’s villainous reign as an authority too fearless, too relentless, and too equipped to be removed from his throne.
The qualities mentioned above aren’t exclusive to the beauty or brute of J Hus and his world and that’s what adds to the fascination of Beautiful And Brutal Yard. They play equal roles to both sides of the coin. J Hus strives for a new level of fearlessness as he raps about his brute upbringing on “Come Look” over haunting production that sprays a dark overcast over him. In this same sense, the rapper’s daring approach to a woman he desires on “Safa Kara” is the epitome of fearless. Take your pick at lines like “Call me daddy, that’s an ego booster / Call me papa, come have me for supper,” as proof of it.
For the beauty of it all, he stares in deep admiration at an out-of-this-world woman on “Alien Girl” and aims to charm another one with risque solar system metaphors like “Take you somewhere no one can see / We go to Uranus” and “Put on a sex tune while I sex you in Neptune / This comes around only once in a blue moon.” The same charm is applied to “It’s Crazy” where he raps in sarcastic disbelief at his ability to effortlessly take down his perpetrators.
This duality is what makes Beautiful And Brutal Yard so enjoyable. With an album that fires off 19 songs across 63 minutes, enough has to be done to keep listeners interested and locked in, and J Hus accomplishes this pretty effortlessly. The early parts of the album supply infectious production and catchy hooks for records (“Who Told You” and “Militerian”) that will find as much trouble excelling in summer as day parties and tequila do. It’s within the same album that J Hus also taps in drill rap (“Cream”), introspective rap (“Playing Chess & “Come Look”), Rap&B (“My Baby”), and melodic rap (“Alien Girl”). In most cases, this would make for a disjointed album, but not for J Hus. He achieves cohesivity thanks to maintaining an authoritative tone that maintains his sinister even on its brightest days.
J Hus not only accepts the villain role on Beautiful And Brutal Yard, he fully embraces it in an attempt to take it to a newer and dark level. With that, the album leaves us with a clear image of the rapper: seated on his throne with a grimacing smile as he readjusts his crown and twirls his staff, daring anyone to take him down successfully. The album’s opening record “Intro (The Goat)” is a perfect example of this. Though it’s a short verse that launches the album, it’s one that succinctly captures J Hus’ villainous ways. “If I got my nose in your business, you know it’s a snub,” he fires off before concluding with, “My bredrin’s carryin’ ’cause I can’t afford to have it / But when it’s time for action, feel like I’m born to bang it.”
Stepping back from J Hus’ discography for a second, Beautiful And Brutal Yard is the latest offering from the British rap world that proves the genre is excelling across the pond without conforming to standards in the States. J Hus joins names like Dave, Stormzy, Central Cee, Headie One, and more who’ve made waves while staying true to themselves. It’s an observation worth noting as hip-hop, a genre that’s expanded in numerous ways since its start, crosses its 50th-anniversary mark this year. Even in this crowd, J Hus’ Beautiful And Brutal Yard stands out as a body of work that uses various sounds from the rapper’s cultural background, like afrobeats and afro-swing, as an ingredient to spice up and amplify his projects.
From a closer point of view, J Hus uses his third album to provide a vivid and detailed account of his roots and upbringing, giving equal attention to all that’s beautiful and brutal. This duality contributes to everything on the album: its sonic appeal, the thrill of J Hus’ narratives, and the rapper’s overall artistic vision. Furthermore, J Hus excels thanks to a bigger chip on his shoulder and the goal to go to all necessary lengths to prove himself, just as a villain would in their attempt to reign supreme in their beautiful and brutal yard.
Beautiful And Brutal Yard is out now via Black Butter Ltd. and Epic Records. Find out more information here.
In just a matter of a few hours, British rapper J Hus’ third album Beautiful And Brutal Yard will finally be able to stream. The project is one that fans have been waiting for, especially after the success of his 2020 sophomore album Big Conspiracy. As a final treat before the album arrives, J Hus lets off one last single, “Militerian” with Nigerian singer Naira Marley, and it arrives with a brand new visual.
Together, J Hus and Naira Marley are a duo that looks to enforce their rule and live out their loyalties in the “Militerian” video. It begins with Marely performing the song’s hook in an all-white room backed by dancers. Next, J Hus, dressed in native wear from head to toe, steps into a room to meet with a group of individuals dressed in all black. From then on, we’re met with clips of African dancers and instrumentalists performing in the streets and Hus and Marely’s interactions with a group of women.
Beautiful And Brutal Yard will arrive with 19 songs and features from Drake, Burna Boy, Jorja Smith, CB, Villz, and Boss Belly, in addition to Naira Marley.
You can watch the video for “Militerian” above.
Beautiful And Brutal Yard is out 7/14 via Epic Records/Black Butter Ltd. Find out more information here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
At the end of this week, British rapper J Hus will return with his third album Beautiful And Brutal Yard. The project is the rapper’s first full-length release since 2020’s Big Conspiracy, a project that fans of his were very excited to get their hands on at the time. Since then, J Hus’ releases have been limited with the most notable one coming through a feature on Burna Boy’s “Cloak & Dagger.” Now, the wait is (nearly) over as Beautiful And Brutal Yard is set to arrive in a couple of days. Let’s get you up to speed on everything to know about it.
Release Date
J Hus’ long-awaited third album Beautiful And Brutal Yard will be released on July 14, 2023, through Epic Records and Black Butter Ltd. You can pre-save and find out more information about it here.
Tracklist
The tracklist for Beautiful And Brutal Yard can be found below:
Here is the revised list of song titles in the requested format:
Through the 19 songs on Beautiful And Brutal Yard, listeners will catch features from Drake, Burna Boy, Jorja Smith, CB, Villz, Boss Belly, Naira Marley, and THE GOAT.
Singles
J Hus released two singles ahead of Beautiful And Brutal Yard. The first was “It’s Crazy,” a solo effort that flashed his rap skills, while the second was “Who Told You” with Drake, a more upbeat record primed for the summer.
Artwork
The artwork for Beautiful And Brutal Yard can be seen below.
Tour
Later this fall, J Hus will embark on a tour throughout the UK and Ireland. The dates can be found below:
10/28/2023 — Dublin, IE @ 3Arena
10/30/2023 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
11/01/2023 — Manchester, UK @ AO Arena
11/02/2023 — Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena
11/05/2023 — London, UK @ The O2
11/06/2023 — London, UK @ The O2
Beautiful And Brutal Yard is out 7/14 via Epic Records/Black Butter Ltd. Find out more information here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
