Soundtrack To My Life: Juls f/ Mr Eazi, Wande Coal, Damian Marley & More

Yes, it’s true: African music is still dominating the world stage, as evidenced by hits such as Burna Boy’s “Last Last” and Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence”, the cult-like rise of Asake, and the electrifying, trance-inducing sonics of Amapiano keeping clubland on its toes.

As the sounds of the continent continue to evolve within the UK—from the new wave of Afrobeats in the early 2010s, to its younger East London sibling, Afroswing, and the Afro-fusion blend of Afrobeats, dancehall and R&B that reigns today—there has been one figure at the centre of it all from the very beginning: Juls. Famed for his Juls baby producer tag, the DJ and beatsmith born Julian Nicco-Annan in Hackney, East London, has helped connect and construct the Black diaspora’s musical experience through his experimental and ever-evolving production over the last decade.

Whether it’s working with UK R&B starlets like Jaz Karis or Afrobeats heavyweights like Wizkid, Juls has built a discography and a reputation for quality production that has seen him lead the way in opening the ears of Black British audiences to the widely unfamiliar sounds of Afrobeats, Amapiano and Alté, amongst others. Initially falling into music production by accident after somebody at university had borrowed his laptop and installed Fruity Loops before returning it, Juls—who, at the time, was studying towards a finance degree—got his first production credit in 2013 via Lagos rap duo Show Dem Camp and their song, “Feel Alright”. However, it wasn’t until he connected with Mr Eazi in 2014 over social media (a recurring theme in Juls’ collaborations) and  produced his breakout hit, “Bankulize”, featuring the Ghanaian hiplife artist Pappy Kojo, that he started to look at producing as a serious career move.

In 2016, as Afrobeats became increasingly popular in the mainstream, it was Juls’ work on Mr Eazi’s “Skintight”, featuring Efya, that shone a light on him for his smooth and mellow production—which is undeniably African in style, but always versatile enough to pay homage to wider Black influences, such as dancehall and reggae. Having built his name and network for so long with such attention to detail, it’s no surprise that Juls’ debut album—Sounds Of My World—didn’t drop until October 2021, almost a decade since he entered the game. Following a run of successful mixtapes in Leap Of Faith and Colours, the album put his full talent on show to the world.

The fifteen-track offering invited listeners into the sonic inspirations and aspirations of Juls, and he called on all his friends—from Cape Town to Clapton—to feature on the LP. As well as the usual all-star lineup collaborators (Wizkid, Projexx, Tay Iwar), Juls tapped up new faces in his world too, exploring contemporary sounds and places with Sam Wise, Knucks, Maya Andrade, Suspect OTB and George The Poet, to name but a few. 

It’s been an interesting journey for Juls so far—we sat down with the music maestro to go over the songs that have shaped his life and career up to now.

COMPLEX: What’s the perfect track to get the crowd going on their feet if they aren’t moving?

Juls: This is a tricky one as it depends on the vibe of where you’re playing. But you can never go wrong with an Amapiano riddim with crazy bass and log drums. I’m gonna go with Vigro Deep’s “Ghost Producer”.

Does your DJing influence your production, and vice versa?

I initially started DJing as a means to get my name out there as a producer. It was around 2012/2013, after a year or two of DJing, that I started making my own beats—predominantly rap-influenced, at first. I was also doing my own hip-hop parties in Ghana every Christmas called Dusk, which ran for about four or five years in a row. My production side came through building a name in Afrobeats and working with the likes of Mr Eazi, Burna Boy, Wande Coal, and wanting to give them a tailored sound. DJing took a back seat for some time as I began to grow as a producer, but it’s nice to be able to see how the music I make in the studio translates to the crowd.

My versatility and catalogue as a producer has undoubtedly made me a more flexible DJ, having played for so many different types of crowds and tastes. A track that best embodies that time that I was growing as a producer has to be “Skintight” by Mr Eazi; it was such a success but it’s also a song that so many associate with the Afrobeats ‘boom’ of that time, and still goes off today! The love that “Skintight”, “So Mi So” and “Gwarn” have received since their release is something that I hope more recent releases from can achieve over time.

Yes, it’s true: African music is still dominating the world stage, as evidenced by hits such as Burna Boy’s “Last Last” and Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence”, the cult-like rise of Asake, and the electrifying, trance-inducing sonics of Amapiano keeping clubland on its toes.

As the sounds of the continent continue to evolve within the UK—from the new wave of Afrobeats in the early 2010s, to its younger East London sibling, Afroswing, and the Afro-fusion blend of Afrobeats, dancehall and R&B that reigns today—there has been one figure at the centre of it all from the very beginning: Juls. Famed for his Juls baby producer tag, the DJ and beatsmith born Julian Nicco-Annan in Hackney, East London, has helped connect and construct the Black diaspora’s musical experience through his experimental and ever-evolving production over the last decade.

Whether it’s working with UK R&B starlets like Jaz Karis or Afrobeats heavyweights like Wizkid, Juls has built a discography and a reputation for quality production that has seen him lead the way in opening the ears of Black British audiences to the widely unfamiliar sounds of Afrobeats, Amapiano and Alté, amongst others. Initially falling into music production by accident after somebody at university had borrowed his laptop and installed Fruity Loops before returning it, Juls—who, at the time, was studying towards a finance degree—got his first production credit in 2013 via Lagos rap duo Show Dem Camp and their song, “Feel Alright”. However, it wasn’t until he connected with Mr Eazi in 2014 over social media (a recurring theme in Juls’ collaborations) and  produced his breakout hit, “Bankulize”, featuring the Ghanaian hiplife artist Pappy Kojo, that he started to look at producing as a serious career move.

In 2016, as Afrobeats became increasingly popular in the mainstream, it was Juls’ work on Mr Eazi’s “Skintight”, featuring Efya, that shone a light on him for his smooth and mellow production—which is undeniably African in style, but always versatile enough to pay homage to wider Black influences, such as dancehall and reggae. Having built his name and network for so long with such attention to detail, it’s no surprise that Juls’ debut album—Sounds Of My World—didn’t drop until October 2021, almost a decade since he entered the game. Following a run of successful mixtapes in Leap Of Faith and Colours, the album put his full talent on show to the world.

The fifteen-track offering invited listeners into the sonic inspirations and aspirations of Juls, and he called on all his friends—from Cape Town to Clapton—to feature on the LP. As well as the usual all-star lineup collaborators (Wizkid, Projexx, Tay Iwar), Juls tapped up new faces in his world too, exploring contemporary sounds and places with Sam Wise, Knucks, Maya Andrade, Suspect OTB and George The Poet, to name but a few. 

It’s been an interesting journey for Juls so far—we sat down with the music maestro to go over the songs that have shaped his life and career up to now.

COMPLEX: What’s the perfect track to get the crowd going on their feet if they aren’t moving?

Juls: This is a tricky one as it depends on the vibe of where you’re playing. But you can never go wrong with an Amapiano riddim with crazy bass and log drums. I’m gonna go with Vigro Deep’s “Ghost Producer”.

Does your DJing influence your production, and vice versa?

I initially started DJing as a means to get my name out there as a producer. It was around 2012/2013, after a year or two of DJing, that I started making my own beats—predominantly rap-influenced, at first. I was also doing my own hip-hop parties in Ghana every Christmas called Dusk, which ran for about four or five years in a row. My production side came through building a name in Afrobeats and working with the likes of Mr Eazi, Burna Boy, Wande Coal, and wanting to give them a tailored sound. DJing took a back seat for some time as I began to grow as a producer, but it’s nice to be able to see how the music I make in the studio translates to the crowd.

My versatility and catalogue as a producer has undoubtedly made me a more flexible DJ, having played for so many different types of crowds and tastes. A track that best embodies that time that I was growing as a producer has to be “Skintight” by Mr Eazi; it was such a success but it’s also a song that so many associate with the Afrobeats ‘boom’ of that time, and still goes off today! The love that “Skintight”, “So Mi So” and “Gwarn” have received since their release is something that I hope more recent releases from can achieve over time.