Jux details his experiences of love, romance, and betrayal with painterly precision, offering insight into the heart of his dalliances with these emotions through a warmth and vividness that only he can summon. Born in 1989, Jux (born Juma Mussa Mkambala) is part of a frontline generation of Tanzanian musicians who have helped to reimagine the scope of bongo flava music with influences from across Africa and beyond. Originally starting out as a rapper, Jux’s career took a definitive turn in 2008 when he signed with Tanzania’s A.M Records. Since then, he has experimented across a range of genres, melding the poetic license of his hip-hop background with the soft elegance of R&B (“Zaidi”), zouk’s never-ending groove (“Mapepe”), and the irresistible melodies of Afropop (“I Love You”). When Jux’s debut album, The Love Album, belatedly arrived in 2019, it was annotated with collaborations from a range of stars in keeping with his rising profile with Diamond Platnumz, Q Chief, and former partner Vanessa Mdee making appearances. If ever there was a need for more proof of the transcendental qualities of the self-titled “African Boy,” look no further than his 2022 album King of Hearts, where he infuses amapiano, soul, and gengetone into the ever-welcoming pulse of his rich bongo flava/R&B fusion to thrilling effect.