H31R

H31R, pronounced “heir” or “air,” is an experimental electronic hip hop duo from Brooklyn. The group consists of New Jersey producer and composer JWords and Brooklyn rapper and vocalist maassai. Their music combines electronic elements with hip hop, and it sits within rap, underground hip-hop, electronic and R&B contexts.

Formation and background

JWords and maassai meet while playing a show together in 2017 and later form a creative partnership based on a shared interest in linking hip hop and electronic music. Both draw on a wide range of genres they grow up with, and they use those influences in their own work as they develop their individual projects.

Releases

The duo release two albums: ve·loc·i·ty in 2020 and HeadSpace in 2023.

Style

H31R’s sound brings together electronica and hip hop in a way that emphasises contrast and compatibility between the two forms. Their work is described as pushing at the boundaries of genre while keeping the two styles closely connected.