Kamaal Williams (born Henry Wu, 1989) is a British musician and record producer. Williams rose to prominence alongside drummer Yussef Dayes in 2016 as one half of the short-lived London-based jazz group Yussef Kamaal following the release of the duo's debut album, Black Focus, which earned them the 'Breakthrough Act' award at the 2017 Jazz FM awards. He released two solo albums under his record label Black Focus, including The Return (2018) and Wu Hen (2020). In addition to live instrumentation, Williams also releases electronic music under his given name Henry Wu. Life and career 1989–2012: Early life and career beginnings Williams was born as Henry Wu in 1989, in Peckham, South London to a Taiwanese mother and British father who both worked as architects. Growing up, Williams took an interest in learning Mandarin and Chinese calligraphy. From an early age, Williams was involved with a number of creative pursuits. His interest in calligraphy, as well as his parents' involvement with graphic design, contributed to an interest in street art and graffiti culture, an influence which is reflected in the album art of later projects such as Black Focus and The Return. Because of his mixed race, Williams struggled to connect with British culture, but was able to resonate with West African and Jamaican communities in Peckham. Williams took an early interest in music. In primary school, he learnt drums and percussion which he played in the school band. It was during this time that Williams cultivated a formative grounding in jazz, funk and house music. His father introduced him to jazz with songs by Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Alongside an interest in jazz, Williams also developed a taste for garage and grime music. After attending high school, Williams attended the Bermondsey Centre of Southwark College, where he studied music production and learned to play the keyboard. Around this time, Williams began gigging regularly around London and, aged 17, started a band with Katy B alongside drummer Joshua McKenzie. In 2008, Williams put on a show with the then fourteen-year-old drummer Yussef Dayes. Williams remained with Katy B for two years before leaving the band to focus on his own music. 2013–2017: Early releases and Black Focus From 2013 onward, Williams released house and broken beat music under the name Henry Wu. In the same year, Williams assisted Saxophonist Tenderlonious in establishing 22a, a London-based, artist-run record label. In