"We Should See Otha People"

We Should See Otha People is a collaborative project from recording artist Lyric Jones and New York-based producer Ian Wallace, built from friendship, shared musical taste and years of creating from opposite coasts. The two were introduced through mutual friend OP!, Artist Relations at Serato and a close friend and collaborator of Wallace. Their musical relationship began with Wallace’s 2023 remix of Jones’ “Better Now” and continued with “In Due Time” featuring UHMEER. From there, beats, references and ideas continued moving back and forth, almost entirely through texts and file sharing between Los Angeles and New York.
The project grew from a collection of new music alongside pending ideas from Wallace’s catalog that found new life through their collaboration. Jones added vocals, songwriting, additional production and arranging to a few tracks, while Wallace’s production laid the foundation for a sound rooted in soul, R&B, jazz and hip-hop. In many ways, the two found themselves finishing each other’s sentences musically, developing songs piece by piece until a cohesive body of work took shape.
Sonically, We Should See Otha People leans into Jones’ singing and neo-soul roots, pairing her jazzy, soulful vocals with Wallace’s rich chord changes, keys, breakbeats and up-to-mid-tempo grooves. While Jones stays in singer mode throughout the project, her hip-hop roots are still represented, with featured MCs stepping in to deliver the bars. The project pulls inspiration from the soulful collaboration of The Foreign Exchange, the rhythmic palette of Kaytranada and the musicianship and warmth of Moonchild.
That collaborative spirit extends to Gene Noble, Illa J, JSWISS, V the Vocalist and Rona Ray, with each artist having an existing connection to Jones, Wallace or both. Created while navigating time zones, different countries and cities, busy schedules and different walks of life, We Should See Otha People is ultimately a testament to community, perseverance and staying connected to a shared creative vision.