Goya Gumbani

Shouldn't Be (feat. Joe Armon-Jones)

Shouldn't Be (feat. Joe Armon-Jones)

List Pick

Rachel Fryer

Rachel Fryer

September 24, 2026

Goya Gumbani brings his Brooklyn-born, South London-shaped perspective to 'Shouldn’t Be', a soulful reflection on a relationship that became increasingly difficult to make sense of. 'What’s in you're deck, you always playing a heart / Every move be like chess' captures the feeling of trying to read someone whose intentions never quite seem clear, while the repetition of 'shouldn’t be hard' throughout sounds like a reminder of how simple things were supposed to feel. Goya’s free-flowing delivery gives the verses a conversational quality, with Joe Armon-Jones’ warm keys adding a jazz-rooted layer beneath him. The track carries the emotional weight of looking back at something you knew wasn’t right, questioning the signs you missed and trying to find your way back after the damage. It’s another natural meeting point between Goya’s New York hip-hop roots and the neo-soul and jazz community he has become part of in London.