“Make you sick to your stomach, you can blame the world I grew up in,” 25-year-old Jeshi sings on his latest single, ‘Look Like Trouble’, a song that delves into the anger and frustration held onto from his youth. Envision smashed mirrors and playing with fire; but also a moment of deep rooted emotional release.

His poignant lyrics first commanded attention on his 2017 EP, ‘The World’s Spinning Too Fast’ when he was just 22, and since then, the East London artist has made waves with popular releases in collaboration with BRIT winning Celeste, ‘Summer’, and, ‘30 000 feet’. The Walthamstow born artist has also toured with the likes of Slowtai and featured on a track with the elusive Frank Ocean producer, Vegyn.

Jeshi was drawn to rap at just 11 years old after discovering famed UK rap cable station Channel U. The station’s low-budget, DIY aesthetic has massively impacted the musician’s present-day methodology. At first, he often recorded in a humble set up based in somebody’s kitchen - though his production methods have since evolved. Simultaneously tongue-in-cheek and dead serious, his rough-hewn, apocalyptic grit is a transcendence of experimental beats and glitchy electronics.

Can you introduce yourself to our readers? Describe who you are and what you do in your own words.

My name is Jeshi. I'm making music I love and trying to figure the rest out.

Tell us about your childhood and how you began making music.

Spending a lot of time running around with my friends, playing run-outs on estates and rapping over grime instrumentals on Sony Ericsons is how it started. Everything was an evolution from there.

Your early years were characterized by a DIY attitude - is this still important to you?

That attitude was born out of necessity. I didn’t have access to studios or money so I was just sitting in my room by myself making music and putting it on the internet. I’m much more into being in rooms with the best people now; but it’s made me never depend on anybody.

Who did you listen to growing up and how do they influence your sound now?

It’s been a weird journey. Early 2000’s grime and the wonderful world of limewire are what first put the spark in my brain; but it was Kanye, Toro Y Moi, Pharrell, Dean Blunt, Amy Winehouse and a load more people who really opened my mind and in turn, my sound.

Describe your sound in three words.

Vivid New London

What was it like to collab with Celeste on her single ‘Summer’ and your song ‘30,000 Feet’ from your recent EP, Bad Taste?

We did both of those in the same day. She’s actually a good friend, so it wasn’t really a thing - we were just fucking about with Tev’n catching a vibe and then they were done.

Who would your dream collaboration be?

I don’t know if I could really say I have one right now. I’d love to go back in time and do an album with Portishead.

Your new single, “Look Like Trouble,” has a very angry, confrontational feel to it. What can you tell us about your inspiration for this song and the story behind it?

Think it partly comes from this weird year and being stuck inside. I recorded that myself in lockdown and wanted to capture that feeling of being young and just doing stupid shit. It’s a bit of a playful walk down my childhood.

I’m curious about the lyric, “You can blame the world I grew up in,” which you repeat a number of times throughout the single. What does this mean to you?

I mean I think that applies to all of us. We’re all a product of all our experiences and environment, and most of the time it’s the bad times that make you into the best person.

What keeps you up at night?

Sometimes it feels like my brain is about to explode.

What do you think about all the different music coming out of the UK right now?

I think we’ve always had such a mind blowing array of music here it’s one of the things I love most about this place. I don’t think it’s any different right now, there’s shit that’s good and shit that isn’t.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Do you have any ultimate goals?

I’m going to put out a great debut album that I will be proud of until the day I die. That’s the only goal on my mind.