Jeshi doesn’t run away from fire; he runs with it. The East London artist is on a quest to feel alive in every sense. To him, feeling alive means being present in each experience, no matter how challenging. For Jeshi – who has spent the last few years establishing himself as one of the most exciting voices of his generation – this is what life and art are all about. Chaos, then, is not something to shy away from, but where great ideas are born. You can feel this ethos in practice throughout Jeshi’s increasingly vital output. His music is audacious and unflinching, stuffed with punkish energy and charisma as the 29-year-old remoulds the outermost contours of UK rap. This applies to early releases such as 2017’s The World’s Spinning Too Fast EP and 2020’s swaggering BAD TASTE. It also extends to his soul-baring 2022 debut album Universal Credit – an “era-defining” (as per The Guardian) portrayal of London life, social malaise, everyday struggles and youthful abandon that highlights Jeshi’s evocative storytelling. But never has it been more palpable than on Jeshi’s electrifying second album AIRBAG WOKE ME UP. It’s a collection of moment-capturing songs built to ignite reactions and start conversations. His scene-stealing jaunts to stages worldwide clearly influence its live-wire sound, as Jeshi and his cohorts smash through moods and tempos like kids let loose on funfair dodgems. “I want to make things that have intent and feel like statements,” Jeshi declares. His versatile voice is the conductive thread that pulls everything together. “On Universal Credit, my voice was used in one way, whereas on this it’s used in ten ways,” he notes. Jeshi's experiences before and during the Universal Credit era were essential for creating this new album. In many ways, AIRBAG WOKE ME UP is like a sibling to Universal Credit – a record that solidified Jeshi’s position as a name-to-know but presented its own set of challenges, as people pigeonholed him as a political artist. This perception, explains Jeshi, was something he was keen to steer away from on subsequent releases. “It was a self-reflective album about the position I was in. I was trying to make light of it and throw humour into that,” he clarifies. Jeshi remains proud of the breakthrough project, which garnered equal praise for its inventive artwork and visuals; the Will Dohrn-directed 3210 won Best Independent Video at the 2022 AIM Independent Music Awards. But he’s committed to what’s next. AIRBAG WOKE ME UP is an exploration into what happens when you emerge from tough times, and how they encourage you to view the world a little differently. It’s bolder in ambition and built from renewed energy. Chaotic, but in the very best way. “In my head, this is the real arrival chapter,” states Jeshi. “The ‘I am here, I’ve arrived’ moment.” If you have any queries or would like more information about access at Village Underground, please see our FAQs here: https://bit.ly/3EhSLgF, or contact access@villageunderground.co.uk. This is a 16+ event. Each under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult (1:1 ratio). Every customer may be requested to provide a valid ID upon entry, this is to ensure customer safety and ensure our legal age requirements are met. For this reason, we request that all customers bring valid ID. For further information see Age and ID in FAQ’s. Right of admission reserved. Presented by Metropolis Music. This is a 16+ event.