Crack

UK rapper Jehst ventured down to the land of seagull shit and retired geriatrics to give a wasted South-West audience something to bop their heads to.

Driving into Penzance and seeing adverts for stairlifts and pension plans, this ‘end of the line’ town doesn’t strike you as one that craves hip-hop, yet Gangstarr, KRS-One and even the almighty Wu-Tang Clan have graced this seaside resort. Jehst added his name to this impressive list to promote his upcoming album Dragon Of An Ordinary Family.

The artist coolly delivered his highly revered lyricism to a crowd that was growing hoarse by chanting his name. The MC resists the gold of the devil - AKA the mainstream hip-hop industry - to carve out his patterned gritty verses; rejecting the overly present mass model of soulless lyrics backed by auto-tune filth. The rapper’s set in Cornwall illustrated why he still stands out amongst the growing numbers of wordsmiths these isles have to offer. Getting onlookers hyped without breaking a sweat, the Kent-born UK hip-hop pioneer was engrossing yet effortless.

The booze-fuelled crowd was laced with more testosterone than a UFC fight, but Jehst quelled the antagonism with his thought-provoking bars and agile flow. This was truly needed, as the venue was being shared with the nighclub’s usual Friday night custom. This meant every Tom, Dick and Twat trying to get their end away stumbled in looking for flesh to hump, only to find bearded New Era cap wearers. If Jehst’s stage presence wasn’t enough already, Micall Parknsun (yeah that’s how it’s spelled) treated the crowd to his venomous spiels, straining neck muscles left, right and centre.

This wonderfully raw double act worked well together, but lucky for us Parknsun rapped some tracks of his own, this constant alternation resulted in an intense performance that kept you on your toes. Jehst stayed true to the quick-witted nature of quality hip-hop by signing off with some freestyle verses that could have proved disastrous. Was it? Of course not.



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Words: Ben Perks

http://www.myspace.com/jehstofficial

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