Jehst, born William G. Shields, is a British hip hop artist and co-founder of the label YNR. He also records under aliases including The High Plains Drifter, Jay Star and Billy Brimstone. His work is associated with UK hip hop and is known for varied moods, from defiant and reflective to more mysterious, alongside unconventional subject matter and tight beats.

Background

Jehst is born in Kent in 1979 and grows up first in Crowborough, Sussex, before moving to Huddersfield. His time in the post-industrial north shapes his lyrical style. He later studies illustration and English Literature at the Harrow Campus of the University of Westminster.

Career

Jehst makes his debut in 1999 with the Premonitions EP on YNR, the label he co-founds with Leeds hip hop artist Tommy Evans. His solo work develops further after he appears on Task Force's Voice of the Great Outdoors EP with the track "Cosmic Gypsies", which leads to a long association with Low Life Records. He then releases four 12-inch records on the label.

In 2002, Jehst is a key member of the seven-piece group Champions of Nature, alongside AM, Apollo, L. Dolo, Lewis Parker, Profound and Supa T. The group releases two EPs before splitting, and also puts out the full-length The Return of the Drifter, issued as a double release with an 11-track CD companion containing earlier material and a cross-section of his work to that point.

His first solo album, Falling Down, arrives in 2003 and includes guest appearances from Lewis Parker, The Sundragon, Usmaan and Klashnekoff. In 2005 he releases Nuke Proof Suit. The following year he issues the production project Jehst Presents: Underworld Epics. In 2007 he releases The Mengi Bus Mixtape and performs a series of live shows, including a tour date in Australia.

Collaborations and releases

Jehst works with producers including Evil Ed, Harry Love and Lewis Parker. He also releases material as Billy Brimstone on YNR. His recordings and collaborations help establish him as a significant figure in British hip hop and lead to a wider set of guest appearances. He is described as one of the most consistent artists to emerge from the UK rap scene.