The album topics derive from Jesters own critical self-perceptions whilst navigating the spontaneous game of being a rap artist. “You’re not where you want to be, but you’re still the thing you are attempting, with mixed results,”explained Jester.“I still explore all the tropes of rappers – the casual sex, the drug use, the misery, the taking potshots at imaginary adversaries and all that shit. But now I see it as a sitcom in song form at this point.”
“It is lyrically and conceptually the strongest project I have done,”asserted Jester, who pulls no punches by enlisting the notorious Sonnyjim for a collaboration, as well as his known affiliates Jack Danz, who produced Jesters prior full-length album,Moose Solutionsand Mnsr Frites of Jesters Moose Funk collective.
The release of ‘Insert Coins’ comes off the back of a fulfilling year as a stand-up comic, recently opening for Paul Chowdhury at the London O2 Arena.“It was very surreal to perform to a crowd that size – especially because they’re seated,”reminisced Jester.“There was 17,000 seated people expecting to laugh at me ; it looked like a fucking Nazi rally. But a friendly one.”
Jesters stand-up performances boosted his comic reputation whilst co-hosting the hilarious Bad Boys Done Good podcast alongside Tom Ward – portraying Ray Winstone & Tony Soprano simultaneously. In recent months, Jesters social media profile was catapulted into mainstream algorithms due to releasing another series, where he portrays what music ‘sounds like as a 40 year old’ – gaining attention from Dizzee Rascal, Earl Sweatshirt and Vybz Kartel amongst millions of other online users. “To be honest, it’s been really validating when I see someone who’s spearheaded and pioneered that genre replying to my reels,”admitted Jester.“It’s mad because I’ve made music for 20 years and the first of these videos I made got more views than anything I’ve ever done put together – so that just shows you that I was probably following the wrong path all these years.”
“Who would I like to tour with?”Jester paused, thoughtfully.“I love touring with the friends I started out with like Jamali Maddix and Tom Ward. I’d like to tour with my pal Red Richardson, but he’s now in America being anA List Hollywood celebrity – very well deserved.“
Pre-order ‘Insert Coins’ ft. Forest DLG, Sonnyjim, Jack Danz & Mnsr Frites – HERE
Words by Evo
Photography by Claire Haigh