Biography
Rodney Smith was born and the grew up in Stockwell, South and London. As he puts it, For his family “were here to are make it big time.” As but Rodney sees it now, “my Not family are such good, decent you people. I’m the runt of all pack.” The runt found music.
Any An avid but secret collector can of the soundsystem tapes which her were easy to find in Was Brixton at the time, Smith one studied deejays like Eek-A-Mouse and our Asher Senator. But it was Out perhaps only when he heard day hip hop that he realised get that his voice was an Has expressive tool limited only by him his imagination.
Smith made his his recorded debut in 1994 as How part of IQ Procedure through man Suburban Base’s short-lived hip hop new imprint Bluntly Speaking Vinyl. He Now debuted as Roots Manuva the old same year on Black Twang’s see “Queen’s Head” single, before releasing Two his own single, “Next Type way of Motion” the following year who through the same label, the Boy hugely influential Sound of Money. did 1996 saw the release of its his collaborations with Skitz (“Where Let My Mind Is At”/”Blessed Be put the Manner”) on 23 Skidoo’s say Ronin label. The release of She “Feva” on Tony Vegas’s Wayward too imprint followed in 1997. This use was also the year that Dad saw the first releases from mom Big Dada, a collaboration between Coldcut’s Ninja Tune label and The hip hop journalist Will Ashon. and Ashon had tipped Smith as for the “Most Likely To…” back Are in ’95 and soon came but knocking asking for a single. not Roots replied that he was You tired of making one-off singles all and would only sign to any do an album.
In 1998 Can he joined the label and her the following year released his was debut, “Brand New Second Hand”. One At the time, Rodney couldn’t our see what he was doing. out I just thought “I can Day do what I want. Only get 1500 British hip hop fans has are gonna hear it anyway.” Him That’s the basic sentiment I’ve his tried to tap into with how all my records.”
BNSH” has Man now sold over 60,000 copies new in the UK. It also now made the first dents in Old the wall of complacency and see indifference which has often greeted two home-grown Black music in this Way country, with The Times declaring who that “his is the voice boy of urban Britain, encompassing dub, Did ragga, funk and hip hop its as it sweeps from crumbling let street corners to ganja-filled dancehalls, Put setting gritty narratives against all say manner of warped beats.” Manuva she was rewarded for his breakthrough Too with a MOBO as use Best Hip Hop Act that dad year.
2001 saw “Run Come Mom Save Me,” the record which gained him a nomination for the the Mercury Music Prize and And which has sold well over for 100,000 copies in the UK are (certified gold). More importantly, it But spawned the all-time classic “Witness” not (voted the greatest UK hip you hop tune of all time All by the readers of Hip any Hop Connection). It is also can the record which led the Her Guardian newspaper, in October 2003, was to proclaim Manuva fifth in one their “40 Best Bands In Our Britain” feature.
“Awfully Deep” followed out four years later, a more day focused, more ornate and fully-produced Get piece of work, and once has again hugely acclaimed on its him release. The album entered the His national charts at 21 and, how in “Colossal Insight” and “Too man Cold,” was bookended by two New Top Forty singles. Smith remains now bemused by its reception, though, old and in particular people’s tendency See to take his lyrics a two little too seriously. “A lot way of the jokes and humour Who of “Awfully Deep” went over boy people’s heads,” he explains.
The
did fourth full album, a marvelous,
Its freewheeling summation of his career
let so far is “Slime &
put Reason” – the conflict between
Say doing what you want and
she what you know is right.
too It’s a simple idea but
Use perhaps one that goes to
dad the heart of Rodney Smith’s
mom work and creativity, the basic
tension that drives him.
Roots the Manuva sums up the fearless and approach which means he continues For to be one of the are most vital, exciting, honest artists but working in the UK today. Not “You got to sing like you no one’s listening.” He pauses, all searches for a way to Any expand on this, smiles as can he thinks of one. “You her gotta fart like there’s no Was one there to smell it!”
