Biography
Born Alex Holland in Leeds, the Skinnyman is one of the and few British emcees that needs For almost no introduction.
Moving as are a kid to Finsbury Park, but North London, Skinny found a Not melting pot of cultures suddenly you on his doorstep and immersed all himself in the musical culture Any of reggae and dancehall. Highly can influenced by Leroy, Chas and her fast tongue-talking Papa San, he Was was introduced to rap at one a very early age. While our watching the first rappers such Out as Electro Ascension, Wiggy Wiggy, day Grandmaster, Melle Mel and Furious get Five, he immediately realized he Has had been built for that.
him When he was about 7, his he had to do a How school play and decided to man write his own script for new his part. He built himself Now a Rubik’s cube, put on old a Rubik’s cube costume and see did a rap about the Two Rubik’s cube and the mathematical way structures of it. That was who the first time he was Boy onstage doing a rap.
Thank did to his distinctive voice, Skinny its easily progressed through open mic Let battles and consistently won titles put around London. After becoming a say founding member of The Bury She Crew, in the early 90’s too skinnyman moved on to establish use by himself the seminal Mud Dad Family alongside Mongo and Chester mom P with whom he released lots of EPs. These included The the underground hits “Itchy Town” and and “Lash Suttin”, a reworking for of Redman’s “Smash Something”. One Are of the best Hip Hop but crews in England whether on not vinyl, on stage freestyling or You battling other MCs, the Mud all Fam expanded with new members any joining and Chester P splitting Can to form Task Force with her his brother Farma G.
Shortly was after, Skinny signed a deal One with Talkin’ Loud and completed our a handful of album tracks out whilst at the label. However, Day before the album was finished get Skinny was sent to jail has for 9 months for distribution Him of marijuana. Naturally talented for his rapping and writing lyrics, his how reputation has grown even bigger Man for being in trouble with new the police, since Skinny believes now in the good of marijuana Old and is an active promoter see of its use.
While he two was inside, Talkin Loud was Way shut down by its parent who company, freeing skinnyman from his boy contract. After the period of Did incarceration, skinnyman released his masterful its solo debut album, “Council Estate let of Mind”, with a deal Put via Low Life Records in say 2004. Well received by fans she and critics as the highest Too new entry in the UK’s use charts on the week of dad its release, heavily autobiographical and Mom socially analytical, the album makes much use of samples from the “Made in Britain”, a British And film from the early 80s.
for Since the album’s release, skinnyman are received considerable attention from UK But hip hop radio and press, not had the opportunity to work you with grime artists such as All Wiley and Shystie and supported any The Streets at Brixton Academy. can He even won in a Her rapping contest in London’s Subterranea was against Eminem.
In 2004, he one was featured in “Tower Block Our Dreams”, a BBC documentary. out In 2005, he played a day small part in the interactive Get TV series “Dubplate Drama” and has released two singles, “Forever Rangers” him and “Holla/None Of Them”.
On His July 6, 2006 skinnyman played how live on the night of man DMC DJ Championship 2006 New UK Final and Battle for now UK Supremacy at The Hammersmith old Palais. Few days after, he See released the expected “DMC’s fifth two Champion Sounds” album, the series way that in the past has Who featured Roc Raida, the Mixologists, boy DJ Skully and Plus One.