Roots Manuva


Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial success with albums Run Come Save Me and Slime & Reason. He has been described as "one of the most influential artists in British music history." His most recent studio album, Bleeds, was released in October 2015.

Biography

Smith grew up around Stockwell, London, England. His parents were from a small village in Jamaica where his father was a preacher and tailor. He spent much of his early life in poverty and this and his strict Pentecostal upbringing had an influence on his music as can be heard in many of his tracks such as "Sinny Sin Sins" and "Colossal Insight".
Of his early discovery of music he says:
Smith made his recorded debut in 1994 as part of IQ Procedure through Suburban Base's short-lived hip-hop imprint Bluntly Speaking Vinyl. He debuted as Roots Manuva the same year on Blak Twang's "Queen's Head" single, before releasing his own single, "Next Type of Motion" the following year through the same label, the Sound of Money. 1996 saw the release of his collaborations with Skitz on 23 Skidoo's Ronin label. The release of "Feva" on Tony Vegas' Wayward imprint followed in 1997. This was also the year that saw the first releases from Big Dada, a collaboration between Coldcut's Ninja Tune label and hip-hop journalist Will Ashon.
Released for Coldcut's renowned experimental/hip-hop label Ninja Tune in 1998, some of his music may be seen as a predecessor of grime. The following year he released his debut album, Brand New Second Hand. A reference to his family's modest lifestyle, the title is a phrase his mother used for presents he got as a youngster that were pre-used. The single "Witness ", from his second album Run Come Save Me, with its lyrical flow and heavy shuffling squelch bass is a UK rap anthem. He had such an impact on the UK rap scene that The Times said that "his is the voice of urban Britain, encompassing dub, ragga, funk and hip-hop as it sweeps from crumbling street corners to ganja-filled dancehalls, setting gritty narratives against all manner of warped beats." Manuva was rewarded for his breakthrough with a MOBO as Best Hip Hop Act that year.

Hiatus

In 2018, Manuva was hospitalised for six months due to suffering from a subdural hematoma. The brain injury left him with memory loss and reduced mobility in his left leg.

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

  • Next Type of Motion
  • Awfully De/EP
  • Banana Skank EP
  • "Stolen Youth EP"

    Live albums

  • ''Live from London ''

    Singles

  • "Juggle Tings Proper"
  • "Motion 5000"
  • "Witness " UK No. 45
  • "Dreamy Days" UK No. 53
  • "Yellow Submarine"
  • "Colossal Insight" UK No. 33
  • "Too Cold" UK No. 39
  • "Buff Nuff"
  • "Again & Again" – featured on the EA TRAX soundtrack for the EA Sports videogame Fight Night Round 4
  • "Let the Spirit"
  • "Do Nah Bodda Mi"
  • "It's On "
  • "Here We Go Again "
  • "Don't Breathe Out"

    Guest appearances

  • Amon Tobin – "Saboteur mix," also known as "Saboteur -- Roots Manuva version"
  • Antipop Consortium - "NY to Tokyo"
  • Audio Bullys – "Made Like That"
  • Blak Twang – "Queen's Head" ; "Shhhoosh"
  • Breakage – "Run 'Em Out"
  • The Cinematic Orchestra – "All Things to All Men" ; "A Caged Bird / Imitations of Life"
  • Cornish Waters – "Look to Myself for Faith"
  • Coldcut – "True Skool" UK No. 61, "Only Heaven"
  • DJ Mentat – "Rugged Wid' It"
  • DJ Shadow – "GDMFSOB "
  • DJ Skitz – "Inner City Folk" and "Fingerprints of the Gods"
  • Dobie – "Connectivity"
  • Freq Nasty – "Boomba Clatt"
  • Fun Lovin' Criminals – "Keep on Yellin'"
  • Gorillaz – "All Alone"
  • The Herbaliser – "Lord Lord" ; "Starlight"
  • INORAN – "Rat Race"
  • Jamie Cullum – "Love for $ale"
  • Jungle – "You Ain't No Celebrity"
  • King Kooba – "Barefoot"
  • Killa Kela – "Here Comes The Submarines feat. Roots Manuva"
  • Leftfield – "Dusted" UK No. 28
  • Lotek HiFi – "Move Ya Ting"
  • The Maccabees – "Empty Vessels"
  • Massive Attack - "Dead Editors"
  • Morcheeba – "Blaze Away"
  • Mr. Scruff – "Jus Jus", "Nice Up The Function"
  • N'fa – "My Style"
  • New Flesh for Old – "Norbert & Cecil"
  • Reachout – "For Whom the Heart Beats"
  • Ty – "Oh U Want More?" UK No. 65
  • Saian Supa Crew – "Hey Yo My Man"
  • Speech Debelle - "Blaze Up a Fire"
  • Colossus – "Thrupenny Bits"
  • Nightmares on Wax – "70s 80s "
  • The Herbaliser – "Something Wicked ".
  • DELS – "Capsize"

    Other

  • Badmeaningood Vol.2
  • Back to Mine: Roots Manuva
  • The Blacknificent 7 – Riding Thru Da Undaground!
  • Black Whole Styles – "Uranium 235" & "Feel Da Panic"
  • Extra Yard: The Bouncement Revolution – "Dreamy Days featuring Ricky Rankin, "Born Again" featuring Wildflower, "Witness The Swords" featuring Fallacy, Rodney P, Blackitude, Big P & Skeme, "Bashment Boogie"
  • Sound01: A Big Dada Sampler – "Skiver's Guide" featuring Black Twang & Gamma

    Other information

  • "Witness " appeared in the 8th episode of season 2 of Ted Lasso, as psychologist Sharon was biking to her office.
  • "Witness " was played in the UK game show Total Wipeout international special episode.
  • "Witness" was also featured in the 2006 film Children of Men.
  • "Awfully Deep" was used as a background track in series 2 of TFI Friday.
  • "Witness " was used as part of the soundtrack for Big Up Production's video of Chris Sharma's ascent of the bouldering problem called "Witness the Fitness".

    Awards and nominations

  • 2016: Berlin Music Video Awards, nominated in the Best Director category for 'CRYING'