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A British hip-hop pioneer who never quite got his commercial dues, Roots Manuva is back with a new single, "Facety 2:11," produced by fellow maverick Four Tet. It marks the first piece of music Rodney Smith has released in two years, and it's a stunner—up there with the best of his work. Filled with Manuva's trademark Cockney slang, "Facety 2:11" is an abrupt reminder of the London man's genius and makes us question just why we forgot about him in the first place.
Adored by critics both in the U.K. and Stateside, his following is tantamount to a cult, yet he's never quite achieved the commercial breakthrough that cements his name in stone (a big reason for that is his refusal to sign to a major label). Before grime was even a "thing," Roots led the way for British lyricism. The son of a strict Pentecostal preacher, he has always been an eccentric character, and now in his 40s, he still stands out from the crowd as a sonic revolutionary.
Making his name spitting over heavy bass lines and futuristic electronic beats that jittered and stuttered, the outsider from Kennington has been an inventive maestro since day one. His talent has earned him unique collaborations with Gorillaz, Jamie Cullum, and even the Maccabees, and his smooth flow separates him from many of his U.K. contemporaries. Here are 10 Roots Manuva songs you should know.
Sam Moore is a writer for Complex UK. Follow him @Sam_Moore95.
"Witness (1 Hope)"
Cited by many as the greatest U.K. hip-hop tune of all time, "Witness" is Roots Manuva's opus and the song people will remember long after he's gone. It's dancehall, electronic, and hip-hop all rolled into one, and the beat wouldn't have sounded out of place on Kanye's Yeezus album. But it is a distinctly British song. With now-iconic references to cheese-on-toast and pints of bitter, not to mention saying "frig" instead of "fuck," "Witness" is whimsical and eccentric in that uniquely London way. And the lyrics are delivered with a knowing wink and are not without a hint of self-deprecation, as Roots looks at the things that defined the culture he grew up in.
"Stolen Youth"
Skins, the insanely popular show about groups of sixth formers, had used Roots' music since the very first series, but when the drama was finally set to end, they commissioned him to make a track just for the show. He gladly obliged, and the result is the dark and bleak "Stolen Youth." With funeral strings introducing the track, it's clear from the start that it's not going to be a party track. Instead, he offers introspect and references to Martin Luther King and mourns the deprivation and oppression young people face every day.
Lyrically, this is Roots at his very best, and his low growl makes you hang on every word, creating a feeling not particularly common in Roots' music: empathy. As somber and grim as the TV show at its darkest, Roots' anger mounts as the song progresses as the music evolves from a simple drumbeat into something uncontrollable and alien.
"Dreamy Days"
The closing track on Roots' landmark and greatest album, Run Come Save Me, "Dreamy Days" is a piano-led, soulful song that, along with "Witness," really cemented Roots as a force to be reckoned with. Honest and far rawer than his later material, "Dreamy Days" adamantly sticks to the hip-hop template, and while the sonic innovation we've come to expect from Roots isn't there on this track, it doesn't stop it from being a U.K. hip-hop classic. A perfect example of Roots' storytelling ability, there's an emotional honesty to it that is far too uncommon in hip-hop, particularly on that side of the Atlantic.
"Too Cold"
A playful orchestra and an impossibly catchy hook introduce us to "Too Cold," one of Roots' more American-sounding tracks. While it's undeniably Roots, with his distinct voice and musings on London life, "Too Cold" sounds heavily influenced by New York rap—but that's no bad thing. Schizophrenic and brooding, the beat plods along menacingly as Roots spits bars filled with paranoia, waxing lyrical about financial investments, providing for his family, and all the things he can do with his money.
"Colossal Insight"
On "Colossal Insight," the hypnotic refrain grabs you by the scruff of the neck and never lets go for the near-four-minute duration. The simple infectiousness of the track is a progression over the beats on Run Come Save Me and represents a more advanced and polished sound—the sure sign that Roots got more paper to spend on production. With the addition of synths and strings, the tracks on Awfully Deep are much more polished, and "Colossal Insight" is the best example of Roots' move away from the underground. Aside from the advancements in production, the lyrics are personal and relative to his experiences, the flow is laid-back, and the melody is infectious in ways most U.K. hip-hop isn't. Roots gets rhythm and understands how a song can get stuck in somebody's head.
"Yellow Submarine"
In the history of music, it is doubtful there has been a less likely cover of a song than Roots Manuva doing a version of the Beatles classic "Yellow Submarine." Off his compilation album, Badmeaningood Vol. 2, this cover follows myriad hip-hop classics as Roots makes clear his influences for all to hear. Roots' "Yellow Submarine" is as bizarre as expected, but he pulls it off. The chorus is huge and demented, and the swirling reggae production sounds otherworldly. The Beatles have been covered in a million different ways, by a million different artists, but it's never been done quite like this.
"Let the Spirit"
On "Let the Spirit," Roots utilizes a funk sound and combines it with his own brand of hip-hop in a track that's just bursting with spirit and creativity. On his most diverse-sounding LP, Slime & Reason, "Let the Spirit" stands out, feels brand new, and finds the rapper treading new ground, with an exhilarating chorus that needs shouting from the rooftops of South LDN and an underpinning funky bass line that is simply sublime.
"Again & Again"
The opening track of Slime & Reason, "Again & Again" is a hurricane of a track driven mainly by dancehall elements (though that doesn't stop a brass section from being present). Surreal and a tad psychedelic, it has a chant-worthy hook and has an intoxicating pop-led melody that solidifies the track as one of the very best in Roots Manuva's catalog. Roots sounds almost prophet-like here, detailing how the U.K. hip-hop scene will fade away from the mainstream with declining sales and a lack of authenticity. Seven years after the recording of "Again & Again," look where we are today?
"Jungle Tings Proper"
Full of pride and defiance, "Jungle Tings Proper" is a motivational anthem for those who have been knocked down and need help standing back up. Roots aims to uplift with his eloquent rhymes and all he needs to accompany him is a bass line and a bit of percussion. On his debut album, Brand New Second Hand, it's the lyrics and vocal delivery that do all the work. Roots raps about social issues, but he isn't a political rapper. There's a difference. Really, he's just an immersive character with stories to tell and feelings to express, and "Jungle Tings Proper" incorporates exactly what Manuva is about: wit, tackling issues, and big, big hooks.
"Movements"
For many, "Movements" was the first time they had heard this pioneering MC. With the release of Brand New Second Hand, Roots was unleashed as one of the U.K.'s first legitimate rappers, and the eccentric enigma proved just why from the get-go. On "Movements," with his heartfelt raps, Manuva is full of life; from the second it kicks in, it's apparent that you're listening to something majestically mysterious. A sense of paranoia is in every corner of the track—he paints the picture of southwest London as some kind of grey-tinted dystopia—and 16 years on, it is still a masterpiece.