Rodney Smith aka Roots Manuva, the father of the UK rap scene returns with his fourth album on Big Dada records.
When Roots Manuva released his second album “Run Come Save Me” in 2001, featuring the cult hit single “Witness (1 Hope)”, which gained him a Mercury Music Prize nomination, he achieved a taste of the success so elusive to UK rappers.
UK hip-hop has always struggled next to the mainstream American market, but Roots Manuva’s fourth album proves that the lack of limelight has not harmed this British rapper’s health.
“Slime and Reason” stays away from the grime dominated UK rap scene (Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Sway), preferring instead to incorporate elements of reggae and dub with some spot-hitting bass and ironic wordplay and rhymes.
Best of all, the album is diverse, with songs like “It’s Me Oh Lord” featuring impassioned lyrics, preceded by the much more ironic “Again and Again” or the outright funny “Buff Nuff”.
It may not be exactly a progression from his previous album, but this is refreshing and mature rap for a thirsty and immature scene.
2 comments so far
1 Kid Fury // Oct 13, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I like Roots Manuva since the first LP but was pretty much unaware of the release date for the new LP and missed his performance in my hometown due to the lack of publicity ….which you can’t be blamed for I’ll make sur I check it!!!!
If you like UK Hip Hop check the The GTA/ Kid Fury Understanding The Way Mixtape : Free Download Link
http://www.zshare.net/download/198148504e252a51/
2 The Albums of the Year 2008 | Buzzin Music Blog // Dec 19, 2008 at 11:46 am
[...] releases to give me something a bit different this year, I turned back to trusty Rodney Smith and Slime and Reason to provide some insightful/witty rhymes and decent beats. Best songs: Let the Spirit, It’s Me Oh [...]