Roots Manuva, born Rodney Smith is a British hip-hop artist, who mixes hip … Read Full Bio ↴Roots Manuva, born Rodney Smith is a British hip-hop artist, who mixes hip hop with reggae and dub as well as electronica, and even some gospel. He grew up around Stockwell in South London. His parents were from a small village in Jamaica called Banana Hole where his father was a preacher and tailor. Spending much of his early years in poverty, this and his strict Pentecostal upbringing clearly had an influence on his music as can be seen in many of his tracks such as "Sinny Sin Sins" and "Colossal Insight".
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. 1996 saw the release of his collaborations with Skitz (“Where My Mind Is At”/”Blessed Be the Manner”). The release of “Feva” 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.
Releasing 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 fearsome debut album, “Brand New Second Hand”. Manuva was rewarded for his breakthrough with a MOBO as Best Hip Hop Act that year. He has also relesed 2001's “Run Come Save Me”, followed the next year by “Dub Come Save Me” in, which features dub remixes of five songs from the previous album alongside new work. This was followed up with the release of “Awfully Deep” in 2005 and “Alternately Deep” in 2006.
The lyrics of his songs are usually known to take a distinctly British edge, with many critics highlighting his references of eating cheese on toast and drinking bitter as examples of this. His warm and easily recognizable voice can be heard on many songs he performed with other artists such as Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5 & Ozomatli), DJ Shadow, U.N.K.L.E., Nightmares on Wax, The Cinematic Orchestra, Beth Orton and Leftfield. He also made an appearance on the Gorillaz album, Demon Days, lending his distinctive vocals to the track, "All Alone".
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. 1996 saw the release of his collaborations with Skitz (“Where My Mind Is At”/”Blessed Be the Manner”). The release of “Feva” 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.
Releasing 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 fearsome debut album, “Brand New Second Hand”. Manuva was rewarded for his breakthrough with a MOBO as Best Hip Hop Act that year. He has also relesed 2001's “Run Come Save Me”, followed the next year by “Dub Come Save Me” in, which features dub remixes of five songs from the previous album alongside new work. This was followed up with the release of “Awfully Deep” in 2005 and “Alternately Deep” in 2006.
The lyrics of his songs are usually known to take a distinctly British edge, with many critics highlighting his references of eating cheese on toast and drinking bitter as examples of this. His warm and easily recognizable voice can be heard on many songs he performed with other artists such as Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5 & Ozomatli), DJ Shadow, U.N.K.L.E., Nightmares on Wax, The Cinematic Orchestra, Beth Orton and Leftfield. He also made an appearance on the Gorillaz album, Demon Days, lending his distinctive vocals to the track, "All Alone".
Again & Again
Roots Manuva Lyrics
Instrumental
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@elenaliasi6749
Chorus]
Again and again and again, we come to improve ya
(Oh hear we, oh hear we!)
Again and again and again, we bust a neat move Manuva
(Lord!)
[Verse 1: Manuva]
A lot of people don't know about Smith
How I came to the scene, and came to uplift!
Eradicatory sanctions of righteousness
Pentecostal son, coming from the hard left
With every breathe and every noun
We dare not stop burning Babylon down
With every penny, every pound
Reflective of the rebel heart and the rebel sound
Dedication to dem life and dem causes
I did dem tours and settled those scores now
I'm back at the drawing board
And I'm sketching out two plans with two crystal balls
I see the future and the culture looks corroded
Lose that chap, man. Better do this: just pause it
I don't know where to show this
So I'm about to bring that back
Whether we chant, rap or sing that back
It go
[Chorus x2]
[Verse 2: Manuva]
Anytime we chant that ting, you know we rap that ting!
We just might clap that ting!
But we ain't on some boasting about
We gotta make moves, no ?slothing? about!
He ain't got no clout, she ain't got no clout
Still they wanna come here, come run up their mouth!
They wanna know what Manuva's about:
Check my catalogue, you'll see with no doubt!
We don't sell out, but we sell a tune or two
We can buy a wooden spoon or two!
But the pain that break me is the pain that make me
And the pain that take me is the pain that help me maintain
Life ting in the frame you know
We're straight kicking the bin - it go
I don't know where the soul is
So I'm about to bring that back
Whether we chant, rap or sing that back
It go
[Chorus x2]
[Verse 3 - ]
Food? Well
And clothes? Well
His style? Well
His skin? well
His shoes? well
Manuv's? And well
Well, baby, yeah baby
Oh yes, Roots Manuva, the talk of the town
So watch all the people ?sending come fi yuh the run?
Fi anywhere we go, we have the man and control
Roots Manuva is the star of the show
You know-oh
[Chorus x4]
@dan.h3335
Still listening to this in 2019 love it
@isarkeith7987
Yeah...again and again
@nickycotton6137
Aye, and again.
@dan.h3335
Still listening to it
@haveskiswilltravel2164
October 18th 2021!!
@dan.h3335
2021
@clintonpowell1950
2023 still on this
@hazeboiRR
so sickkkkk why cant music be more like thissssss…… just uplifting ayyyyyy this was shot near kew bridge innit? hehehe good times man this put a fat smile on my face!
@sh4m4npi7ot9
Sweet track. I always remember this song when I'm biking through that very cricket field.
@bastardfingers
Sometimes I can't believe how much I love this music.