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".
Cornmeal Dumpling
Roots Manuva Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New talk sensation, vibe see vibration
Spitting on the bacon is my first result
You will never see this folk juckin in this pork
Wild blast from the chalice
Flood my blood stream, this blessing sting
Cleans my mind to a gleam
See the light my tips see be tight
Raw from the south of the thames
Bringing folks vision like a contact lense
Nothing but this ital, vital world roots recital
We don't follow fashion, nor fad, not at all
See me to town come fe nice up the ball
'long side the holy ghost, living like some pastor
Casting out the spell of this man made hell
Cornmeal dumpling give me strength y'all
Rebuke devils, make devils repent y'all
Hey
Flavour too dead, now they call me abortion
My look to twist a torsion made force uncontained
Pen 'em too hard he just might twist your brain
'cause I grace track with roots vibe syntax
Funkified, footloose like the old farmer slacks
I enter the arena with some next type of juice
This has the energy, clipping from the noose
Freeing up my mind, from that living dead fluck
Devil eyes have fe get to the hell from these mortals
We won't stop cry for little beady
Step up, stand up, you know you got qualities
And so we groove and so we gwan and so we skid
Motion splendid with this routique we fine
Fending of the heat of this shall bar-be we flame
Times is dark, we can't feel no shame, but
Cornmeal dumpling give me strength y'all
Rebuke devils, make devils repent y'all
Hey
Cornmeal dumpling give me strength
I sing, who's discoteque is this
It's my discoteque
I don't give a dam how you wish me to flex
Imma flex how I feel to flex
Light-years over the heads of heads
Who study cool, I know they fool
All you had to do was to be yourself
Who am I? hey
Who's discoteque is this
It's my discoteque
Who's discoteque is this
It's my discoteque
And I shall be
I don't want to be
I do
The lyrics of Roots Manuva's song "Cornmeal Dumpling" are a powerful commentary on staying true to oneself in the face of societal pressures to conform. The first verse talks about rejecting the norms of society - "You will never see this folk juckin in this pork" - and embracing an alternative way of living that is based on spirituality and a connection to one's roots. The lyrics are filled with references to Jamaican Rastafarian culture, including mentions of "ital" (natural, unprocessed food), "the chalice" (the Rastafarian sacrament of marijuana), and "rebuking devils" (a common phrase in Rastafarianism).
The second verse continues this theme of rejecting societal norms and embracing an alternative way of living. The lyrics talk about the importance of freeing one's mind and breaking free from the constraints of the system. The chorus, which mentions "cornmeal dumpling" (a traditional Jamaican dish made from cornmeal), is a metaphor for the strength and sustenance that can be found in staying true to oneself and resisting societal pressure to conform.
Overall, "Cornmeal Dumpling" is a powerful message of resistance and self-empowerment, and a celebration of Jamaican culture and spirituality.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming through with the hallelu vitalisation,
I am bringing a powerful energy and new talk to the vibe
New talk sensation, vibe see vibration
My words are creating a new sensation and spreading good vibes
Spitting on the bacon is my first result
Rejecting unhealthy habits and embracing ital food
You will never see this folk juckin in this pork
I will never eat pork and neither should you
Wild blast from the chalice
Smoking herb and enjoying its blessings
Flood my blood stream, this blessing sting
The herb is affecting my bloodstream and mind in a positive way
Cleans my mind to a gleam
The herb is cleansing my mind and making it clear
See the light my tips see be tight
I am enlightened and wise
With these intergalatic tackles to the core
I have a deep understanding of the universe
Raw from the south of the thames
I am from the south of the Thames and proud of my roots
Bringing folks vision like a contact lense
My music is bringing a new perspective to people's lives
Nothing but this ital, vital world roots recital
My music is all about promoting an ital, healthy lifestyle and celebrating my roots
We don't follow fashion, nor fad, not at all
I am not interested in following trends or fashion, just being true to myself
See me to town come fe nice up the ball
When I'm in town, I bring a positive energy and vibe
'long side the holy ghost, living like some pastor
I am living my life alongside the Holy Spirit, like a pastor
Casting out the spell of this man made hell
I am rebuking the negative influences of society
Cornmeal dumpling give me strength y'all
Cornmeal dumpling is a source of strength for me
Rebuke devils, make devils repent y'all
I am rebuking evil and calling for repentance
Flavour too dead, now they call me abortion
My music is too real and raw for some people, they can't handle it
My look to twist a torsion made force uncontained
My unique style is powerful and uncontainable
Pen 'em too hard he just might twist your brain
My lyrics are so strong they can challenge your way of thinking
'cause I grace track with roots vibe syntax
My music has a genuine roots vibe
Funkified, footloose like the old farmer slacks
My music has a funky, free style
I enter the arena with some next type of juice
I bring a new kind of energy to the game
This has the energy, clipping from the noose
My music has an uplifting energy that frees you from oppression
Freeing up my mind, from that living dead fluck
My music frees my mind from negative thoughts and emotions
Devil eyes have fe get to the hell from these mortals
I am rebuking evil and calling for it to leave humanity
We won't stop cry for little beady
We won't give up the fight for what we believe in
Step up, stand up, you know you got qualities
I encourage my listeners to step up and use their unique qualities to make a difference
And so we groove and so we gwan and so we skid
We move and dance to the music with joy and energy
Motion splendid with this routique we fine
We feel great moving along with the beat of the music
Fending of the heat of this shall bar-be we flame
We are strong and can withstand the difficulties of life
Times is dark, we can't feel no shame, but
The world is full of darkness and sadness, but we don't feel ashamed to speak out against it
Cornmeal dumpling give me strength
Cornmeal dumpling is a source of strength for me
I sing, who's discoteque is this
I ask who owns this club and its music
It's my discoteque
I claim the music as my own and it represents me
I don't give a dam how you wish me to flex
I don't care how others want me to express myself
Imma flex how I feel to flex
I will express myself freely and authentically
Light-years over the heads of heads
My music is beyond the comprehension of most people
Who study cool, I know they fool
Those who try to be cool are often fake and dishonest
All you had to do was to be yourself
To be genuine and true to yourself is all that matters
Who am I? hey
I am who I am, and proud of it
And I shall be
I will continue to be myself and express myself freely
I don't want to be
I don't care to be like anyone else, just myself
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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