'It's On' - Roots Manuva (video)

Filmed at the weirdest place in Britain - Dungeness. I advise you to go there if you haven't ever been so you can marvel at its strangeness.

'Duppy Writer' - Roots Manuva & WrongTom (review)

When remixing an artist with a heavy cult following one has to be careful. WrongTom has been careful and the result is 'Duppy Writer' - a collection songs truly worthy of being called a Roots Manuva LP.

The typically sparse production of your average Roots Manuva track has been stripped away and replaced by the most delicious dubby Reggae and in most cases each track is better than the original! You see, WrongTom hasn't tackled the biggest and bestest Roots Manuva tracks (I'm not accounting for personal tastes here), he's generally taken the tunes which took the back seat the first time round and put his sunny spin on them.

The album kicks of with 'Butterfly Crab Walk' featuring Riddla which is a re-imagining of 'Hol' It Up' from 'Run Come Save Me' - the original had that old Bontempi feel to it whereas WrongTom's is "Tropical". 'Chin High' from 'Awfully Deep' was never going to be as easy to swallow as the album's title track or the single 'Too Cold' but the version available here on 'Duppy Writer' brings a little more melody to the mix and renders it to have more appeal.

'Duppy Writer', the third track, is the only reference to Manuva's pièce de résistance 'Witness (1 Hope)' before the secret track from 'Awfully Deep' gets a remaking - 'This World Is Mine' becomes 'Worl' A Mine' and WrongTom really makes the most of a great chorus. 'Big Tings Gwidarn' featuring Seanie T is probably equal to its original - not one of the best remixes here.

'Jah Warriors' featuring Ricky Ranking is the album's first single and is a brand new collaboration - a very great track, hopefully WrongTom will produce more new material for forthcoming Roots Manuva releases. 'Proper Tings Juggled' is a great track but is probably the one track on here that doesn't live up to the original.

Three tracks from 'Slime and Reason' receive new production - 'Lick Up Your Foot', 'Rebuff' and 'Son Of Bodda'. Each track fits in with the original aesthetics of 'Slime and Reason' with 'Rebuff' being a vast improvement on the original and 'Lick Up Your Foot' being a great alternative version. 'Motion 82' sounds authentically old school reggae, sounding nothing like 'Motion 5000', which is an awesome track - this isn't a case of which is best - both are good.

'Duppy Writer' should be released on Big Dada on 6th September 2010 and can be pre-ordered here and now.

'Butterfly Crab Walk' ft. Riddla - Roots Manuva & WrongTom

Just found a cheeky little free download from the forthcoming Roots Manuva meets WrongTom LP 'Duppy Writer'. I mentioned the 'Jah Warrior' single which will be out on 30th August here and 'Butterfly Crab Walk' is every bit as cool.

The track features Riddla and is a big fat slice of dubby Reggae which I totally love. You can go download this for free at RCRD LBL.

Then you should head over to the duo' website to find out more and make some pre-orders.

What's Worth Hearing Today? Part 2 (free downloads and reviews)

Roots Manuva has met Wrongtom and made a tune called 'Jah Warrior'. It's really cool - I love a bit of Mr. Manuva and this Wrongtom fella seems pretty dope too. They've also done a couple of remixes; one of 'Buff Nuff' called 'Rebuff' and I think it's a greater than the original, especially in the chorus. 'Bashment Boogie' also gets tickled with the remix stick and 'Basement Bogle' is definitely rather bogling - good stuff. Buy.

UK Hip Hop artist QRED has joined up with US MC Brandeesh, looped up some apocalyptic beats and got busy with the darkness in a most admirable way. 'Raise The Levelz' has those big sonics that every Hip Hop fan really hankers after. You can download three tracks fro free - but only if you then keep your ear to the underground for more.

Leaf Dog has roped in the rest of 3 Amigos, Jimmy Raygun and Deadline on this Naive produced banger to tell us to do it 'Right Now'. Usual madness from these boys ensues.

Extra Curricular are the live Hip Hop band that Jack Flash fronts. They've put up a couple of free downloads on their blog. There's 'Don't Stop' and 'Where The Problem Lies' - both great tracks with totally different vibes but a recognisable sound. Check them out some more please.

Byron, a UK MC who really deserves more shine, has put out a free EP called 'Hard Worker'. these tracks are billed as covers, you and I might see them as Byron using well known instrumentals and taking cues from the subject matter. The most recognisable tune, B.O.B.'s 'Airplanes', gets done to begin with and then before you get comfortable Byron coes in over Maniac's 'Boiler' - wow, versatile! the further 3 tracks couldn't be more different either - whatever you do, don't pigeon hole or limit this guy - he can do it all. Give it a proper listen.

JC is gearing for a new assault of releases on his own No Money Records. He's hooked up with Oddisee for lead single 'Ayo' which is a double time rhythm with a relentless horn section accompanied by Oddisee's laid back delivery. Malik from Moorish Delta 7 provides the vocals on the flipside 'Soul Search' - a real headnodder. Told ya Yorkshire had the heat. Preview both tracks here. Buy it here.

Have no idea where this came from but it's an awesome bit of instrumental Hip Hop from Kwestro called 'I'm Blowing Up'.

Here's something new from a new artists too: LnC offers up 'Take You On A Journey' for your delectation. See what you think, I think he's pretty nice with his - feeling all aspects of this track. Solid.

To finish with, check Kaos' new track 'Traffic Lights' - got time for this.

Roots Manuva and Banana Klan Radio Takeover!

Lucy Pink (a fan of Certified Banger - "I always check it for reference pre-show now, it's become standard proceedure!") has got a bit of a UK Hip Hop exclusiveness for you and your ears (and other senses):

'Roots Manuva and the Banana Klan take over Diesel U Music radio this Friday (9th October 2009) 7 - 9pm. Tune in for exclusive live performances from Jimmy Screech. Ellie May, Ricky Ranking and Roots Manuva alongside a full live band, an old school rave DJ set, a phone interview with Dawn Penn and much more from the Banana Klan camp.'

'Seize The Moment' - VA - DJ Thor (free download)

Hit up the download link for DJ Thor's latest mixtape narrated by Mystro. It features a right ol' mix up of US and UK artists such as Ramson Badbonez, Kyza, Nathan 'Flutebox' Lee, Recordkingz, Skandal, Mystro, Endemic, Mr. Scruff, SonnyJim and Roots Manuva. On the American side of things you get Slaughterhouse, Red and Meth, 50 Cent, Ghostface and MF Doom. For the full tracklisting clickedy here. If you didn't catch volume one then you can download that here and now.

The Basement Sessions Podcast

Check out the Basement Sessions podcast featuring these most excellent tracks and artists:

1. J.Rawls & John Robinson f. Rashad - She's So Brilliant
2. Son Of A Queen - King
3. Krate Krusaders f. Kasha & Logic - Stronger
4. Percy Filth f. J.Sands & K.Skills - That's Why
5. Amanda Diva - Heart Strings (UK EXCLUSIVE!)
6. Sonny Jim - CrazyIllMadRowdy (Produced by Jon Phonics)
7. Wio-K f. Ty & Serocee - An Ting
8. Alphabetix - What's The Name
9. d. C. & Pennbannekar - The Come Up (UK EXCLUSIVE!)
10. Marco Polo & Torae f. Masta Ace & Sean Price - Hold Up
11. Akrobatik - AK B Nimble
12. Roots Manuva - 2 Much 2 Soon
13. Big Cakes - Soul
14. yU - Marvelous (O.G. Mix) (Produced by Kev Brown)
15. Amor Jones - Nothing Good Comes Easy
16. Art Of Fresh - Come N' Get Some
17. Kyza - Wild Orchid
18. Sleaze - Success
19. Nova Infinite - All Of My Life (UK EXCLUSIVE!)
20. IV f. Junclassic - Please Don't Go Away (UK EXCLUSIVE!)
21. FS Green - Rusty Beat

Check out The Basement Sessions on their website and on Sensei FM and stay tuned for more podcastage with the first official CErtified Banger podcast.

'Run 'Em Out' ft. Roots Manuva - Breakage (docu-vid)

Check out the latest track to feature Mr. Manuva's vocals. It's by Breakage. In this video we see the Breakage guy chatting about the tune. If you want to hear the whole tune then click here but it's the Benny Page D'n'B remix which is doing the rounds - probably becaused it's hype and awesome!

'Keep It Unreal' - Mr. Scruff (free mix)

I've been a fan of Mr. Scruff for as long as I can remember (a lie, but for as long as I've been really getting into music) and it was this album that started it all off. It's 10 years old now (hence the 10th Anniversary re-release) and it still sounds as good as it used to.

I would recommend that you buy all of Scruff's albums, including the mix ones because they contain nuff heavy Hip Hop and other shenans. You should go see him live because you'll have fun and if you get to meet him I'm sure he'll be lovely; he's from Stockport like me Nana (and my Grandad, Mum and Auntie).

To celebrate, those Ninja's have put together a mix that over just 20 minutes is top listening - you gots a bit of comedy, a bit of Roots Manuva and lot of beats. Download it below and then head over to somewhere that sells the re-released album.

Current UK Hip Hop itunes Releases

So what can you guys and girls get for yourself this week on itunes? Well, there's a whole host of stuff:

Micall Parknsun - 'All 4 Hip Hop' (also at Amazon and HMV)

Roots Manuva - 'Do Nah Bodda Mi' (Preview at Ninja Tune and buy the 12")

Elemental & Tom Caruana - 'Rebel Without Applause' (read my review here or pop over to the Tea Sea website to buy the actual CD)

Million Dan - 'Acceleration' (it includes remixes from Baby J and versions of 'Hip Hop U Don't Stop' from Jay Large and DJ Firstaid)

Killa Kela - 'Built Like An Amplifier' (Not Hip Hop really but it does feature a Sway remix. Watch the official video here)

Kyza - 'Sin City'/'Go' & 'Love & Music'/'Dirty' (His two singles from the forthcoming 'Shots Of Smirnoff')

YNR Productions - 'Feeding Time At The Zoo' (or here on CD)

Lowkey - 'We Don't Want Them' (produced by The Last Skeptik and all for a good cause)

Sleaze - Theolovision (or here on CD)

Homecut - No Freedom Without Sacrifice (go to First Word for the CD)

That should do ya for now...let me know if this is a worthwhile thing to do, whether I post up what's available on itunes or elsewhere.

Joker Starr and Micall Parknsun on June's Suspect Packages Show

Gots to check out the new Suspect Packages Radio Show with Disorda and special guests Micall Parknsun and Joker Starr.

Tracks included are by Knew Jeru'slum, SonnyJim and Kosyne, the new UK Hip Hopsupergroup Orphans of Cush (Kyza Smirnoff, M9, Masikah & Cyrus Malachi), Mystro, Mr. Scruff and Roots Manuva and loads more including a ton of Joker Starr and Micall Parknsun exclusive material.

Check it out here and now.

Blast From The Past #1: 'Upwards' - Ty

This is one of the UK Hip Hop albums that really got me into the genre, it was released in 2003 so you can see I've not been a fan for a long time. This ended my courtship with Hip Hop in general and began my immersion into UK Rap. 'Upwards' isn't really representative of UK Hip Hop as a whole - probably the reason why I still look for the bright side of things when it comes to British Rap.

The LP kicks off with "Woy... Oh. My. Goodness." on the awesome 'Ha Ha' and just before it closes (on the version with the bonus tracks anyway) the revoxed version of 'So U Want Morre' featuring Roots Manuva (a lovely combination) provides quotable after quotable. Another stand out track is the Joker Starr produced 'Hot Spice' - seriously this album has too many good moments to mention!

If you've not heard this album then get to it - you can pick it up nice and cheaply now.

'Jimstrumentals' - Jimmy Green (free download) **New Link**

Rapsploitations Sessions man Jimmy Green has put this awesome mixtape together of his beats with UK Hip Hop verses from the greats - just check the image for the list of MCs. Let me assure you now before you listen in, Jimmy Green's beats are HOT, next thing he'll know is that these rappers will be calling him for beats and next thing we'll know is that his beats are on tracks and albums by said rappers.

Check out the way he totally changes the vibe of Rodney P's vocals from 'The Doggist' and how he re-flips Premo's 'It's Yours' beat! Listen as he throws in quotes from 'Dead Mans Shoes' and comedy routines about bad breath. Get this for yourself and if you're an MC get in touch. If you're a producer - watch out! Click for tracklisting.

Here's a new link that includes DPF's verse:

'Shifty - The Mixtape' (free download)

Promoting a movie with a mixtape - now there's an idea eh? Shifty (which I didn't manage to get to last night) is out in cinemas on Friday and the crew have put together a mix of tracks and film dialogue for you to download.

It kicks of with the gorgeous strings of Roots Manuva's 'Dreamy Days' and then Burial kicks in - nice! On the UK Hip Hop side of things Riz MC, Sway, Plan B and Fallacy & Fusion feature. A fair few other genres are represented too by the likes of Bjork, Shy FX & T-Power and Toasty. Get it and bump it now for the general beats.

• Click here for more 'Shifty' related news

'Nice Up The Function' ft. Roots Manuva - Mr. Scruff (single review)

“This is something called the Jus… the Jus Jus”: memorable lyrics from a time of delighting in finding Hip Hop in unexpected places. Well, Mr. Scruff and UK Hip Hop’s biggest and most maverick figure Roots Manuva have got together again for the stonking single ‘Nice Up The Function’. Taken from last year’s ‘Ninja Tuna’ album, a more leftfield record than Scruff ever made before, this glitchy dancehall was a stand out track.

Coming like sonic ADHD, Scruff and Manuva make music fit for an asylum. Or at least a padded room. Roots spits his usual sporadic insights that make you wonder just where he gets his ideas from. The remix is a little more fluid due to its bumbling bassline and conga rhythms – it’s possibly the better version.

The package also features Scruff’s fellow Mancunians (OK, Stockport is pretty much Manchester) Broke ‘n’ English on ‘Listen Up!’. Lyrics like “I used hate going to school on Mondays//’cause the teacher made us do PE in our undies” are just a warning of the Northern fun to be had here.

‘Nice Up The Function’ is out on 12" on 06/04/09 on Ninja Tune.

DJ Step One - New Blog

DJ Step One (no I'd not heard of him before either) has just joined the geeky world of Hip Hop blogging at his nicely titled 'Only Built For Zshare Links' site.

He's basically posting up a load of material that no other blogs have ever posted and in doing so is providing a valuable back catalogue of 90s Hip Hop radio shows and the like.

The thing most relevant to this blog is his own 'UK Bubblers' mix which is "a selection of some of [his] favourite UK tunes. Mostly they're from 2001 -2005." It features tracks from all the big boys: Lewis Parker, Rodney P, Roots Manuva, SkinnyMan, Klashnekoff, TY, Fallacy and loads more.

Another thing he's just posted is again, some of his own work. It's a mashup/refix of the Ultramagnetic MCs' 'Poppa Large' and Ronny Jordan’s ‘So What’. It's a jazzy banger!

Reviews Pending

As usual I've got a great big pile of CDs waiting to be reviewed, and as usual, I'll endeavour to write about them all. Just so you know, here's what's coming up whenever I get some time, in no particular order:

Joe Budden - 'Padded Room' (album)
Kyza - 'Love and Music' (single)
Haka Beats - 'Underground Journeys' (album)
Choong Family - 'Baptism of Fire' (pre-album)
Ghost - 'Freedom of Thought EP #1' (er....EP?)
Jyager - 'Encrypted Scriptures' (album)
Jack Flash - '4 Minute Warning' (single)
Asaviour & DJ IQ - 'The A Loop Theory' (album)
Tricksta & Lunatrix - VA - 'Flying the Flag' (double mixtape)
Big Narstie - 'The Big Man Returns' (album)
Two Fingers - 'Two Fingers' (album)
Modulok - 'Cities and Years' (album)
Knew Jeru'slum - 'Non Apologetix' ft. Manchild (single)
Mr Scruff - 'Nice Up The Function' ft. Roots Manuva (single)
Reachout - 'Fly Baby' (album)

I'll also be doing interviews with a number of UK Hip Hop artists including Ghost, Endemic, Knew Jeru'slum and Karl Hinds.

Free Tunes

Just downloaded these tracks free (and legally) from here -thanks! If you go there there are few more tracks to be had from these artists:

Stereo MCs - 'Black Gold'
Shape of Broad Minds - 'Electric Blue'
Roots Manuva - 'Again & Again'
Prince Po - 'Bump Bump' ft. Raekwon
Mr. Scruff - 'Music Takes Me Up'
Dub Pistols - 'Rapture'
Dr. Who Dat - 'Deep Blaque'
Dan Le Sac - 'The Beat My Heart Skipped' (removed at request of manager)

Big ups to Lex, Big Dada, Ninja Tune and the other labels who gave these tracks up.

Sarah Love mp3

Sarah Love's UK Spotlight January mp3 and my original post.

Kashmere – 'The Jazz'
Evil Ed & Conspicous ft Shabam – 'The Ill Out'
Asaviour – 'Beefy'
Jack flash ft. J Simple & Apatight – 'Ground Wurq Anthem '
Ramson Badbonez – '3 Endings /Saga Of Death'
SonnyJim – 'Next Generation'
Jon Phonics ft. Mr Drastik & Verb T – 'Jealousy'
Mystro – 'Banishment'
Beat Butcha ft. Skandal – 'Home Economics'
Chain Of Command – 'Truss'
M9 – 'Higher Learning'
Blak Twang – ''96'
Chester P – 'Suicide Switch'
Sir Smirf Lil' – 'Back At You'
Scorzayzee ft Fayol – 'Scorz Chat'
Roots Manuva – 'Let The Spirit'

Free Ninja Tunes

Here are another few free (and sanctioned so) downloads from Ninja Tune:

Infinite Livez Vs Stade - 'Unbiased Reductionism In 21st Century Music Practices'

TY - 'L.O.V.E (No Matter What)' ft. Vula

New Flesh - 'Backyard'

Roots Manuva - 'Seat Yourself '(live at the Forum)