Roots Manuva became addicted to bass heavy sound when he walked by a subwoofer as a kid. Today, the Ninja Tune artist is one of HipHop's most recognized and recognizable MCs.
‘Spoken from the heart’ may be one of the best and truest ways to describe the music of Roots Manuva, whom Red Bull Music Academy Radio describes as having received his epiphany when, as a kid, he walked past a soundsystem in London’s Stockwell skateboard park.
There must have been something electric and alive in the subwoofer that reached the lad and made him decide that music was going to be his life — but the cherry on top was when he heard Rakim, and basically the rest was history. If only all of us could have had our callings at such an early age. But all that aside, Roots Manuva (aka Rodney Smith) put a lot of hard work (and heartwork) into his artwork.
One of the best things about Rodney is his emphasis on certain phrases and words he messes and plays with. You kind of have to hear this to really appreciate it, but let’s just say that where many DJs pretty much repeat the same words over and over again when there seems to be little point, you’ll find that Roots utilizes the same effects and words and quotes over and over again to emphasize something to his crowd, whom, face it, aren’t always paying attention. Again, you’ll probably appreciate this more when you listen.
Check out Red Bull Music Academy for a roots rocking radio show with Rodney and a fireside chat about his career.
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