Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith (born 9 September 1972), better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is an English rapper, producer, and songwriter from South London, recognized as one of the most influential figures in British hip-hop for his innovative fusion of hip-hop with reggae, dub, electronica, and gospel elements.[1][2][3] Born to Jamaican immigrant parents in Stockwell, Roots Manuva grew up in a religious household where his father, a Pentecostal preacher and tailor, instilled values of faith and discipline, while exposure to soundsystem culture and reggae shaped his early musical interests.[4][3] His lyrical style, often delivered in a patois-influenced drawl, draws from personal experiences of urban life, spirituality, and social unease, reflecting his "secondhand British" identity as a child of immigrants.[5][4] Roots Manuva began recording music at age 15 in 1988 using basic equipment in a Stockwell studio, but his professional debut came in 1994 as part of the group IQ Procedure on the Suburban Base label, followed by a feature on Blak Twang's "Queen's Head" in 1996.[2][4] Signing with Big Dada (an imprint of Ninja Tune) in 1998, he released his breakthrough debut album Brand New Second Hand in 1999, which earned him the MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act and sold over 50,000 copies in the UK, establishing him as a cornerstone of UK hip-hop.[2][3] His 2001 sophomore album Run Come Save Me, produced by Lotek Hi-Fi and others, became a critical and commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies and earning a Mercury Prize nomination, with the single "Witness (1 Hope)" becoming a defining anthem of British urban music.[2][3] Subsequent albums like Slime & Reason (2008), 4everevolution (2011), and Bleeds (2015) further solidified his reputation for introspective, genre-blending work, often self-produced or in collaboration with artists such as Four Tet and The Bug.[2][1] Throughout his career, Roots Manuva has collaborated with diverse acts including Gorillaz, Leftfield, and Toddla T, while founding his own Banana Klan label and curating "Dub College" events to promote dub and reggae influences in hip-hop.[2] In recent years, he suffered a serious brain injury in 2018 that led to a hiatus until his return in 2021; he reunited with his 2002 Mercury Prize nominee trophy in 2024 after it was found in a shed, and underwent successful hip surgery following an injury in late 2024. In 2025, he featured on Oliver Night's single "Boss," continuing to influence Black British music as a pioneer of independent UK rap.[6][7][8][9]Early life and background
Childhood and family
Rodney Hylton Smith, known professionally as Roots Manuva, was born on 9 September 1972 in Stockwell, South London, to Jamaican immigrant parents who had arrived in the UK during the early 1960s.[10][11] His parents hailed from the rural village of Banana Hole in Jamaica, bringing with them a strong sense of cultural heritage that shaped his early years.[11][3] Smith grew up in a strict Pentecostal Christian household in the Angell Town estate in Brixton, near Stockwell, during the economically challenging 1970s and 1980s.[3] His father, a lay preacher and tailor, played a central role in enforcing religious discipline, with the family attending church services three times on Sundays and Bible study on Fridays, which fostered a environment of moral rigor and communal faith.[12][3] This upbringing was marked by experiences of poverty amid the urban grit of South London, where tight-knit immigrant communities navigated limited resources and social pressures.[3] As the middle child of three brothers, Smith was influenced by his father's expectations of clear expression and originality, often encouraging the siblings to speak with full voice during family interactions and sermons.[3][13] The cultural duality of his identity—rooted in Jamaican patois, reggae traditions, and familial values while immersed in British urban life—emerged early, reflecting the broader experiences of the Windrush generation's children.[12] His mother's role as a caterer added to the household's practical resilience, though parental expectations emphasized achievement and faith, with his father later expressing pride tempered by high standards for success.[13] This family dynamic instilled a worldview blending spiritual introspection with the realities of multicultural London, profoundly influencing Smith's personal development.[12][3]Influences and early musical interests
Rodney Hylton Smith, known as Roots Manuva, was deeply shaped by the reggae, dub, and dancehall traditions rooted in his Jamaican heritage, as his parents hailed from Banana Hole, Jamaica. Growing up in South London's Stockwell neighborhood during the 1980s, he was exposed to these genres through sound systems that dominated family events like weddings, funerals, and parties. Key influences included pioneering figures such as Lee "Scratch" Perry, renowned for his innovative production techniques in reggae and dub, and King Tubby, whose dub mixing revolutionized the genre's spatial and rhythmic elements.[3] In parallel, hip-hop emerged as a formative force, blending seamlessly with his reggae foundations. Smith drew inspiration from American acts like Public Enemy, whose politically charged album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) became a personal favorite for its raw intensity and social commentary, influencing his own lyrical approach. The UK hip-hop scene further fueled his interests, particularly through groups like London Posse and Hijack, as well as the Bristol-based Wild Bunch collective, which fused hip-hop with dub and electronic elements, foreshadowing the trip-hop sound.[14][3][4] Smith's early engagement with London's vibrant underground culture honed his artistic voice before his professional breakthrough. Immersed in Brixton's creative milieu, he experimented with rhythmic spoken word infused with Jamaican patois, prioritizing lyrical depth over technical flow. The city's sound system culture, with its powerful bass-heavy setups at community events and free festivals, captivated him, embedding a fascination with sonic architecture that echoed reggae's communal energy.[4][3] In 1995, Smith adopted the stage name "Roots Manuva," evoking Rastafarian ideals of cultural rootedness and biblical connotations of guidance and strength, symbolizing his hybrid UK-Jamaican identity.[3][15] This contrasted with his family's Pentecostal background, where his father's preaching style subtly informed his vocal delivery despite the religious tensions it created.[3]Musical career
Debut and early releases (1990s)
Rodney Smith, known professionally as Roots Manuva, made his recorded debut in 1994 as part of the short-lived duo IQ Procedure, releasing the single "Run Tings" on Suburban Base's hip-hop imprint Bluntly Speaking Vinyl.[16][2] This early project marked his entry into the UK's nascent underground hip-hop scene, where he began experimenting with dense, lyrical flows influenced by reggae and hip-hop roots from his youth. Throughout the mid-1990s, Smith issued sporadic singles under his Roots Manuva moniker, including "Next Type of Motion" in 1995 on Sound of Money and "Feva" in 1997 on the Wayward imprint, building a modest following among niche audiences despite limited distribution.[2] In 1998, Smith signed with the independent label Big Dada, a Ninja Tune subsidiary focused on innovative hip-hop, which provided a platform for his evolving sound. His debut album, Brand New Second Hand, arrived in 1999 and fused traditional hip-hop lyricism with UK electronic and dub elements, characterized by sparse bass-heavy beats, off-kilter silences, and sampled soul vocals that evoked everyday urban textures.[2][17] Key singles like "Juggle Tings Proper" exemplified this blend, delivering introspective rhymes over glitchy, atmospheric production that resonated in London's club circuits.[2] The album's initial pressing of 3,000 copies quickly exceeded 50,000 sales in the UK, earning underground acclaim and a MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act that year.[2] Despite this buzz, Roots Manuva faced significant hurdles in penetrating the mainstream during the 1990s UK music landscape, where homegrown Black British artists often encountered complacency and indifference from major labels favoring American imports.[2] UK hip-hop struggled with perceptions of inauthenticity due to regional accents and cultural mismatches, limiting visibility beyond specialist scenes.[17] Brand New Second Hand challenged these barriers through its authentic Brixton patois and Rastafarian-inflected themes, establishing Smith as a pivotal voice in the underground but underscoring the era's broader marginalization of British rap innovation.[17]Breakthrough and peak years (2000s)
Roots Manuva achieved his commercial breakthrough with the 2001 album Run Come Save Me, which peaked at number 33 on the UK Albums Chart and marked a significant evolution from his 1999 debut Brand New Second Hand by incorporating more polished production and introspective lyrics rooted in British urban experiences.[18] The lead single "Witness (1 Hope)" became a standout hit, reaching number 45 on the UK Singles Chart and earning acclaim for its blend of hip-hop rhythms with dub influences, solidifying Manuva's reputation as a leading voice in UK rap.[19] In 2002, Manuva released Dub Come Save Me, an instrumental dub reworking of tracks from Run Come Save Me, featuring heavy basslines and echo effects that highlighted his affinity for reggae traditions while expanding his experimental edge.[20] This was followed by the 2005 album Awfully Deep, which delved into darker, more atmospheric soundscapes with contributions from producers like The Go! Team, who remixed the track "Too Cold" to infuse it with upbeat indie elements.[21] Manuva's fourth studio album, Slime & Reason (2008), peaked at number 22 on the UK Albums Chart and explored personal struggles, including spiritual conflicts and the challenges of balancing artistry with family life, as evident in tracks like "It's Me Oh Lord."[18][22] The album's themes reflected a deeply troubled introspection, portraying the rapper's battles with inner demons amid London's urban grit.[23] During this period, Manuva's collaborations grew, including a dub remix of "Do Nah Bodda Mi" by producer Wrongtom, which complemented the album's reggae-infused vibes, and his vocal feature on Gorillaz's Demon Days track "All Alone" alongside Martina Topley-Bird, bridging hip-hop with alternative rock.[24]Later albums and collaborations (2010s)
In the early 2010s, Roots Manuva released 4everevolution on October 3, 2011, via Big Dada Recordings, an album characterized by introspective reflections on aging, disillusionment, and self-pity, set against a backdrop of experimental electronic production.[25] The record spanned diverse sonic territories, including wonky reggae rhythms, pop-funk grooves, and dense hip-hop flows, demonstrating his adeptness at blending genres while maintaining a low-tempo, brooding atmosphere.[26] Tracks like "Revelation" and "Takes Time To Be a Man" underscored this personal depth, evolving from the themes of inner conflict in his prior work.[27] Following a period of remixing and production, Roots Manuva delivered Bleeds on October 30, 2015, also through Big Dada, which peaked at No. 51 on the UK Albums Chart.[28] This ninth studio album embraced darker, more electronic-infused soundscapes, incorporating dub echoes, EDM pulses, and symphonic strings to explore motifs of suffering, shared guilt, paranoia, and spirituality.[29][30] Songs such as "Crying" and "Stepping Hard" exemplified this haunting introspection, produced in collaboration with electronic artists to create a potent mix of hip-hop and atmospheric electronica.[31][32] Throughout the decade, Roots Manuva deepened his involvement in collaborations that highlighted his pivot toward production and genre fusion, particularly with dub and electronic acts. In 2010, he partnered with producer Wrongtom for Duppy Writer, a dub remix project reworking tracks from his catalog into heavy, echo-laden versions that nodded to UK dubstep and roots influences.[24] Later, he contributed vocals to Coldcut's experimental tracks "Vitals" (2017) and "Only Heaven" (2016), merging his lyrical style with the duo's avant-garde electronic and dub textures on the album Coldcut x On-U Sound.[33][34] These partnerships reflected a broader shift, as he also provided dub treatments for Ninja Tune artists like The Herbaliser in 2010, emphasizing bass-heavy electronic experimentation.[35] Roots Manuva sustained a vibrant live circuit in the 2010s, delivering performances at key UK festivals to promote his evolving output, including sets that showcased the electronic and dub elements of his recent material.[36] Notable appearances built on his history at events like Glastonbury, where he had previously commanded stages with genre-blending energy.[37]Hiatus and return (2020s)
In January 2018, Roots Manuva, whose real name is Rodney Smith, suffered a serious brain injury in the form of a subdural hematoma, leading to a six-month hospitalization and an extended hiatus from music and public life.[38][6] The recovery process was challenging, involving memory loss and reduced mobility that required ongoing physiotherapy, with Smith providing limited updates during his absence until he publicly disclosed the injury in August 2021 via social media.[39] Smith returned to creative activities in 2021, releasing the single "So Jazzy" in July and engaging in interviews reflecting on his health and career.[40] In late 2024, he underwent successful hip surgery following a fracture, continuing his recovery while maintaining involvement in music. By November 2025, he had not released a new studio album since Bleeds in 2015, though his label marked the album's 10-year anniversary in October 2025, and he issued the single "Staccato" in March 2025 and contributed vocals to the single "Boss" by Oliver Night on November 11, 2025.[41] Smith continues production work and has expressed interest in future projects amid his recovery.[38][8][42]Artistic style and legacy
Musical style and themes
Roots Manuva's music is characterized by a distinctive fusion of UK hip-hop with reggae, dub, and electronic elements, featuring heavy basslines and sampled beats that draw from Jamaican soundsystem culture.[12] His production techniques emphasize organic, experimental approaches, often self-produced using minimal equipment like samplers and incorporating live musicians to create a raw yet layered sound.[5] This blend results in a "nasty little mutant" style that pushes beyond traditional hip-hop templates, integrating dancehall rhythms and subtle electronic textures for a uniquely British flavor.[43] His vocal delivery stands out for its introspective and mumbled quality, contrasting the aggressive norms of mainstream rap with a playful, reflective tone that incorporates Jamaican patois and everyday vernacular.[44] Over time, this evolved from a more raw, bedroom-produced style in the 1990s—marked by heavy reliance on Atari samplers and unpolished beats—to a polished, genre-blending production in the 2010s, featuring collaborations with producers like Four Tet for cleaner, more accessible arrangements while retaining a "dirty vibe" through meticulous sound tweaking.[12][43] Lyrically, Roots Manuva explores themes of everyday British life, such as mundane references to "cheese on toast," alongside social commentary on joblessness, drug escapism, and societal selfishness.[5] His work delves into mental health struggles, self-loathing, and anti-materialist critiques of Western consumerism and greed-driven policies, often conveying frustration and anti-establishment sentiments through personal, unease-infused narratives.[43][45] These themes prioritize conceptual depth over bravado, reflecting a deep introspection that meshes mundanity with broader unease.[12]Influences and impact
Roots Manuva (born Rodney Hylton Smith), drew significant inspiration from his Pentecostal upbringing, where his father's role as a lay preacher exposed him to biblical narratives and moral themes that permeated his lyrical content, often weaving references to sin, redemption, and spiritual conflict into his introspective rhymes.[12][38] This religious foundation blended with broader musical influences, including American hip-hop pioneers such as KRS-One and Rakim, whose socially conscious lyricism and rhythmic complexity shaped Smith's approach to storytelling and delivery, emphasizing the human condition over mere bravado.[38][46] Additionally, Jamaican soundsystem culture and dub traditions informed his production style, incorporating echoing effects and rhythmic toasting that rooted his work in Caribbean heritage while adapting it to a British context.[12][3] Smith's contributions pioneered a distinctly "urban" voice in British hip-hop, capturing the nuances of multicultural London life through a fusion of patois-inflected rap, dub basslines, and everyday observations, which helped diversify UK rap from its early mimicry of American gangsta styles toward a more authentic, eclectic expression.[47][48] Recognized as the "voice of urban Britain" by outlets like The Times and The Guardian, his 1999 debut Brand New Second Hand exemplified this by blending funk, ragga, and hip-hop to reflect crumbling street corners and ganja-filled basements, influencing the evolution of grime's raw energy and dubstep's sub-bass heaviness in the early 2000s.[5][49][3] His collaborations with producers like Wrongtom, as on the 2010 album Duppy Writer which featured dub reworkings of his earlier tracks, further amplified this impact.[50] By 2025, Roots Manuva's legacy endures through ongoing media tributes and his influence on emerging UK rappers, with artists like Loyle Carner citing his introspective style and South London authenticity as pivotal in shaping their own vulnerable, jazz-tinged narratives, as seen in Carner's references to Run Come Save Me during the creation of his 2019 album Not Waving, But Drowning.[51][52] Celebrations of his catalog, including the 10-year anniversary of Bleeds and reissues like the red vinyl edition of Run Come Save Me, underscore his role as a titan of Black British music, continuing to bridge hip-hop with electronic and dub elements for new generations.[41][53][54]Discography
Studio albums
Roots Manuva's debut studio album, Brand New Second Hand, was released on 1 March 1999 by Big Dada. The album did not enter the UK Albums Chart's top 100 but sold over 50,000 copies in the UK and earned him the MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act. It received widespread critical acclaim for its raw fusion of UK hip-hop, dub, and reggae influences, with production handled primarily by Roots Manuva alongside Ingenious Devices (Wayne Bennett).[55] His second album, Run Come Save Me, followed on 13 August 2001, also via Big Dada. It peaked at number 33 on the UK Albums Chart and spent four weeks there, while earning a nomination for the Mercury Prize. The record garnered strong praise for tracks like "Witness (1 Hope)," with production again led by Roots Manuva and Ingenious Devices, emphasizing introspective lyrics over booming beats.[18][56] Awfully Deep, released on 31 January 2005 by Big Dada, marked a darker, more personal turn. It reached number 24 on the UK Albums Chart and four weeks in total. Critics gave it a Metacritic score of 80/100 based on 19 reviews, lauding its maturity and thunderous production, though some noted its introspective tone as uneven; Roots Manuva produced most tracks, with guest input from Metronomy on "Colossal Insight."[18][57][58] His fourth album, Slime & Reason, arrived on 1 September 2008 through Big Dada. It achieved a peak of number 22 on the UK Albums Chart over two weeks. Receiving a Metacritic score of 76/100 from 16 reviews, it was commended for its honest exploration of guilt and self-recrimination, with production by Roots Manuva featuring electronic and dancehall elements, including contributions from Metronomy.[18][59] 4everevolution, Roots Manuva's fifth studio effort, was issued on 3 October 2011 by Big Dada. It peaked at number 59 on the UK Albums Chart for one week. The album earned a Metacritic score of 75/100 across 19 reviews, praised for its energetic, genre-blending joy and clever rhymes as Manuva approached 40; he handled primary production, incorporating wonky electronic and hip-hop sounds.[18][60][61] His sixth and most recent studio album, Bleeds, came out on 30 October 2015 via Big Dada. It peaked at number 35 on the UK Albums Chart for two weeks. With a Metacritic score of 80/100 from 17 reviews, it was highlighted for its darker, soulful introspection and intricate rhymes, produced collaboratively with Fred, Four Tet, Adrian Sherwood, and With You, blending hip-hop, reggae, and electronic styles. No new studio albums have been released since.[18][62]EPs and remix albums
Roots Manuva released his debut EP, Next Type of Motion, in 1995 through the independent label Sound Of Money, featuring raw hip-hop tracks that showcased his emerging style blending UK influences with Jamaican roots. This early release laid groundwork for his later work, including collaborations like the 1996 Herbman Hustling EP with MC Skeme on Arms House Productions, which highlighted his lyrical prowess over sparse beats. In the 2000s, Manuva expanded into remix and compilation formats. His remix album Dub Come Save Me, issued in 2002 by Big Dada, reimagined tracks from his breakthrough album Run Come Save Me with dub-infused production, emphasizing heavy basslines and echoed vocals for a more experimental sound. That same year, he curated Badmeaningood Vol. 2 on Ultimate Dilemma, a 18-track compilation mixing hip-hop classics, soul samples, and rare cuts that reflected his eclectic tastes, including selections from artists like Mantronix and The Beat. The series continued with Badmeaningood Vol. 3 in 2005, though primarily associated with Peanut Butter Wolf, it featured Manuva's input in track selection and tied into his ongoing mix projects.[63] Additionally, Awfully De/EP (2005, Big Dada) offered remixed versions of Awfully Deep material, such as Diplo's take on "Seat Yourself," blending electronic elements with his signature introspection.[64] Alternately Deep (2006, Big Dada) served as a companion release, compiling b-sides, remixes, and unreleased tracks from the Awfully Deep sessions, including "No Love" and "Things We Do," providing deeper insight into his production process. Manuva's mix album Back to Mine: Roots Manuva (2005, DMC) further demonstrated his curatorial role, selecting 14 tracks for late-night vibes, from Maze's "Twilight" to LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali," underscoring his appreciation for funk, reggae, and old-school rap.[65] A rare live recording, Live at Shepherds Bush Empire (2008, Big Dada/Concert Live), captured a performance from October 18, 2008, featuring energetic renditions of hits like "Witness (1 Hope)" in a double-CD digipack format. In the 2010s, shorter EPs marked sporadic returns. The Banana Skank EP (2013, Big Dada) included four tracks like "Natural" featuring Kope and a WAFA remix of the title cut, balancing lyrical depth with dancefloor appeal on yellow vinyl.[66] Later that year, Stolen Youth EP (2013, Big Dada) comprised the title track—composed for the final episode of the TV series Skins—alongside a Segal remix and instrumental, exploring themes of youth and survival over moody beats.[67] These releases highlighted Manuva's ability to adapt his sound across formats while maintaining ties to his core album themes.Singles and guest appearances
Roots Manuva released several notable singles throughout his career, often serving as lead tracks from his albums and achieving varying degrees of commercial success in the UK charts. His debut charting single, "Dusted" (1999), was a collaboration with Leftfield from their album Rhythm and Stealth, peaking at No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart and marking an early breakthrough in blending hip-hop with electronic music. "Witness (1 Hope)" (2001), the lead single from Run Come Save Me, reached No. 45 on the UK Singles Chart and became a cornerstone of UK hip-hop, praised for its introspective lyrics over a soulful beat produced by Ingenious Devices.[19] The follow-up "Dreamy Days" (2001), also from the same album, charted at No. 53, featuring a laid-back, piano-driven sound that highlighted Manuva's melodic delivery.[68] Later singles included "Yellow Submarine" (2002) from Run Come Save Me's dub companion, peaking at No. 89, and "Colossal Insight" (2005) from Awfully Deep, which climbed to No. 33 and showcased his evolving production with abstract, dub-influenced elements.[18] "Too Cold" (2005), another Awfully Deep cut, reached No. 39, emphasizing themes of personal struggle with a stark, minimalistic arrangement.[18] In 2015, "Facety 2:11," produced by Four Tet and previewing Bleeds, was released as a standalone EP/single, celebrated for its energetic, dance-oriented vibe but did not chart in the UK top 100.[69] In 2025, Manuva released the single "Staccato."[70]| Single | Year | UK Peak Position | Album/Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dusted (with Leftfield) | 1999 | 28 | Rhythm and Stealth |
| Witness (1 Hope) | 2001 | 45 | Run Come Save Me |
| Dreamy Days | 2001 | 53 | Run Come Save Me |
| Yellow Submarine | 2002 | 89 | Dub Come Save Me |
| Colossal Insight | 2005 | 33 | Awfully Deep |
| Too Cold | 2005 | 39 | Awfully Deep |
| Facety 2:11 | 2015 | - | Standalone EP |
| Staccato | 2025 | - | Standalone single |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result | For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | MOBO Awards | Best Hip Hop Act | Won | Brand New Second Hand[73] |
| 2001 | Mercury Prize | Album of the Year | Nominated | Run Come Save Me[74] |
| 2001 | MOBO Awards | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated | —[75] |
| 2005 | MOBO Awards | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated | —[75] |
| 2016 | Berlin Music Video Awards | Best Director | Nominated | "Crying"[76] |