Roots Manuva Music Playlist: Guest Selector
Maverick MC Rodney 'Roots Manuva' Smith lifts the lid on his desert island discs
1. Eric B & Rakim – Follow the Leader (1988)
One of the first long players I ever got into. I truly admire their spin on bling, lovable ruggedness and poetry. Rakim has influenced too many MCs to count and still does. Musically, this is still ahead of the times. Rakim is the king of metaphoric rhymes and real visual simile.
2. Boogie Down Productions – Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop (1989)
Another major influence of mine – KRS-One did so much for hip-hop, both on the business front and artistically. He was one of the hip-hop artists to re-sign to a major as a production company boutique label and made sure younger artists around him had his hand on guidance in the early stages of their career. He still tours today and has lasted over three decades in this business, where so many careers last for one record.
3. Linton Kwesi Johnson – Bass Culture (1980)
In many ways one of the first British MCs/poets to translate to a major label and have both a presence in the written word as well as music. This album covers so much information on life for first generation British migrant culture, but it’s also a first class sonic masterpiece with an amazing soundscape.
4. Kate Bush – Aerial (2005)
I love the way Kate Bush uses her voice. The musical arrangement on this record is very detailed with an amazing use of extended harmony and sonic cross-reference to the past and present. I personally admire that the song lyrics can be interpreted in many ways.
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)
This band continues to push boundaries and avoid the obvious rock and roll model of song. They embrace new genres and styles while still keeping the integrity of their own world of sound – very multi-dimensional. They break the rulebook with every record they make. This record is also such a significant statement on how to release records.
6. Buccaneer – Da Opera (1998)
This is the blueprint for all dancehall records. The lyrics and production techniques still stand the test of time 14 years later. This is a very good example of accessible high quality `dance.’
7. Leftfield – Rhythm and Stealth (1999)
One of the few bands to truly and honestly take electronic music to the live arena and make it human. This record proves you can breathe life into a machine while still being futuristic in sonic construction. I don’t just say this because I am on the record – it truly is a master piece!
8. Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982)
My favourite MJ record. Thriller contains tough grooves, tight harmonies and amazing vocal performances way before the digital auto tune days, and still every note is pitch perfect and every beat is immaculate without the use of a drum machine. But it sounds computer tight in my ears.
9. MJ Cole – Sincere (2000)
A truly inventive use of classical music training and soulful vocals. This two step (or garage!) record truly defies genre classification because it uses so much of all that is influential to the culture of British base culture.
10. Portishead – Dummy (1994)
Many call this a trip-hop record, which I think this is a very lazy description of what's really a modern British blues record. Hip-hop beat construction merged with organic instrument playing and sample manipulation is topped off with the amazing voice of Beth Gibbons. Dummy is my favourite British hip-hop, without containing any rapping!