Roots Manuva

Rodney Smith, aka Roots Manuva, is a titan of Black British music, renowned for his genre-blending production that fuses hip-hop with reggae, dub, and electronic influences. His groundbreaking debut, "Brand New Second Hand" (1999), marked his entrance into the UK music scene with its introspective lyrics and avant-garde beats, establishing him as a seminal figure. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Brand New Second Hand", a special 2xLP edition on smoky vinyl was released, featuring bonus tracks and a portrait print of Roots Manuva. Despite the acclaim for "Run Come Save Me" (2001), his debut remains crucial, offering potent dub poetry over beats reminiscent of DJ Shadow's style mixed with Linton Kwesi Johnson. The album stands as one of the first great UK hip-hop records, with a unique sound that continues to influence and define the genre.