Roots Manuva: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Videos
• Photos
• Groups/Boards
• Fan Sites

• Part 2
• Ty
• Ms. Dynamite
• Spank Rock
• Blackalicious
• Chester Copperpot
• Speech Debelle

• Slick Rick
• Cutty Ranks
• Prince Far I
• Tricky
• Public Enemy
• Massive Attack

• Riz MC
• Cadence Weapon
• Lady Sovereign
• M.I.A.
• Dizzee Rascal
• Just Jack
• The Streets

• Rodney Smith

Birth Name:

Rodney Smith

Genres:

Rap & Hip-Hop Music, Underground Rap Music, International Rap Music

Decades Active:

1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Low

Cultural Impact

Low

Ratings Guide

British rapper/producer Rodney Smith established himself as Roots Manuva in the late '90s and released several albums through Big Dada/Ninja Tune. Smith's work spanned the music spectrum, firmly rooted in ragga but also incorporating much of the trip-hop style often associated with Ninja Tune. He debuted in 1999 with Brand New Second Hand, a promising album that garnered a sizable amount of attention from the international hip-hop crowd. Beginning in late 1999, shortly after the release of his first album, Smith returned to the studio to begin work on Run Come Save Me, his follow-up. He completed the album and released it on Big Dada/Ninja Tune; however, he also had about 15 songs that didn't make the album. He began tweaking these remaining songs for a dub album, Dub Come Save Me, which he then released in 2002.

- Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide