Roots Manuva Interview

Slime & Reason from the laid back South Londoner.

Roots Maunva (aka Rodney Smith) is back with his fourth album entitled ‘Slime & Reason’. In his own words, this LP is much more “in your lap” – take from that what you will, but we think that the album is an addictive combination of roots-reggae and electronic funk. Despite Rodney’s impressive down-tempo approach to this fifteen minute interview which even included a massive yawn at one point, it’s hard to reflect his style in words alone... suffice to say, his voice and attitude painted a perfectly apt picture of possibly the most laid back dude you are ever likely to come across.

Endclub.com: You have forged a very unique British sound. Is it unusual that you haven’t been imitated that much?

Roots Manuva: I don’t know that it hasn’t been imitated. I think I was one of the first to merge rave and drum & bassy sounds into a hip hop template, but now nearly every hip hop tune comes underground, overground, full of rave influence rappers who take Es and acid...

How do you get received abroad, in the States in particular? Your style is very different…

American hip hop is pop in America. I think we get received quite well, it’s seen as quite cute, us British people to be rapping. I think we’re an acquired taste but there is an audience out there that really do like to support and come out to the shows and buy the records... well not always buy the records... sometimes when I’m there I’ll be signing CDRs man.

Do you have much connection with American rappers?

Not really, no. I’ve met a few people along the way, people like Guru.

Moving on to the new album ‘Slime & Reason’. It has a big Studio One (legendary reggae label and studio) influence, right?

I was trying to tap into an aspect, not really an influence, you know, that “one take” sound. A band would rehearse for a week and then hit the studio and it would be like “1… 2… 3…” and they’d record, then they would leave the recording with warts and all. It was more about the vibe. Vibe is king, the vibe means more than the technical brilliance.

For those that don’t know much about Sir Coxsone and the Studio One empire he built back in the 50s, can you paint a picture?

I don’t know… it’s so much part of me I don’t know how to... but you know these tunes, I bet you. I bet you any money that these tunes have been a part of your life.

Some of the visionaries from that period are still about, like Toots & The Maytals, Burning Spear, Lee Scratch Perry... have you ever had the chance to work with any of them?

Yeah, I’ve worked with Lee Scratch Perry, that was last year… no this year... I was just doing a feature on his new album. I wouldn’t mind doing some stuff with Sugar Minott, Johnny Osbourne...

Can you give us a little run down of Slime & Reason - who’s featured on it?

Vocalists that feature include a guy called Mr Versatile, Ricky Ranking, and there’s guest production from Toddla T.

Lyrically, what kind of themes do you approach on the album?

It’s mostly corruption, there isn’t any basic theme or thread or other than tapping into different nuances. On a tune like ‘The Struggle’ I was trying to reinvent the old African spiritual negroes...on a song like ‘It’s Me Oh Lord’ I was corrupting a church chorus. I think the general thread is a weeping and wailing, a hooting and hollering ... a Christian Gospel, if that makes any sense.

Is the production on this album quite different from how you approached previous albums?

Yeah, I think so, it’s a lot more “in your lap” for want of a better word... it isn’t so steeped in trying to be clever, it just is what it is.

Your videos have always had good stories - do you get involved in the actual production?

I just basically tell the directors what I want. Like for ‘Again & Again’, I told him I just want it to be a cricket video... and then it’s up to him to make a story out of it. He phones me up now and again and tells me what he wants to do... and I say no... you can’t do that.

Why cricket?

It’s just the sound of the horns on the tune. I thought they sounded a bit... crickety...

Do you always work with the same director?

For this campaign yes, this guy Alastair Siddons, he did the ‘Too Cold' video. I really like his attention to detail. He’s done the ‘Buff Nuff ‘and ‘Again & Again’ videos, and he’s gonna do ‘Let The Spirit’.

What’s the story for 'Let The Spirit'?

It’s gonna be me doing a normal video. The most normal video I have ever done.

Your sound translates really well into live shows. Can you tell us about your band?

On stage we have DJ MK, a guy called Theo Gordon doing special effects and keyboards, Rickie Ranking doing back up harmonies, and randomly some of the Banana Klan lot turn up and make loads of noise... it’s a lot of mates and a lot of fun and it’s not a standard hip hop show.

So what’s next?

I think I’m gonna try and do like a Banana Klan compilation and get on with making another record. I’ve been working on doing some kind of twisted cabaret record... don’t know what’s gonna happen with that...

Have you been to see artists yourself recently?

I saw Jose James the other day, the jazz guy, yeah he was good.

Lastly, can you tell us what the Banana Klan label is all about?

It’s about not having any contracts, being in the studio and having a burning desire to get what you’re recording out there. It’s a school of thought.

Published: 8/08/2008