What can one say about Roots Manuva? What can you say that hasn't already been said, printed & blogged, in vain journalistic attempts to get a grip on the music made by one Rodney Smith. Somewhat like Lee Scratch Perry before him; where true pioneers tread architects do follow. Follwed by a parade of like-minded voices & versions of themselves. Roots Manuva was like a sudden gust of fresh air in a stale & smoke filled room, when he first appeared on the UK hip-hop scene over a decade ago. One-part sound-system toaster, one-part pentecostal preacher (but sounding like no other): Mr. Manuva came to my attention on Dobie LP 'The Sound of One Hand Clapping', and then (who could avoid) the relentless 'Dusted'  for Leftfield techno-wizards, finally his reputation was crowned by a UKHH classic DJ Skitz posse-cut 'Fingerprints Of The Gods',  & his contributions to LP 'Countryman' (Ronin). These records cemented my fandom. 

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usaeUUAAnLM Leftfield ft. Roots Manuva 'Dusted' )

Photographed him as soon as I could, one summer, @ Counter Culture. Bought his rough diamond debut LP 'Brand New Second Hand' (1999. Big Dada). To me his strange stream-of-conscious storytelling made mad perfect sense; like following the loony logic of Shaun Ryder, (which I had also once done), heir apparent to a recently-vacated throne, left behind after crack-imploded masterpiece 'Stupid Stupid Stupid' 

 Like everyone else we had heard 'Witness (One Hope)'. Like everyone we had seen it set dance-floors alight. A cross-genre monster, it united people; student unions; hip-hop jams; Notting Hill Carnival went mad for it. I was there in 2001. Saw posters for forthcoming LP, 'Run Come Save Me', and knew if he was coming to Manchester it was bound to be with Friends-&-Family

Quick internet surf where I was staying confirmed it was. Happy Days! Had a 'Brand New Second Hand' CD with me and quickly converted my hosts. I had that familiar feeling in old rock'n'roll bones!

We had known 'Witness'  would be an underground hit; expected his next LP would get major critical attention & bring him to a much wider audience; we knew he was going to be HUGE when it dropped, but; (much more pressing) I knew that never-again might I get chance to photograph him as up-close as the cramped confines of a crowded Roadhouse allows

(DJ MK & Roots Manuva 'Movements'  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSoceVRGf5k)

Came early to a packed, sold-out venue. Extra backstage security. Usually people drifted in & out of here. Not tonight. Even poor Mr Scruff was roughly pushed back away from side of stage. I stood my ground, weilding my trusted Pentax & can of Red Stripe (-tools of my trade-), one foot on-stage & half an arse-cheek balanced on a bass-bin, and that's how I stayed the rest of the show!

They came on and absolutely blew everyone away, me included. New material like 'Join the Dots', 'Hold It Up', 'Stone the Crows', 'Dreamy Days', (of course) 'Witness'  alongside older tracks 'Clockwork', 'Movements', 'Strange Behaviour' whose more-familiar lyrics I boomed out like a personal P.A.

I was right about his meteoric rise. He came back to Manchester that November to play the University, following year he was at the Apollo. Another 2 original LPs followed, 'Awfully Deep' (2005), 'Slime & Reason' (2008), four out-takes & versions-LPs; major tours with full live band, summer festivals; before then stripping back his sound to a more rootsy digi-dub & dancehall, keeping it fresh with young producers like Breakage, Metronomy, Diplo, Jammer, Toddla T, WrongTom;

(Breakage ft. Roots Manuva 'Run 'Em Out'  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6wOf_Mvb_k)

More recently Lord Gosh added another slice of  brand new material, LP '4everevolution'  (2011) to a pantheon of top-drawer, game-changing music which constitutes his cosmic ouvre

I was wrong about never getting another opportunity to shoot him again (I did) but never like it was that magical night in the Roadhouse cellar. I'm still a huge fan (does it show? can't you tell?)

Roots Manuva exemplifies what makes the very best of British hip-hop: he provides us with genius originality as well as connecting together separate threads of bass culture; Reggae, Hip-Hop, Garage, Dubstep, Dancehall & Dub. Roots Manuva sits in several thrones. Like Lee Scratch Perry. Long May His Reign Continue!

Roots Manuva (+ full live band) '4everevolution' comes to the Ritz, Manchester on January 27th 2012