#73 Roots Manuva

Rodney Smith aka Roots Manuva makes dub-flavored hip-hop with heart and brains. The MC has made a slew of guest appearances with the likes of Cinematic Orchestra and Mr. Scruff, but his recent full-length recordings Run Come Save Me and Dub Come Save Me show that he has more than enough talent to stand on his own. I just picked up the collection Badmeaningood Vol. 2, from Ultimate Dilemma which is a mix of tracks that Roots Manuva deems influential, important or otherwise interesting. The record bounces between the new/wave ska of The English Beat to classic rap tracks from NWA and Eric B and Rakim. Roots Manuva fans will want to snag the Badmeaningood Vol. 2, if only to hear the selector's own take on The Beatles classic Yellow Submarine.

Roots Manuva's excellent video for "Fitness" can be seen here (the download may be a bit slow, but it's worth it).