Roots Manuva

Roots Manuva — hip-hop & rap artist from GB.

Roots Manuva, the British rapper/producer also known as Rodney Smith, gained recognition in the late '90s with his dub and ragga-infused hip-hop style,…

Genres

hip-hop & raphip-hop/rapuk hip hoptrip hopturntablismhip hopelectronicninjaelectronicabig beatother electronic music

Influential: 58.20% Fanbase: 40.33% Trending: 67.14%

As of: 2025-09-07

Top Brand Affinity

Highest overlapping lifestyle brand

Not available

As of 2025-09-07

0

Social Media Followers

As of 2025-09-07

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Hours Airplay

Scores

Score: DMDB 58.20% | Fanbase 40.33% | Trending 67.14% | CAREER STAGE: MID_LEVEL

Biography

Roots Manuva, the British rapper/producer also known as Rodney Smith, gained recognition in the late '90s with his dub and ragga-infused hip-hop style, releasing acclaimed albums through Big Dada and Ninja Tune. His debut album, Brand New Second Hand, earned him international attention and a MOBO award in 1999. His follow-up, Run Come Save Me, released in 2001, propelled him to further success with the hit single "Witness (I Hope)" and a Mercury Prize nomination. Subsequent albums like Awfully Deep in 2005 and Slime & Reason in 2008 continued his introspective, genre-bending approach.

In 2010, Roots Manuva collaborated with producer Wrongtom for the remix project Duppy Writer, featuring tracks from his catalog. His 2015 release, Bleeds, showcased a diverse sound with production from Four Tet and Adrian Sherwood, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile and innovative artist. Throughout his career, Roots Manuva has maintained a consistent output of singles and EPs, collaborating with artists like Jamie Cullum and Skunk Anansie's Skin, while continually evolving his sound and pushing boundaries in the music industry.