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The Streets

fortune

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So over the past year or two I've developed a strong liking for Mike Skinner aka The Streets. His newest song on his myspace, Either Way, is simply amazing imo. I can't seem to find any American hip hop / rap that has the same vibe and it's kind of annoying. Any of the same style rappers all talk about alcohol/drugs/violence and nothing that actually means anything. Or atleast that's all I can find. Granted there's a few American rappers like L.I.F.E. Long and so on, it looks to me as if I have better success in listening what they have to offer across the pond. Can anyone recommend anybody similar to The Streets, be it any nationality? If you get what I'm asking here. Lol. And if none of you have heard of The Streets, www.myspace.com/thestreets. Listen to Either Way. He's got a few other songs I really really like, like Dry Your Eyes and Blinded By The Lights.
 

Manny Calavera

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A Grand Don't Come For Free is one of my favorite albums of the century thus far. Dizzee Rascal is a little more street level but he's still inventive and grimey a la Mike Skinner. As far as intelligent hip hop goes, you can't go wrong with MF DOOM's many projects (especially Madvillainy), Dalek or cLOUDDEAD (the album that spearheaded the indie hip hop movement and still the most progressive ever created).
 

Nick M

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For every Mike Skinner song I hear that I enjoy, there's another one that I find really annoying. His choruses can get repetitive pretty fast, and there was way too much "singing" on The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living. But the less poppy, more genuine stuff is pretty good.

Originally Posted by ashtnn
Can anyone recommend anybody similar to The Streets, be it any nationality? If you get what I'm asking here.

Jamie T reminds me a little bit of The Streets, especially "Sheila".
 

FLMountainMan

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Original Pirate Material is a pretty good album and he has some really clever songs. "Empty Cans" and "The Irony of it All" are other good songs of his. He does seem to be relying a bit more on that kind of annoying sing-speak that he does, but he's still pretty interesting.
 

Augusto86

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I'm a big fan of both The Streets and Dizzee Rascal.

I have to listen to the songs 8 or 10 times to understand a damn word, though.

Never Went to Church is great, and Memento Mori always makes me think of StyleForum.
 

Joffrey

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When I first heard "Has it come to this" me and my friends thought it was hilarious watching a white british kid rap. It grew on us as novelty, then one of my friends bought the CD as a joke. Now we all like it. I think they're pretty good.
 

Englandmj7

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Another great British rapper that is closely affiliated with the Streets "crew" is Kano. One of my favorites. Same story-telling style and similar beats. Check him out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kano_(rapper)
 

VMan

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'The Irony of it All' is such a good song.

'Blinded by the Lights' is an awesome song too, makes me wish I was rolling every time I listen to it.

I agree with Nick that for every good song, there is a terrible one.

Dizzee Rascal is great too, a lot grimier than Skinner.

Boy in Da Corner is a solid album. The first track, 'Sittin Here', is pretty dope.
 

mongo615

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I bought The Streets' last album, but I just couldn't get into it---maybe it'll take a few listens;maybe I was just expecting more,based on all the hype he's gotten from the Brit music press. I was prepared to like it, but it was a bit of a let down, as most Brit music has been of late. In fact, pretty much all new music has been a letdown to me--I'd better return to my late '70's-mid '90's musical cocoon!
plain.gif
 

Manny Calavera

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Originally Posted by mongo615
I bought The Streets' last album, but I just couldn't get into it---maybe it'll take a few listens;maybe I was just expecting more,based on all the hype he's gotten from the Brit music press. I was prepared to like it, but it was a bit of a let down, as most Brit music has been of late. In fact, pretty much all new music has been a letdown to me--I'd better return to my late '70's-mid '90's musical cocoon!
plain.gif


Bah. That's his weakest record. And yeah, Britain has a wonky modern scene, but there are some gems if you sniff around.

Kano is great. I haven't heard anything off of his new mixtape yet other than "Layer Cake", but I loved his track on Run the Road (definitive grime compilation, by the way, OP; this is a good place to sniff around) and his various contributions to the work of others. Thought "Home Sweet Home" was a little weak, but it might have just been overshadowed by other great grime albums that came out in the same period. Oh, and I'm jealous of him. Can't believe the guy's only 21.
tounge.gif
 

matadorpoeta

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a friend of mine played me that song that goes, "just try and stay positive..." when it first came out. i liked it but haven't listened to anything else of his. to me, rap is like reggae. i can listen to about ten minutes and enjoy it, but after that, it all sounds the same.
 

v0rtex

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Originally Posted by ashtnn
Can anyone recommend anybody similar to The Streets, be it any nationality?

Have you heard any of the Anticon artists? Sage Francis and Buck65 are quite incredible, although "artier" than Mike Skinner.

Roots Manuva and Yungun are Brits who rap more about birds and booze than guns and all that rubbish. Old school US hip-hop artists like Grandmaster Flash and KRS-One are much more positive and enjoyable too.
 

Bergdorf Goodwill

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Originally Posted by jonglover
A Grand Don't Come For Free is one of my favorite albums of the century thus far. Dizzee Rascal is a little more street level but he's still inventive and grimey a la Mike Skinner. As far as intelligent hip hop goes, you can't go wrong with MF DOOM's many projects (especially Madvillainy), Dalek or cLOUDDEAD (the album that spearheaded the indie hip hop movement and still the most progressive ever created).

I absolutely love dalek and cLOUDDEAD, but "spearheaded the indie hip hop movement?" The **** you talking about lil loc?

Originally Posted by v0rtex
Have you heard any of the Anticon artists? Sage Francis and Buck65 are quite incredible, although "artier" than Mike Skinner.

Roots Manuva and Yungun are Brits who rap more about birds and booze than guns and all that rubbish. Old school US hip-hop artists like Grandmaster Flash and KRS-One are much more positive and enjoyable too.


Anticon was the **** eight years ago. Anecdotally, I used to be all "Oh, I like intellectual content in my rap music" for a couple of years before I realized I was being kind of a *** about things. Wamp wamp.
 

sonick

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The new song from his MySpace sounds much more pop-ish... Definitely more musically accessible to the american listener than the majority of his songs.

EDIT: According to the Interwebs, the new track is a cover of the song of the same name by a british band called The Twang.
 

Manny Calavera

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Originally Posted by Bergdorf Goodwill
I absolutely love dalek and cLOUDDEAD, but "spearheaded the indie hip hop movement?" The **** you talking about lil loc?



Anticon was the **** eight years ago. Anecdotally, I used to be all "Oh, I like intellectual content in my rap music" for a couple of years before I realized I was being kind of a *** about things. Wamp wamp.


cLOUDDEAD was revolutionary.

And Anticon is hit or miss as of late, as is Def Jux. Stones Throw has a higher quality stable throughout, but the label's not nearly as creative and adventurous as the aforementioned.
 

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