‘Never’ is the stirring new single from UK producer Skitz and is the first shot from his recently released new album. The single features a dark rootical hip-hop flavour and is accompanied by an equally dark and gritty video which shows images of life on London council estates. Each guest delivers outstanding verses and the track is tied together by Solo Banton’s haunting hook, ‘See them all go down, ya never gonna see their face again…’.
Drawing from traditional reggae themes of ‘toppling Babylon’, particularly in light of the world wide ‘Occupy’ moment and various localized uprisings around the world, the lyrical content of the track is very poignant. As Rodney spits at the end of his first verse, ‘the shit they’ve been telling you ain’t nothing but some lies!’, and Roots Manuva suggests we ‘position the plan with some self sufficiency‘. Good advice Roots.
Skitz has laced many UK artists with his particular blend of hip-hop/reggae/soul production and in particular, the combination of Rodney P and Skitz has remained a cornerstone of UK hip-hop for many years. Aside from production for Rodney P, Stitz is known for introducing us to the talents of Roots Manuva, and Estelle, and for turning the spotlight onto underground rap acts Phi-Life Cypher and Skinnyman, all with his 1996 debut LP, ‘Countryman’.
Check out the video online and keep an ear out for the new LP, Sticksman. The LP features some great production and slew of excellent (and some surprising) combinations.
Skitz and Rodney P regularly perform and tour together and they have made their way to Aotearoa twice, so perhaps we’ll see them here again as they tour the LP.
Lazy J aka DJ Rainman
