Roots wants Blunt

Perhaps the most unlikely pairing of the century: Blunt and Manuva to collaborate

28 August 2008 - He may be one of the UK's most talented and highly respected hip-hop artists, but Roots Manuva has told the BBC World Service he's planning a collaboration with You're Beautiful star James Blunt.

It was reported that Roots Manuva had wanted to work with Blunt and when asked if he was joking, Roots Manuva responded: “No, no, we’re sorting that out, he knows.”

He’s due to release his new album Slime And Reason on Ninja Tunes’ label on 1 September - and might be getting back into the studio with Blunt pretty soon.

But he didn’t have much of an idea what form the collaboration will take, telling the BBC World Service: “We’ll just get in the studio, have a few wines, eat some cake and go for it.”

Turning to how contact between the unlikely pair was made, Roots Manuva explained: “I’m a personal friend of his [Blunt's] guitarist and he put the message in, and he’s up for it.”

As to when we might see the fruits of their labour, Roots Manuva said: “It could be pretty soon, I’ve got some time off coming up soon so I’m gonna pursue it, I’m definitely gonna try and get something in the bag.”

“We’ll just get in the studio, have a few wines, eat some cake and go for it.”
Roots Manuva

A more positive sound

Speaking about his first single from the new album Buff Nuff, released in July, Roots Manuva described it as a “cheesy chat up song”.

“I was trying to be as cheesy as possible and stupid as possible in two and a half minutes. I was just having fun, I never expected that song to be a single,” Roots Manuva said.

The critic's reckon that buoyant attitudes have seeped into the sound of his new album, Slime And Reason, which is noticeably more upbeat than his last offering, Awfully Deep.

Roots Manuva agreed: “That’s what people keep telling me that it’s positive. I was joking, I was in the most economically sound and domestically sound state of mind and I was having a laugh and a joke.”

The new single Again and Again was released this week, on 25 August.

Georgie Rogers