Rodney Smith is arguably the greatest rapper ever to emerge from British shores. Over five albums of sonic invention, which, like all great hip-hop records, ran the gamut between funky fun and sharp-eyed lyrical incision, he’s carved out space for rappers in the UK, and become one the iconic voices in hip-hop from anywhere.

Produced by one of electronic music’s most exciting voices, NYC’s Machinedrum, ‘Like a Drum’ is the second cut from new single Facety 2:11. Urgent and reflective all at once, its percussion swings gorgeously behind a melody intricately weaved from jazz samples and warm pads, Smith’s vocal ruminating on his past, future and present.

In his inimitable words, the single is ‘a wee spring warmer in voodoo coptic dialect shape shifting: the remit the same as ever in awakening one’s inner, modern-day Sun Ra, ODB and Kate Bush on an overdrive of “doing because we can’t help ourselves…’

Facety 2:11 is out 4th May on Big Dada

iTunes: Facety 2:11 – EP – Roots Manuva

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