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Blade & SkinnyMan Live @ Fibbers, York 31st October
Blade live at Fibbers, York
SkinnyMan live at Fibbers, York
With two of the biggest artists of the time in U.K hip-hop performing on the same bill, this gig lived up to all expectations. The pair have both currently touring the U.K and I would advise any of you hip-hop heads out there to catch any of their shows.

Local MC’s Digga and Think 1 were also on the bill as well as the talented York-based beat-boxer RYU but the show that had pulled in the crowd that packed out the venue really started when Blade took the stage.

He dropped a refreshing blend of the old and the new including hits off his solo album “Storms are Brewing” as well as classic tracks like “The Unknown” off his previous collaboration with producer Mark B.

Blade really got the crowd excited not only with his music but also through his interaction with them. While he was not on stage he was out in the crowd taking pictures, talking to fans and signing autographs. His down-to earth personality made this already popular figure a fan favourite.

His popularity grew even further on stage when he invited some of the local talent a chance to rap on the same stage to one of his beats. He said: “This is not just about Blade. This is about the local talent.” One MC who particularly impressed was Spee 69. Spee, who regularly raps down at the Judges Lodgings in York on a Wednesday night (check it out if you can) did not buckle under the pressure of rapping alongside one of his all-time favourite rappers kept the flow going ready for SkinnyMan to step up.

Fresh off the success of his debut album “Council Estate of the Mind,” Skinny went on to blow the crowd away. His blend of soulful beats and thoughtful lyrics do not only get your head bouncing but he also forces you to take a look at the state of you as a person and the state of the nation.

He states that his album was inspired by “inequity throughout life” and this was apparent when Skinny recited a poem on stage. The chorus of this went: “£2 to save a child or three for a dog or a kitten. And that’s how we’re living in Britain?”

Skinny’s views are not short of controversy but speaking to him, it is clear that they are all informed choices. Having lived in council estates such as Chapletown, Leeds and Finsbury Park in London, Skinny has seen the state of the lives of some of Britain’s poorest. He says that living in these areas “moulded and shaped my hip-hop life.”

Having sold out his first album within two weeks, Skinny is “exuberated” at its success and his enthusiasm shone through in his performance.

Any chance you get to see Skinnyman or Blade; GO! Their performance and interaction with the crowd helps you to relate with their music. In my opinion, they are not to be missed.

By Phil Clark

Related links:

Skinnyman Discography :: Low Life Discography
Visit Low Life on the web: www.lowliferecords.co.uk :: Email: [email protected] 

Blade Discography
:: 691 Influential Discography
Visit Blade on the web:  www.blade691.com

Intro Early Doors:
1979-1985
False Dawn:
1985-1990
Underground Years:
1990-1995
The Renaissance:
1995- 2000
The Future:
2000 & Beyond
Artists &
Discographies

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