The Streets

Many people associate rap or hip hop with African-Americans, but other parts of the world has its own version of hip hop. Hip hop is not limited to African-Americans. The Streets started out as a group, but soon fell apart into a one-man band. Mike Skinner, Caucasian, was born in Birmingham, England. His music is a combination of United Kingdom garage, electronica, and hip hop. Skinner music consists of vocals, keyboard, and guitar. Skinner recorded his first album, Original Pirate Material, in his bedroom at his mother’s house in Birmingham, England. Skinner’s album has been described as one of the most authentic voices of British youth in many years. Skinner has been compared to Eminem. The Streets released the Original Pirate Material in the United States in 2002, but did not catch the attention of the American public. The album became a favorite with Rollin Stone, Spin Magazine, The New York Times, Blender, USA Today, and LA Times. Unlike many American rappers, Skinner rap, on his first album, about the life of a “geezer,” of lager, fast food, and failure with women. Skinner described himself as "Barratt class: suburban estates, not poor but not much money about, really boring." Skinner wanted to portray the lifestyle of clubbers in Britain; his single “Let’s Push Things Forward” reflects the “philosophy” of the Original Pirate Material album.
The Streets released The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living on April 10, 2006. The lyrics of this album moved away from the stories about working class Britain and moved toward the ups and downs of fame. The first single released from this album was “When You Wasn’t Famous.” The song deals with Skinner dating a famous person, following his new found fame. The second single “Never Went to Church” is a tribute to Skinner’s late father.