The Streets

The Streets

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Biography

The Streets (aka Mike Skinner, born 27.11.1978)

Mike Skinner is known by his stage name The Streets and is a rapper from Birmingham. He rose to fame with the release of his Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut album Original Pirate Material.

The Streets: Childhood

Mike Skinner's love of music began at a young age, when he started playing keyboards and when he was a teenager, he formed a small recording studio in his bedroom. He made garage and hip-hop music with a group of friends. Since the age of seven, Skinner has suffered from epilepsy.

Mike Skinner attended Bournville School and then Sutton Coldfield College.

The Streets: Music Career

In 2000, Locked On released 'Has It Come To This'. The label had previously had success with a track by The Artful Dodger, featuring Craig David. 'Has It Come To This?' received a great deal of radio airplay and broke the UK Top 20.

The single was soon followed with the release of the album Original Pirate Material. The album was a huge success both with the public and with music critics. The album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize but The Streets lost out to Ms Dynamite. All of the singles from the album ('Don't Mug Yourself', 'Weak Become Heroes', Let's Push Things Forward') reached the UK Top 40.

The Streets' second album was entitled A Grand Don't Come For Free. The debut single from the album, 'Fit But You Know It' was released in May 2004 and reached number four in the UK singles chart. An MC remix of the track features Lady Sovereign, Kano and Tinchy Stryder. The album was a concept album about a man that loses £1,000, starts a relationship, goes on holiday, breaks up the relationship and finds the cash again. The second single, 'Dry Your Eyes' went straight to number one in the UK.

In 2006, The Streets' third album, The Hardest Way To Make A Living was released in 2006. The subject of the album focused on dealing with the problems of fame. The first single from the album, 'When You Wasn't Famous' reached number eight. Its follow-up, which is dedicated to his father, was entitled 'Never Went To Church' and uses the same chord sequence of 'Let It Be' by The Beatles. In June of that year, Mike Skinner appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote the album.

Everything is Borrowed was released in 2008. Skinner decided to keep the tone of the album uplifting. The Streets made a live appearance at London's Roundhouse for the 2008 Electric Proms.

In late 2008, Mike Skinner announced that the fifth album from The Streets would be entitled Computers and Blues but would not be released until 2010. He also stated that it would be his last under The Streets moniker.

The following year, Skinner began posting free songs for his fans to download, via the Twitter website.

The Streets' live band consists of Kevin Mark Trail as his hype man, Wayne Vibes, Johnny Drum Machine and Chris Brown. Former bassist Morgan Nicholls left The Streets to focus on playing a variety of instruments for Muse's live band.

Mike Skinner and Ed Mayhem present an online blog / music show called Beat Stevie (to sound like Beats TV). The episodes are often aired on Channel 4's late night 4Music slot.



Biography by Contactmusic.com

Mike Skinner & Murkage Dave - Tonga EP Review


Mike Skinner and Murkage Dave present the Tonga EP. The project was born out of the club night run by the duo in London, and celebrates a successful year of the rap, grime and dubstep event. The artist behind the name are Skinner, Dave, Gaika, Oscar#worldpeace, Klepto and DJ Smith.

Mike Skinner & Murkage Dave - Tonga EP Review

Tonga Balloon Gang is a stormer of an opening track. The refrain from Skinner is classic, and is a welcome reminder of his unrelenting talent. The energetic, wobbly bass and deep snares along with memorable, hyped lyrics in the verses. It's a great introduction to the vibe displayed on the Tonga EP, which is a great continuation and evolution of Skinner's legacy.

Big Narstie's appearance is pretty good too. Over a slow moving, textured instrumental which features some dope change-ups (it starts with some cheap brass synth sounds, and closes with emotive, stirring piano chords), Narstie displays his passionate writing, along with some witty punchlines such as "I am as straight as a ruler, I do not bend" and "I move more food than Waitrose". Big Narstie's charisma has always been a great draw to his music, and it is displayed in full on this cut.

Continue reading: Mike Skinner & Murkage Dave - Tonga EP Review

Mike Skinner Reveals That Rachel Stevens Was Not His 'Drug-Taking Lover'


The Streets Rachel Stevens

Mike Skinner, the British rapper and member of UK hip-hop band The Streets, has finally revealed that the drug-taking pop star he once dated was not the speculated singer Rachel Stevens. The squeaky-clean S Club 7 singer has had a somewhat tarnished name since 2006, when Skinner sang about a crack cocaine-smoking singer - originally thought to be Stevens.

Related: S Club 7 Are To Reunite!

The Streets released the single 'When You Weren't Famous' in 2006, explaining Skinner's relationship with an unnamed celebrity, which he went on to deny was Rachel Stevens. While other celebrities have been suggested, Skinner had finally tried to put to bed rumours of the Steven's involvement. 

Continue reading: Mike Skinner Reveals That Rachel Stevens Was Not His 'Drug-Taking Lover'

The Streets Saturday 12th June 2010 Participants of the 7th annual London World Naked Bike Ride return to the streets of the capital, allowing riders to see the city sights from the comfort of a bike or skates. The ride is easy and upbeat, and riders decorate their bodies and bikes with messages of protest against oil dependency and car culture. London, England

The Streets

Emmy Rossum and The Streets Tuesday 26th May 2009 Emmy Rossum took to the streets of Los Angeles to march against the decision not to overturn Proposition 8 - the ban on gay marriage in California Los Angeles, California

Emmy Rossum and The Streets

Lady GaGa and The Streets Saturday 2nd May 2009 Lady GaGa, aka Joanne Stefani Germanotta, wearing a see-through red jumpsuit with devil horns on her shoulders, walking on the streets of Manhattan after her concert at Terminal 5 New York City, USA

Lady Gaga and The Streets

Pregnant Alyson Hannigan, Alyson Hannigan and The Streets Thursday 26th February 2009 Pregnant Alyson Hannigan and her husband Alexis Denisof walk together in the streets of Santa Monica. The two were spotted doing some shopping at the Brentwood Country Mart. Los Angeles, California, USA

Pregnant Alyson Hannigan, Alyson Hannigan and The Streets

Danielle Polanco and The Streets - Monday 4th February 2008 at Arclight Theater Hollywood, California

Danielle Polanco and The Streets
Mari Koda and The Streets
The Streets

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The Streets

Band form

1994




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