Urban Species (band)
Encyclopedia
Urban Species is a British
hip-hop band
, best known for several hit single
s during the 1990s. The band's music draws on a diverse range of influences (including reggae
, blues
, funk
, dub
, jazz
, ragga
and acoustic folk
) and combines live playing with samples and programming, resulting in an organic sound that has sometimes been compared to a British version of Arrested Development. The band’s music is frequently associated with the acid jazz
movement of the mid-1990s.
Urban Species’ consistent core figure and effective leader has been Peter "Mintos" Akinrinlola, but the band’s lineup has at various times included other producers and rappers plus many of the best musicians from the London funk and jazz-funk scenes. The band is also known for collaborations, most notably with Terry Callier
and Imogen Heap
.
, North London
, by childhood friends Peter Akinrinlola (who took on the rapper's name of "MC Mint", later revising it to "Mintos") and Winston Small (who provided beats under the name "DJ Renegade"). Growing up in the 1980s, both shared an interest in various underground music including hip-hop (which at the time was restricted mainly to its electro and rap
subdivisions), dancehall reggae
, rave
and blues. The duo began writing together in 1988. For sampleable material, they drew extensively on the stock of jazz and funk records owned by Renegade’s older brother, which came to shape their organic, live-sounding musical approach.
Under the MC Mint & DJ Renegade name, the duo recorded their first white-label release – 'It’s My Thing' - in 1989. The disc became an underground and pirate radio hit in the UK and also came to the attention of two high-profile New York radio stations (Kiss and WBLS) who eventually put the track into frequent rotation.
Inspired by this initial success (which, as an unsigned act without commercial backing, they were unable to immediately follow up), Mintos and Renegade eventually produced a second self-funded and distributed single called 'Got To Have It'. This attracted the interest of British DJ Gilles Peterson
, a champion of new black British music who was also the owner of the Phonogram Records
subsidiary Talkin' Loud
(the label for acts including Incognito
, Omar Lye-Fook
, Young Disciples
and Galliano
). Talkin' Loud eventually signed Mintos and Renegade in 1992 under the new project name of Urban Species.
Talking Loud Sampler Volume 2 compilation). Shortly afterwards, Urban Species expanded from
a core duo to a trio with the addition of a second rapper, Doc Slim (real name Rodney Green).
Slim was one of Mintos' and Renegade’s old school friends, and had an MC delivery inspired by
ragga
-style toasting and street humour. For live appearances, Urban Species
drew on a pool of live funk musicians (including members of Incognito
and
Galliano
) to ensure that they delivered full-fledged musical shows instead of
DAT-based PA performances. As a consequence - and following well-received support slots for MC
Solaar, Guru
’s Jazzmatazz
and the Stereo MCs
- the band developed a
strong live reputation and soon attained headline-act status.
Over the next eighteen months, the band continued to develop their profile. They became successful in continental Europe (particularly in France) and maintained their inroads into the USA via New York, where they had developed an underground following considerable airplay and an acclaimed performance at the 1994 New Music Seminar. Aiming for a truly international approach, the band also toured the Far East and Africa, where they continued to befriend other musicians and educate themselves.
With Mintos now in overall charge of the project, Urban Species began to move towards a more collective approach (similar to that of their contemporaries Massive Attack
) in which the group's core membership was less important than the opportunities offered by collaboration. In 1997, the band began recording material for a second album, Blanket. The first sign of a new approach came with the 1997 EP Religion and Politics. The two songs featured on the EP (the title track and 'Changing Of The Guard') were both collaborations with 1960s American jazz-folk-soul singer Terry Callier
, whose career had recently been reinvigorated in the UK by the interest of the acid-jazz community.
and MC Mell'O'
, plus singers Elizabeth Troy, Jeffery Darnell (a fellow Talkin’ Loud signing), future house
star MJ Cole and teenage singer-songwriter Imogen Heap
(possibly best known at the time for her work with Acacia
).
Due to Urban Species’ higher European profile, Blanket was originally released in continental Europe in late 1998, without a UK release until the following year. However, the album was similarly successful to Listen and received similar critical acclaim. As well as incorporating the collaborations with Terry Callier, the album produced two singles – the title track (co-written by and featuring Imogen Heap) and 'Woman'.
, The Freestylers and LHB
as well as various unspecified "unsigned talent". He also developed a career outside music as an entrepreneur, starting up a Overseas Property company as well as an organic coffee business.
The band are also intending to carry out a reunion tour featuring various former Talkin’ Loud colleagues, about which Mintos has commented "I spoke to Omar
and (he) likes the idea. Bluey
from the Incognito
is said to be down and he's gonna speak to Carleen Anderson
from the (Young Disciples
). I did speak to Rob from Galliano
and he's like ‘err, I don't know’ so we’ll see."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
hip-hop band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, best known for several hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s during the 1990s. The band's music draws on a diverse range of influences (including reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
and acoustic folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
) and combines live playing with samples and programming, resulting in an organic sound that has sometimes been compared to a British version of Arrested Development. The band’s music is frequently associated with the acid jazz
Acid jazz
Acid jazz is a musical genre that combines elements of jazz, funk and hip-hop, particularly looped beats. It developed in the UK over the 1980s and 1990s and could be seen as tacking the sound of jazz-funk onto electronic dance: jazz-funk musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are...
movement of the mid-1990s.
Urban Species’ consistent core figure and effective leader has been Peter "Mintos" Akinrinlola, but the band’s lineup has at various times included other producers and rappers plus many of the best musicians from the London funk and jazz-funk scenes. The band is also known for collaborations, most notably with Terry Callier
Terry Callier
Terrence O. Callier, known as Terry Callier is an American jazz, soul and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Life and career:...
and Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap
Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...
.
Prehistory (MC Mint & Renegade)
The band was founded in TottenhamTottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, by childhood friends Peter Akinrinlola (who took on the rapper's name of "MC Mint", later revising it to "Mintos") and Winston Small (who provided beats under the name "DJ Renegade"). Growing up in the 1980s, both shared an interest in various underground music including hip-hop (which at the time was restricted mainly to its electro and rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
subdivisions), dancehall reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, rave
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
and blues. The duo began writing together in 1988. For sampleable material, they drew extensively on the stock of jazz and funk records owned by Renegade’s older brother, which came to shape their organic, live-sounding musical approach.
Under the MC Mint & DJ Renegade name, the duo recorded their first white-label release – 'It’s My Thing' - in 1989. The disc became an underground and pirate radio hit in the UK and also came to the attention of two high-profile New York radio stations (Kiss and WBLS) who eventually put the track into frequent rotation.
Inspired by this initial success (which, as an unsigned act without commercial backing, they were unable to immediately follow up), Mintos and Renegade eventually produced a second self-funded and distributed single called 'Got To Have It'. This attracted the interest of British DJ Gilles Peterson
Gilles Peterson
Gilles Peterson , is a DJ, record collector and record label owner from London, UK. Through his labels Acid Jazz, Talkin' Loud, and latterly Brownswood Recordings, he has been associated with the careers of well-known artists of the 1990s such as Erykah Badu, Roni Size and Jamiroquai...
, a champion of new black British music who was also the owner of the Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
subsidiary Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud is a record label started by Gilles Peterson at Phonogram in 1990 after he left Acid Jazz Records. The label name is based on Peterson's club night "Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Something", itself a reference to James Brown and Bobby Byrd's "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".The first...
(the label for acts including Incognito
Incognito (band)
Incognito is a British band, as well as one of the members of the United Kingdom's acid jazz movement. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981, with thirteen more albums following, the last of which, Transatlantic RPM, was released in 2010....
, Omar Lye-Fook
Omar Lye-Fook
Omar Lye-Fook and known as Omar, is an internationally acclaimed British soul singer, songwriter and musician. Omar grew up in Canterbury, Kent. He learned his craft classically, playing the trumpet, piano and percussion. Omar also spent two years at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, and...
, Young Disciples
Young Disciples
Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson , Marc Nelson plus Femi Williams ....
and Galliano
Galliano (band)
Galliano were a London-based acid jazz group, which started in 1988. The group was the first signing to Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label. The original members were Rob Gallagher , Constantine Weir , Michael Snaith , and Crispin Robinson...
). Talkin' Loud eventually signed Mintos and Renegade in 1992 under the new project name of Urban Species.
1992-1993 – Urban Species develop their profile
The first formal Urban Species track to be released was 'Hide And Seek' (which appeared on theTalking Loud Sampler Volume 2 compilation). Shortly afterwards, Urban Species expanded from
a core duo to a trio with the addition of a second rapper, Doc Slim (real name Rodney Green).
Slim was one of Mintos' and Renegade’s old school friends, and had an MC delivery inspired by
ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
-style toasting and street humour. For live appearances, Urban Species
drew on a pool of live funk musicians (including members of Incognito
Incognito (band)
Incognito is a British band, as well as one of the members of the United Kingdom's acid jazz movement. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981, with thirteen more albums following, the last of which, Transatlantic RPM, was released in 2010....
and
Galliano
Galliano (band)
Galliano were a London-based acid jazz group, which started in 1988. The group was the first signing to Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label. The original members were Rob Gallagher , Constantine Weir , Michael Snaith , and Crispin Robinson...
) to ensure that they delivered full-fledged musical shows instead of
DAT-based PA performances. As a consequence - and following well-received support slots for MC
Solaar, Guru
Guru (rapper)
Keith Edward Elam , better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts...
’s Jazzmatazz
Jazzmatazz
Jazzmatazz may be a reference to:An album from the Jazzmatazz series of hip hop and jazz recordings from Guru , including:* Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1* Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality* Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Street Soul...
and the Stereo MCs
Stereo MCs
Stereo MCs are an English electronic dance group, which formed in Clapham, London in 1985. They are best known worldwide for their 1992 transatlantic Top 20 hit single, "Connected"...
- the band developed a
strong live reputation and soon attained headline-act status.
1994 - Listen
Urban Species released their debut album – Listen – in May 1994. The band had extended the musicality of their concerts to their recording sessions, incorporating live instruments alongside the samples and programming, and going for a spacious, organic feel to the album atmospheres. Listen included the earlier single 'Gotta Have It' as well as 'Hide And Seek'. It also produced three more singles – the title track (featuring singer Lynette "Chezere" Brathwaite), 'Spiritual Love' and 'Brother'. The latter two were hits, and the album received wide critical acclaim.Over the next eighteen months, the band continued to develop their profile. They became successful in continental Europe (particularly in France) and maintained their inroads into the USA via New York, where they had developed an underground following considerable airplay and an acclaimed performance at the 1994 New Music Seminar. Aiming for a truly international approach, the band also toured the Far East and Africa, where they continued to befriend other musicians and educate themselves.
1995-1997 - lineup and direction changes
As the success of Urban Species grew, Mintos became the dominant force in the band. This in turn caused friction between him and Renegade, who was also finding the rigours of touring to be difficult. Not without regret, Renegade opted to leave Urban Species in 1995. He would subsequently follow a career as a hip-hop/R’n’B producer with Dub Wise Productions.With Mintos now in overall charge of the project, Urban Species began to move towards a more collective approach (similar to that of their contemporaries Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
) in which the group's core membership was less important than the opportunities offered by collaboration. In 1997, the band began recording material for a second album, Blanket. The first sign of a new approach came with the 1997 EP Religion and Politics. The two songs featured on the EP (the title track and 'Changing Of The Guard') were both collaborations with 1960s American jazz-folk-soul singer Terry Callier
Terry Callier
Terrence O. Callier, known as Terry Callier is an American jazz, soul and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Life and career:...
, whose career had recently been reinvigorated in the UK by the interest of the acid-jazz community.
1998-1999 - Blanket
Further album sessions followed, with the assistance of new producer Raw Deal. During this period, Doc Slim was replaced in the band (both in the studio and onstage) by a new MC called Tukka Yout. Mintos also invited contributions from various other artists outside the Urban Species core. These included veteran British rappers Blak TwangBlak Twang
Blak Twang who also uses the pseudonyms of Taipanic and Tony Rotton, is a British rapper who grew up in Deptford, Lewisham, South East London...
and MC Mell'O'
MC Mell'O'
MC Mell'O comes from Battersea in south London, and was originally known for his bodypopping skills rather than his rapping, going under the tag Moomin...
, plus singers Elizabeth Troy, Jeffery Darnell (a fellow Talkin’ Loud signing), future house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
star MJ Cole and teenage singer-songwriter Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap
Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...
(possibly best known at the time for her work with Acacia
Acacia (band)
Acacia was a multi-cultural British experimental pop band active during the mid-1990s. The band is most notable for helping to launch the subsequent musical careers of several of its members, most notably keyboard player/producer Guy Sigsworth, singer Alexander "Blackmoth" Nilere and associate...
).
Due to Urban Species’ higher European profile, Blanket was originally released in continental Europe in late 1998, without a UK release until the following year. However, the album was similarly successful to Listen and received similar critical acclaim. As well as incorporating the collaborations with Terry Callier, the album produced two singles – the title track (co-written by and featuring Imogen Heap) and 'Woman'.
2000-2008 - hiatus
Following the release and promotion of Blanket, Urban Species released no new material bar occasional remixes. In the early 2000s, Mintos put Urban Species on indefinite hold in order to concentrate on family life and other projects. During this period he wrote material for S Club 7S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
, The Freestylers and LHB
LHB
LHB may refer to:*LHB co., a Duluth based Architecture firm with offices in both Duluth and Minneapolis, MN.*The University of Texas Longhorn Band, a marching band*Left halfback, a football position*Alstom LHB, a German transport company...
as well as various unspecified "unsigned talent". He also developed a career outside music as an entrepreneur, starting up a Overseas Property company as well as an organic coffee business.
2008-present – reunion
On 6 December 2008, Mintos announced an Urban Species reunion via his MySpace blog. He commented "My break from music went on for a lot longer than I intended. I kept saying 'yeah, this year... this year... this year...' and before I knew it six years flew by. But nothing before its time, I always say. I got my groove, passion and hunger back plus I got a lot of things to say." Mintos’ two main creative foils in the reunion appear to be Doc Slim and Blanket producer Raw Deal, with whom he is recording a third Urban Species album.The band are also intending to carry out a reunion tour featuring various former Talkin’ Loud colleagues, about which Mintos has commented "I spoke to Omar
Omar Lye-Fook
Omar Lye-Fook and known as Omar, is an internationally acclaimed British soul singer, songwriter and musician. Omar grew up in Canterbury, Kent. He learned his craft classically, playing the trumpet, piano and percussion. Omar also spent two years at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, and...
and (he) likes the idea. Bluey
Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick
Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick is a British guitarist, bandleader, composer and record producer. He has led the British acid jazz band Incognito since its formation in 1979. With Incognito, he has released fourteen studio albums as well as a number of live albums, remix albums and compilation albums...
from the Incognito
Incognito (band)
Incognito is a British band, as well as one of the members of the United Kingdom's acid jazz movement. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981, with thirteen more albums following, the last of which, Transatlantic RPM, was released in 2010....
is said to be down and he's gonna speak to Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
from the (Young Disciples
Young Disciples
Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson , Marc Nelson plus Femi Williams ....
). I did speak to Rob from Galliano
Galliano (band)
Galliano were a London-based acid jazz group, which started in 1988. The group was the first signing to Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label. The original members were Rob Gallagher , Constantine Weir , Michael Snaith , and Crispin Robinson...
and he's like ‘err, I don't know’ so we’ll see."
Singles
- "Spiritual Love" (Talkin’ Loud, 1993) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#35 - "Brother" (Talkin’ Loud, 1993) - UK #40
- "Listen" (Talkin’ Loud, 1993) - UK #47
- "The Experience EP" (Talkin’ Loud, 1993)
- "Religion And Politics EP" (Talkin’ Loud, 1997)
- "Predictably Unpredictable" (Talkin' Loud, 1998)
- "Blanket" (Talkin’ Loud, 1999) - UK #56
- "Woman (Talkin’ Loud, 1998)
Albums
- Listen (Talkin’ Loud, 1994) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#43 - Blanket (Talkin’ Loud, 1998)
External links
- Official UrbanSpecies MySpace page]
- Urban Species @ NME.com