FOR THE RECORD: Skinnyman ‘Council Estate of Mind’ (2004)

When most people think of Hip Hop legends, certain artists spring to mind. For the more youthful of listeners, perhaps Jay Z, Nas, Biggie or Tupac may spring to mind, but for people who have been listening to the genre and involved in the culture since the early days, names like KRS-One, The Sugarhill Gang and Run DMC will be go to artists for music from the ‘golden era’. With early Hip Hop origins in the US, specifically New York, UK artists are generally overlooked when talking about classic artists and albums within Hip Hop. Which is why I am going to use this months ‘For The Record’ to enlighten some of you and remind others of the legendary brilliance that is Skinnyman’s 2004 release Council Estate of Mind.

“Talking about the science of social deprivation” is how Leeds-born rapper Skinnyman describes the content of his music on the title track from the record and that statement sums the entire project up perfectly. Whilst many artists often glamorise their lives of drugs, guns and general ‘street life’, Council Estate of Mind provides an insight into what life in working class Britain, specifically London, is really like. Over the 15 tracks that the album consists of, we hear tales of “man sitting back with a crack pipe to bun”, “making papes on these estates” and the fact that the UK is having “our fair share of gun warfare”, so to say that the topics covered in the album are rather gritty and thought provoking is definitely an understatement.

Clips from ‘Made In Britain’, the 1983 ITV television play about a 16 year old racist skinhead who continually clashes with the law and other forms of authority, are used throughout at the beginning and end of most tracks and provide a narrative of sorts to the album. In the same way that Mike Skinner used to write The Streets’ albums so that they told a story from start to finish, Skinnyman has used the soundbites from the film to add an extra dimension to his own lyrics and turn his musical outpourings into a personal journey.

Following the film clip intro, ‘Fuck The Hook’ opens the album at a blistering pace and leaves us with no doubt as to what’s in store for our ears over the next 55 minutes. The traditional, hypnotic Hip Hop beat sets a precedent for the whole project and lyrics like “Home’s where the heart is so Hip Hop lives right there / we’re from UK, for you that might seem rare” provide early indications as to the album’s direction and content.

‘Love’s Gone From The Streets’ continues with the album’s themes but with the addition of a vocal hook and a repetitive piano-filled beat, the track provides a lighter feel to the hard hitting, raw sound of the rest of the release, whilst fellow mid album track ‘Day To Day Basis’ returns to the dynamic sound and documents Skinnyman’s daily life in his Finsbury home and how he desires to elevate himself out of the struggles of daily life on his estate, “You think I wanna stick around this town / and have to wait for a crack head to beat my mum down”.

Council Estate of Mind was released in 2004, back when the grime scene was a new, thriving, up & coming sound where pirate radio was central. Whilst Skinnyman has avoided using any grime beats on the album, he hasn’t failed to recognise the existence of the scene and goes on to reference two of the main crews from the early days of grime, Roll Deep and N.A.S.T.Y Crew, on ‘Who? Me’ with the lyrics, “I used to roll deep with a crew of nasty soldiers”.

But since Skinnyman first began rapping back in the nineties, Hip Hop has been his sound and two highlights of the album ‘No Big Ting’ and the title track ‘Council Estate of Mind’ showcase his talents as a wordsmith and his ability to rap perfectly. The high pitched hook on ‘No Big Ting’ was a hugely popular part of the scene around 2004, with numerous artists including pitched up samples of older tracks as hooks. “The schools are underachieving in the grade, so it’s minimum wage by time you go to look a job / but on the streets we’re learning every other aspect of the criminal trade so instead we’re gonna look to rob” is just one of the hard hitting lyrics in the track that really bring home the struggles of the youth in some of the poorest parts of our communities and the final track on the album is no different.

Skinnyman brings the album to a close with one of the realest lyrics about the modern day youth of council estate Britain that had been heard at that time, painting the truest and most realistic picture yet of what life is like in his surroundings “local estate heads have grown up to hate feds, kids with no helmets driving round on some bait peds / abandoned cars are at the bottom of the block so when it’s pissing down kids have got a place to plot / to cotch and blaze pot and watch this whole spot / full up of lost souls with no goals who get left to rot”.

From Blues to Punk and throughout musical history, the sounds of the downtrodden and anti-establishment have always managed to find a voice and Skinnyman used his Hip Hop influence to depict his view of life for the forgotten residents of the UK’s council estates, which include himself. In the same way that Gigslutz favourites Sleaford Mods have recently provided an insight into the world of unemployment and modern working life, Skinnyman’s portrayal of his surroundings are as relevant now as they ever have been.

At just over 10 years old, Council Estate of Mind has achieved iconic status amongst many British urban music fans, but it has never achieved the recognition it deserves from mainstream music fans and critics alike. Skinnyman’s classic album should be adored by all, but it remains an unearthed gem. If you’re yet to revel in it’s glory, then get involved asap and open your mind and ears to the truth of life for the poor lower working class.

Matt Tarr
@MattTarrJourno

Matt Tarr

Matt Tarr

Urban Music Editor
With grime and hip hop being major influences on him growing up in South East London, Matt's passion is urban music but over the years he has gathered a hugely diverse taste, ranging from Wiley to The Smiths by way of Machine Head, that has made him a very open minded individual.
Matt Tarr