It’s my hope that if American audiences managed to “get” Amy Winehouse, then they’ll eventually “get” Mike Skinner who is better known as The Streets. The British rapper has released three excellent albums over the past six years, but has yet to really catch on with audiences Stateside, although in his homeland, he’s a megastar. His albums reveal a much more complex personality than the average 2008-era rap artist (which is probably why he hasn’t been successful here-complex personalities are a little too far-reaching for most Americans), and if you can make it through the thick accent, you’ll be rewarded with music that’s occasionally laugh out loud funny, and occasionally heart-rending.
His new single, “The Escapist” finds Skinner lowering the tempo and adopting a reflective tone. The video is amazing. Not only is it a concept video in an age where it’s very easy to just show a bunch of chicks dancing half-naked and call it art, but the scenery is breathtaking. Besides, everyone needs to escape every once in a while, right? Boy, have I been feeling that something awful lately.
Anyway, the YouTube video pauses frequently on my computer…I don’t know that it will do the same on yours. So I’ve also included a link to Skinner’s site, where you can not only watch the video without it stopping every 10 seconds, but you can also download the song for free. Enjoy.
http://www.the-streets.co.uk
