This came out in 2005 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
“This could very well be my last LP,” threatens Roots Manuva on Awfully Deep. Don’t buy it.
The quick-witted Roots — which sounds better than his real name, Rodney Smith — has been one of the U.K.’s more ubiquitous rappers of late, popping up on dozens of comps and acting as go-to rhymer for the Ninja Tune roster. With the introspectively dark and aptly titled Awfully Deep — only his third full-length in six years — Roots finally does a little something for himself. And as usual, he does it distinctively and addictively, laying his gravelly mahogany couplets over a grimy slate of mutated ragga, dub and dancehall grooves. Admittedly, the 14-cut disc feels a touch restrained at times. But next to the repetitive cliches of American rap, Awfully Deep is a treat. If it does turn out to be his last CD, he’s definitely going out on a high note.
