Still MCR

When looking back at Manchester music, we’re all well aware of the legendary MADchester scene Manchester is famous for, from the Acid House raves to Factory Records and iconic Manchester bands like The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Northside. However, if you’ve found yourself visiting StillMCR, you may also be familiar with the lesser-known but equally important Hip Hop & Soul history of the city. 

Alongside the Madchester years, ‘80s and ‘90s Manchester had a thriving street soul scene originating in the inner city areas of Manchester, specifically Moss Side, Cheetham Hill and Whalley Range. Mixed with Lover’s Rock and Reggae, Street Soul took over the Manchester clubs like PSV Club or The Reno, and pirate radio stations such as Frontline Radio and Buzz FM. Artists and bands connected to the Manchester Street Soul sound include 52nd Street, Diane Charlemagne, Fifth of Heaven, and Bo’vel. 

Jungle and later Drum and Bass also took over the city by the mid-‘90s. Coming out of Moss Side and inner city areas across the UK, Jungle was an underground black music genre that combined elements of drum breaks, hip hop, soul and funk samples, heavy bass and Jamaican sound system culture. Manchester DJs and Artists such as Sappho, Johnny J, MC Trigga and Zipparah Tafari and A Guy Called Gerald pioneered and grew Manchester’s Junglist scene. 

Manchester also championed various sub-genres of Drum and Bass, from Jump Up to what was then known as Intelligent Drum and Bass. Intalex Productions were at the forefront of this sound in Manchester. Marcus Intalex went on to leave a legacy in the city, not only for his talent on the decks, soulful d&b productions, the legendary Soul:r label or Soul:ution residency at Band on the Wall but as a true friend and mentor to the Manchester D&B scene. 

40 years of Manchester Hip Hop Culture

Hip Hop culture hit the UK in the early ‘80s and became the soundtrack to an ever-changing Manchester. Breakdance crews Broken Glass and Street Machine were poppin’, lockin’ and back spinnin’ across the country  – winning dance battles and representing the city in a big way. 

Pirate Radio was ruling the airwaves, and the New York Graffiti Style decorated the inner city areas of Hulme and Moss Side. By the end of the decade, Hip Hop artists like MC Buzz B were reaching mainstream success with tunes like ‘How Sleep the Brave’ and Stu Allens ‘Bus Diss’ Radio Show was a hit on Key 103. 

In the early 90s, Hulme hip hop crew Ruthless Rap Assassins dropped their iconic ‘Killer Album’ and were regulars in the Hip Hop Connection magazine. Sports and Streetwear brands were the fashion, from Kangol hats to Adidas Superstars, Troop tracksuits and British Knights. 

The legendary Broke N English hip hop trio came through in the 2000s, releasing with Manchester’s Fat City Recordings and establishing the innovative Estate Recordings. Consisting of DRS, Konny Kon, and Strategy, the collective is in many ways a foundation for our current Manchester Hip Hop and wider scene with the three going on to reach great success in their respective fields.

As the 2000’s continued, the UK hip hop scene, in many ways, began to merge with the new Grime genre originating in London. Manchester embraced the sound and presented a range of talented MCs. This era is often referred to as the Market Street Days – when artists would sell their new mixtapes, like Wrigley’s Its not Long and Shifty’s famous Get your Hustle on, in Manchester city centre. 

Today, Manchester is famous for being a melting-pot of sound, from the charting success of WhyJay & Litek with Aitch to Bloc2Bloc and their contribution to UK D&B and Jungle, to Children of Zeus taking their Manchester Soul music across the globe, and everything in between. Follow our socials or check out our articles and lists to find the freshest releases.