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Emerging from the same Mockney scene as Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Jack Penate, Steven Manderson, aka Professor Green, failed to break through to the mainstream with his unique brand of chaotic, dirty, hip-hop. Four years later and armed with a collection of radio-friendly, hook-laden, and sample-heavy tunes, his debut album, Alive Till I'm Dead, should rectify that situation. Combining the quick-fire delivery of Wiley, the authentic lyrical content of the Streets (Green was previously signed to the latter's Beats Recording label), and the commercial rap of Tinchy Stryder, Green's sound is uniquely British, but like Lady Sovereign's humorous grime-pop, it could easily translate in the U.S., too. Indeed, it's clear from the opening few tracks that Green doesn't take himself too seriously, with his claims of "I'm rap's George Best," on the Kasabian-esque "Oh My God" spoken with tongue firmly in cheek as the swaggering male bravado that plagues many hip-hop albums is counterbalanced by Green's self-deprecating vulnerability, as seen on the acoustic Just Jack-style "Where Do We Go." Elsewhere, the Example-featuring "Monster," with its pop culture references to Pixie Lott, Peter Andre, and Sugababes, sounds like one of Eminem's less-irritating comedy lead singles; "Kids That Love to Dance" is a funky bass-driven number featuring rising R&B star Emeli Sande; while closing track "Goodnight" is an epic jazz-influenced emotional ode to his late grandmother. Of course, the best two tracks here, are the two big singles, the INXS-sampling "I Need You Tonight," and the Lily Allen duet, "Just Be Good to Green," a reworking of the S.O.S. Band classic, both of which provide ammunition for the critics who compare his heavy use of classic songs to the slightly less credible Will Smith. But despite its pop sensibilities, Alive Till I'm Dead is actually far edgier than the more critically-acclaimed of Dizzee Rascal's most recent output. "Jungle," a dubstep-influenced ode to the streets of Hackney, harks back to Green's underground roots, while the minimally atmospheric "Closing the Door" echoes Damian Marley's brooding reggae-hip-hop. Professor Green might have had to wait a little longer for his breakthrough, but on the evidence of Alive Till I'm Dead, he's leapfrogged his contemporaries to become the obvious heir to Mike Skinner's urban poet throne.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
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Emeli Sande, Composer, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Jenkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Naughty Boy, Producer, Recording Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - James Murray, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Mustafa Omer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - S. Khan, Composer - Edward Hayes, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
JIMMY JAM, ComposerLyricist - TERRY LEWIS, ComposerLyricist - Lily Allen, FeaturedArtist - Stephen Manderson, ComposerLyricist - Professor Green, MainArtist - Andrew Hughes, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Farriss, Composer - Michael Hutchence, Composer - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Darren Heelis, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alex 'Cores' Hayes, Vocal Arranger, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ed Drewett, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Meshak Moore, Composer - Marwan El-Bergamy, Composer - The ThundaCatz, Producer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Murray, Recording Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - J. Murray, Composer - Mojam Music, Producer - Mustafa Omer, Composer, Recording Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lee Bailey, Composer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marc Williams, Composer - Timothy McKenzie, Composer - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Labrinth, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Programmer, Recording Engineer, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Da Digglar, Producer, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - True Tiger, Producer - Maverick Sabre, Composer, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - R. Conlon, Composer, Programmer - A. Gowers, Composer, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - N. Thakaria, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alex 'Cores' Hayes, Vocal Arranger, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Arlia De Ruiter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Martijn de Laat, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Rik Mol, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Oosting, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - James Murray, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Mustafa Omer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Sunny, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Pauline Terlouw, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sarah Koch, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - David Peijnenborgh, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Vera Laporeva, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Wim Kok, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mieke Honingh, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Julia Jowett, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Marianne Van Den Heuvel, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Herman Van Haaren, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Bastiaan van der Werf, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Bart van Lier, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Maarten Jansen, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Metropole Orkest, Orchestra - Hanni Ibrahim, Composer - Sunny Productions, Producer, Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Marc Scholten, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Paul van der Feen, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Jos Beeren, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Janine Abbas, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Mariël van den Bos, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Hollander, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Henk Heijink, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Roel Koster, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Arie den Boer, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Iris Schut, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Isabella Petersen, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Alex Welch, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Annie Tangberg, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jascha Albracht, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Joke Schonewille, Harp, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Bastiani, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Martin van den Berg, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Arend Liefkes, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Annemieke Marinkovic, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Linda Dumessie, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Denis Koenders, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Seija Teeuwen, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Elizabeth Liefkes-cats, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Vera van der Bie, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Merijn Rombout, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Lucja Domski, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Leo Janssen, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Max Boeree, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Martin de Ruiter, Oboe, AssociatedPerformer - Jules Buckley, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
D. Blake, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lee Bailey, Composer, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - C. Phillips, Producer, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yogi Tulsiani, Composer, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Costas Nicolaides, Composer - Deleon Blake, Composer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
D. Lewis, Guitar, Programmer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Example, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Future Cut, Producer - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Murray, Recording Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - J. Murray, Composer - M. Omer, Composer - Mojam Music, Producer - I. Babalola, Programmer, Recording Engineer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Mustafa Omer, Recording Engineer, Musician, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - F. Greenall, Composer - Timothy Thornton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Whittaker, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Fink, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Recording Engineer, Strings, Programming, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Johnny Jenkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Jenkins, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Oroh Angiama, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Alex 'Cores' Hayes, Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Edward Hayes, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Shereen Shabanaa, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - 12Milagram, Composer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Johnny Jenkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Arlia De Ruiter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Martijn de Laat, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Rik Mol, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Oosting, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Manderson, Composer - Stephen Sedgwick, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Professor Green, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Pauline Terlouw, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sarah Koch, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - David Peijnenborgh, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Vera Laporeva, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Wim Kok, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mieke Honingh, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Julia Jowett, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Marianne Van Den Heuvel, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Herman Van Haaren, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alex 'Cores' Hayes, Composer, Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Bastiaan van der Werf, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Bart van Lier, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Maarten Jansen, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Metropole Orkest, Orchestra - Edward Hayes, Composer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Marc Scholten, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Paul van der Feen, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Jos Beeren, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Janine Abbas, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Mariël van den Bos, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Hollander, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Henk Heijink, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Roel Koster, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Arie den Boer, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Iris Schut, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Isabella Petersen, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Alex Welch, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Annie Tangberg, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jascha Albracht, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Joke Schonewille, Harp, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Bastiani, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Martin van den Berg, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Arend Liefkes, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Annemieke Marinkovic, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Linda Dumessie, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Denis Koenders, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Seija Teeuwen, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Elizabeth Liefkes-cats, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Vera van der Bie, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Merijn Rombout, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Lucja Domski, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Leo Janssen, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Max Boeree, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Martin de Ruiter, Oboe, AssociatedPerformer - Jules Buckley, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2010 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
Emerging from the same Mockney scene as Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Jack Penate, Steven Manderson, aka Professor Green, failed to break through to the mainstream with his unique brand of chaotic, dirty, hip-hop. Four years later and armed with a collection of radio-friendly, hook-laden, and sample-heavy tunes, his debut album, Alive Till I'm Dead, should rectify that situation. Combining the quick-fire delivery of Wiley, the authentic lyrical content of the Streets (Green was previously signed to the latter's Beats Recording label), and the commercial rap of Tinchy Stryder, Green's sound is uniquely British, but like Lady Sovereign's humorous grime-pop, it could easily translate in the U.S., too. Indeed, it's clear from the opening few tracks that Green doesn't take himself too seriously, with his claims of "I'm rap's George Best," on the Kasabian-esque "Oh My God" spoken with tongue firmly in cheek as the swaggering male bravado that plagues many hip-hop albums is counterbalanced by Green's self-deprecating vulnerability, as seen on the acoustic Just Jack-style "Where Do We Go." Elsewhere, the Example-featuring "Monster," with its pop culture references to Pixie Lott, Peter Andre, and Sugababes, sounds like one of Eminem's less-irritating comedy lead singles; "Kids That Love to Dance" is a funky bass-driven number featuring rising R&B star Emeli Sande; while closing track "Goodnight" is an epic jazz-influenced emotional ode to his late grandmother. Of course, the best two tracks here, are the two big singles, the INXS-sampling "I Need You Tonight," and the Lily Allen duet, "Just Be Good to Green," a reworking of the S.O.S. Band classic, both of which provide ammunition for the critics who compare his heavy use of classic songs to the slightly less credible Will Smith. But despite its pop sensibilities, Alive Till I'm Dead is actually far edgier than the more critically-acclaimed of Dizzee Rascal's most recent output. "Jungle," a dubstep-influenced ode to the streets of Hackney, harks back to Green's underground roots, while the minimally atmospheric "Closing the Door" echoes Damian Marley's brooding reggae-hip-hop. Professor Green might have had to wait a little longer for his breakthrough, but on the evidence of Alive Till I'm Dead, he's leapfrogged his contemporaries to become the obvious heir to Mike Skinner's urban poet throne.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:44:23
- Main artists: Professor Green
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Records
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 2010 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 2010 Virgin Records Limited
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