The streets album "A grand don't come for free" one of the best ever albums to come out of Britain ever. The whole album is an actual story from start to finish.

He Recorded this album in a wardrobe with a mattress and duvets for soundproofing, mixed and put together on a free laptop, Mike Skinner is a legend.

The ‘Original Pirate Material’ album is a 21st century classic. Still holds up to this day.

This whole “Original Pirate Material” album is an absolute soundtrack to life in Britain in the early 2000s. Very few albums soundtrack a period as well. Great album and all recorded by Mike Skinner I his bedroom! 👍

Please listen to 'Blinded by the lights' by The Streets. It is an incredible song, the beat combined with Mikes poetic style just paints such a vivid picture of being in a rave on drugs. Even if you have never done them, he explains it in such a way that makes you really understand how it feels. Classic track.

There's so much English specific stuff in the Streets, it's when you are watching you guys react you wonder how much really translates

This whole album is the epitome of what it was like growing up in the late 90s/early 00s in the UK.

As a 40 year old from the south of England, this song brings back some mad memories 😂

Mike Skinner was a big supporter of Kano when he was coming up - he took him as a support act on tour - he's in Kano's Ps&Qs video. He also gets a shout on Little Simz - Gorilla.

If you're new to The Streets then you are in for a delightful time! So many bangers. Man's a poet.

‘Don’t mug yourself’ is a great streets track.

The Streets 👋 Dry Your Eyes by The Streets is one of my all time favourite songs 👌

Man, I'm so jealous of being able to experience the streets for the first time. Soundtrack to my life growing up. Dunno if you react to fill albums, but if you do, do "a grand don't come for free" from start to finish. It's a movie in album form and too good. 💥

This takes me back. I played the whole album on repeat for an age. Every song on there brings up great memories for me.

Time for Roots Manuva - Witness the Fitness You wont be disappointed!

Blinded by the Lights. great track and crazy video.

Mike Skinner is THE legend! Everything is his own, lyrics music production composition, everything! His choons always tell a story ❤

My all-time favourite album as a whole. The narrative across all tracks and the way they tell a collective story is amazing. It’s an undulating rollercoaster of emotion and expression and how life is always just a battle of the nuances.

The whole ‘Original Pirate Material’ album is Poetic. 🎵Weak Become Hero’s 🦸‍♂️ 🎵 The Irony of it all 😵‍💫 🎵Too much brandy 🥃 🎵 Stay Positive 👌

2 streets tracks you’ve got to react to “Let’s push things forward” “Turn the page” Brilliant tracks

You guys are super lucky to just be discovering the streets.... You've got so much insanely good stuff to go back through

The album a grand don’t come for free is a masterpiece but you need to listen start to finish in track order - you won’t regret it

'The Streets - Turn the page' is not one people usually mention but it is an epic song and epic opening to one of the albums. It is with strings slowly getting more intense as the lyrics become more and more epic. Well worth a listen.

Blinded by the lights !!!!!!

Mike skinner is your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper!!

blinded by the lights reaction is a must.

For a range of what he does, search these 3 songs - Lets Push Things Forwards - Never Went To Church - Going Through Hell Also you'll get a bit of insight into who he is. There's a lot of self exploration/explanation in his writing.

Has it come to this oo ooo oo o 🔥🔥🔥 absolute banger pushing genre limits from back when pirate radio stations were slapping 👊 you had to be there to appreciate masterpieces like this 😂

wow I thought this one would have made it across the pond back in the day for sure. The Streets paved the way (no pun intended) for UK mc's to embrace just spitting how they talk rather than trying to put on some affect. Props for knowing about 2 step!!!

The Streets is a good rabbit hole to go down

I tried to get my US fiancée to listen to The Streets. She couldnt get it. Personally i think it's one of those things that if you werent there when it was happening then you'll just never fully appreciate just how good it was. One of the best gigs I've ver been to, seeing The Streets in Newcastle at the O2 accadamy. Especially when he crowd surfed to the bar, knecked a double JD&Coke and surfed back.

I can only add to the comments, 38 years old here, this was the soundtrack to our estates or as you know them 'projects'. The story he tells is our life.

I'm 20 and this tune was before my time (song was released in 2002, I was released in 2003) yet basically all my mates the same age as me know the tune, the piano melody is instantly recognisable for us, it's just one of those tunes that's a banger and classic through the generations. Also on the baked beans point 😂 british baked beans are very different to any you'll have had, I believe American ones are in some sort of broth (I may be wrong), but the British baked beans are in a mild tomato sauce and genuinely compliment toast and meat very well, most Americans who beef our beans and then try them admit they were wrong 🤷🏽‍♂️

The streets are true legends, Mike skinner is an OG. SO HAPPY to see them finally on the channel! Check out some more of them!

I'm not sure if it's been commented but to anyone who remembers when this came out, it hit a nerve and captured a zeitgeist musically and culturally. Even the CD itself looked like a pirate cd, which were super common back then. The stuff he's writing about is so incredibly relatable to most English people. Properly nostalgic guys.

Yeah boi got this 12” vinyl Locked On records, this is 2 step UK garage, very much of its time but also very different to other UKG tracks love all the references from late 90s early 2000s, N64s, PlayStations, ripping down the posters from the last garage night etc big up if you wanna go down the uk garage rabbit hole I could deffo write you a list of iconic and underground tracks, this was my main genre when I was a DJ in clubs in London and pirate radio 😊

Top marks for recognising the 2Step sound and Craig David. 2Step is a Garage hybrid sound

'Turn The Page' and 'Stay Positive' are absolute bangers.

KZfaq has been trying to make me watch this for a month, and I'm glad i finally did! Great to see some Americans appreciating this tune. IMO one of the most important tunes for my generation.

The Streets were a huge thing back in the day. This is nostalgia at his very best. My favourite track is "the Irony of it all" I would absolutely melt if you reacted to this nostalgic Classic. The most British song ever looool.

When this track (and the album Original Pirate Material) came out, I was living in urban Birmingham in the Midlands (the UKs second city). I was DJing for fun in the evenings and at weekends at parties, and although I did a lot of house and trance, tracks like this struck a chord with how I saw the city and how I felt, even though I didn't live in the kind of estates that inspired the music, and I often played a lot of UK Garage 2 step. But Mike Skinner was from Birmingham originally so I was seeing the areas that influenced him. The whole album is packed with tracks that evoke a level of nostalgia that I can almost taste, having lived some of the life described in it, but a lot of it is peculiarly British and of it's time. Still got this track on 12 inch vinyl and I still love the album now. Also the second album, A Grand Don't Come For Free, is a brilliant bit of story telling. Skinner has been recognised and mentioned many times by arts critics as a poet and story teller, one of the few contemporary artists of that time that crossed from popular music to serious arty acclaim without even meaning to. Finally, gentlemen, a true English Breakfast has beans, no arguments.

Youll notice that in kanos 60mins live, he shouted out mike skinner (the streets) and borrowed a few bars. Skinner and kano are boys, and have done tracks together, back in the day. Look at Kano ft the streets 'Nite Nite'........ its a slightly commercial track by them, but it shows mike skinners producing skills, and he always cameos in videos that he has a hand in...... he crops up in kanos 'Ps and Qs' for a swift bump. The main problem with 'the streets' is that the music is very UK related, there will be many references which youll not grasp throughout all of their albums. But the 'Original pirate material' album and 'A grand dont come for free' album are epic, and tell a story ... they are well worth a full album reaction.!!! Keep up the good work guys.

The Streets were huge in the early 2000s...their first album "Original Pirate Material" was like nothing heard before...it has some top tunes on it....their 2nd album "A Grand Dont Come For Free" is definitely one you should do a whole album reaction too...the whole album is a story and is 🔥..."Empty Cans" is a absolute banger Another track by The Streets I'd recommend is "3 Minutes To Midnight" which they dropped last year...its probably not their best track...but will introduce you to Manga Saint Hilare who's another OG who is slept on

You really need to check the whole full albums "original pirate material2 is a classic but "a grand dont come for free2 is a masterpiece....tells a a full story during the course of the album.

My boy Court was FEELIN that beat, rightly so! I love you's guys' reactions. Found you a few months ago on a JME binge, been here sever since. You're the best rap reaction channel for my money. Congratulations on 100k, here's to 1 mil! Some other Streets tracks you NEED to check out: Let's Push Things Forward- THIS ONE FOR SURE Blinded By The Lights Fit But You Know It (fit is UK slang for sexy, beautiful etc.) Don't Mug Yourself (don't screw yourself over basically) Tbh there's a LOT of Cockney/British slang in Mike Skinner's lyrics, so best of luck with that! 😂 With love from Northern England :)

Mike wrote one of the best 'concept' albums. It's called 'a grand don't come for free'. Its pure 🔥🔥🔥. The last track makes me cry every fucken time.

The streets are great. Remember seeing them on a big festival here in Denmark was awesome. They where pretty big in Denmark

The streets are classic , listen to stay positive from them , amazing tune .

To this day The Streets are still headlining major festivals, Mike Skinner is music industry royalty over here and is one of those artists who is loved and respected by absolutely everyone. You should defo check out more of this!

Original pirate material was his 1st album. Made in his bedroom on his own. Then a grand dont come for free came out and changed the game in the uk. Mike skinner is a legend!!!

The "A grand don't come for free" album is the soundtrack to a lot of British adults younger years. The song "Could well be in" brings back the most vivid memories of me and one of my best mates floating around in his car, just after passing his test, rapping along every word as the street lights flash by at night.

This was a hard one for you lads reacting to this cause Mike Skinner created his own entire lane & sub genre, you hit the nail on the head saying it’s written like poetry a lot of his stuff is almost spoken word but over jungle & garage beats it had never been done like this before or after really!! if you didn’t grow up on a UK council estate as a teenager in the early to mid 00s a lot of the album is gonna go way over your head but it’s worth delving into to get the full message. Tracks like week become heroes take you on a journey trust me, for me as a 16/17 year old when ‘Original Pirate Material’ dropped it encapsulated my life at the time, chilling with the boys then going garage/d&b raves, meeting birds, waking up go to the greasy spoon for a full English, smoking weed on the estate. It really defined a generation! The album is considered by all who lived it a true Classic! He even says in a lyric ‘Cult Classic not best seller’ Fair play for dipping into The Streets cause it ain’t for everyone & for Americans I’d imagine this to be a hard listen! Check out Weak become Heroes Let’s push things Forward & the second album ‘grand don’t come for free’ has some bangers

Mike Skinner is an actual genius. The second album is unbelivable. Full of bangers and sick bars but it's also a concept album with a really strong story and a hugely emotional closer.

When you talk about the music being 'two step' , correct, this was /is part of what's called UK Garage. Within Garage youcan play many varieties of breaks and drum patterns to that tempo. Please check out DJ EZ doing a boiler room live set ( with mc) he is the fave of the scene and incredibly skillful dj, youll be mesmerised by his tricks and drops. So glad you played this track by the streets.

Deep seeded urban decay. That is what you call poetry

The Streets are legendary - So much respect for reacting to this. The first three albums are absolute classics in the UK

lets push things forward , weak become heroes , don't mug yourself, blinded by the lights or Dry your eyes. all bangers!!!!

The streets a grand don't come for free is one of my favourite albums ever

The sound of any 2000s UK city, Original Pirate Material permanent in the top 3 all time albums. Like nothing else when it was released

The street’s recommendation: You need to listen to a grand don’t come for free in order. It tells a story. But for individual songs: dry your eyes mate : absolute anthem about breaking up with your girlfriend. Don’t mug yourself: banger about pulling girls. Weak become heroes : banger about life. Fit bit you know it: absolute anthem about pulling on holiday. Blinded by the lights: anthem about raving on ecstasy Never went to church: about how scared his is because his dad has died. Will make you cry if you’ve lost your parents. Strongest person I know: completely different. More like a love poem. I love you more than you love me: underrated story about not falling in love. If you like the streets you should check out ‘the Mitchell brothers’ and their tracks ‘routine check’ ft Kano and Mike skinner, about getting stopped by the police, ‘Harvey nicks’ about getting racially profiled in a fancy shop and ‘don’t try this at home’. A story about an armed robbery.

I remember hearing this for the first time back in the day and I’d never experienced anything like it. Still a banger

The streets are pure uk 00s vibe when garage was evolving to grime. Give Kano - t shirt weather in the Manor a listen "I've seen innocent summers turn sinister Tempers flare up, violence is imminent Specially posed, fit but you know the Streets video Here we go, it was all good just a week ago Seems like yesterday we was one people Ten man onstage back to back, bare reloads Ayia Napa weather, quarter lengths" 🔥

Mike Skinner captures in minute detail the observations that we have all lived through. 'Has It Come To This?' and 'Weak Become Heroes' are this in microcosm. Genius.

streets classic , his whole second album is a story if you listen to it in order

I often wish I hadn't discovered The Streets so I could hear it all for the first time. 'A grand don't come for free' is probably the best album when you're walking in Berlin, sitting on the tube in London or waiting at Penn Station in the rush hour. Bloody brilliant!

This whole album is soul food. Mike is a freaking legend 🙌🏼💛

All these suggestions in comments are 🔥... The Streets are an icon of British culture, and Mike Skinner is a genius, we're very proud of him over here... New album just out but you HAVE to do some back catalogue 🔊🔊🇬🇧🔊🔊

Raaaaasssss!!! This just brought back memories!! Seen them live once in Manchester. Had the best time! I do miss the old days!! 🖤 this!! Ps Free the people! Free the world! ✊🏿🌍🇨🇩🇭🇹🇾🇪🇸🇩🇵🇸🇱🇧

Them beans stay exactly where they are!

I saw these guys at Reading festival many years ago & they had the crowd bouncing even though it was raining like mad.. was epic.. 😊

I'm an indie/rock fan but Original Pirate Material is still in my top 10 albums of all time.

YOOOOOOOO THE STREETS

The Mitchell brothers - alone with the TV The Mitchell brothers - smart bastard The Mitchell brothers - don't try this at home Album was produced by mike Skinner (the streets) those tracks are just really worth a listen boys.

Takes me back. Good, good times. ❤

moments can change the whole thing!

Mike skinner and the streets are so well respected by the artists and the fans. They’re one of a kind and the sound of my teenage years 😅 he’s a lyrical genius. Good mates with Kano too and you’ll see him in the ps and qs video briefly. Kane also references him in his freestyles many times ❤ too many good songs to mention just listen to them all 🙌🏼

This was late 99-early 200’s the streets were huge . Completely different to anything ever and since

all time UK classic

The streets 1st album is one of the beat albums ever.

I remember the first time i heard this lads, friday night Pete Tong on radio one dropped it and luckily for me i had a cassette in recording the show. I rinsed the life out of that tape in the car! The whole albums the very definition of a classic and some of the b- sides of the 12" singles releases were absolute ukgarage / 2step bangers, check out dont mug yourself ( the big$hot remix) .

Mike Skinner aka The Streets has written probably the most poetically intelligent lyrics with incredible matching beats. Noone in the world has come close to doing it with this level of consistency. The music is best enjoyed by listening to each album, in order, start to finish.

Spent 4 years in the Royal Navy living in Plymouth and Portsmouth in the early 2000s and The Streets were the soundtrack to that time.....a mad, mad time 😝

As mentioned multiple times blinded by the lights is a must

You guys just made my day fr!!! The Streets was on another level. The music, the lyrics, the vibe... The first 2 albums are no-skips I feel. If ya keep on doing The Streets, the second album NEEDS yo be heard in order as it is a most marvelous story from start to finish. You will see why Ren calls him an inspiration! (Just like Stromae you won't regret)

Original pirate material is one of my all time favorite albums. Not a bad track on that entire project. Super surprised to hear it here. Awesome.

Geezers Need Excitement is a great one to react to. Perfectly sums up that tension after a night out when you are getting food and things can kick off into violence!

get down this rabbit hole. The streets are a real representation of our culture during the early 00’s. Talks and takes all about what was happening during that time. Vocals on this first album all recorded in his wardrobe with a mattress propped up in it to stop the echo

My favourite streets song is ‘empty cans’ it’s about 9 minutes long and it’s one long story about a bloke with a broken tv

Court is going to love checking out more from The Streets (Mike Skinner).

Original Pirate Material album is like a prologue to the main book, the main book being A Grand Dont Come for Free. Listening to these 2 albums is a bit like listening to Mikes biography of his life before fame.

What a walk down memory lane this was……this album hit hard when it was released…. I had an SR Nova with a sound system 😂 the album has aged well but really was of its time 🕰️ ❤❤❤ love your shows fellas, great energy 💯🔥❤️👊🏻

One of his gigs is like going to a party round his house

Well worth digging further into the streets, so many classics!!!

It’s about time! Now you have to go down the rabbit hole

SO MANY Tracks on his Debut album - Original Pirate Material defined the early 2000s. He does this poetry stuff and makes proper garage bangers too.

My pal Gary Sykes used to walk out to the streets when he fought, they stuck him on the list when they played Leeds which was nice of him.

Boys this Album is my illmatic. I’m so glad to see you listen to the streets, always been grossly underrated especially abroad I remember playing the album to a Canadian pal and he lost his mind, this album needs listening through start to finish! keep up the good work i set up an account to sub and comment as i always watch your reviews of old uk music. You should have a look at wiley and skepta westwood freestyles

Wish i could hear the streets for the first time again

More streets reactions please gents. Such a lush tune lads but they were pioneers of their day and they are mustard. May I recommend the streets weak become heroes. If you’re enjoying the lyrical story telling and two step then this will pay dividends to your musical soul.

I think you guys would really enjoy The Streets track "Let's Push Things Forward", such a tune although Mike Skinner has so many great tunes, lol. Quintessentially British in sound. Mike Skinner's (The Streets) new album "The Darker the Shadow, the Brighter the Light" (it was released the same time as Ren's) is incredible too by the way. It's one of my favourite recent albums to be honest. There are so many incredible tracks on the album which are yet to make their way on to YT, but "Each Day Gives" is up and it is such a vibe with typical Mike Skinner witticisms. Worth checking out, for sure, but I would also highly recommend just getting the whole album! It is also a movie (the tracks on the album are basically the soundtrack for Mike Skinner's own movie he made of the same name) but I haven't seen it anywhere yet since it's limited release in UK cinema's last year unfortunately. Keep an eye out for it if you can though.