Streets, the (1978– )

English popular music artist, producer, and MC. His original sound blends garage beats with rap, adding samples of orchestra music and slow rhythms. Like Eminem in the USA, his dark, anguished sound and highly colloquial lyrics appeal to teenagers. His albums include Original Pirate Material (2001) and A Grand Don't Come for Free (2004).

His outlook is distinctly British, reflecting popular culture and providing social commentary on contemporary, urban British youth. Though his lyrics incorporate British vocabulary and reflect British culture, his universal themes involving the plight of the young urban working class have also appealed to a US audience.

He was brought up in Birmingham and north London. While working in fast food restaurants, he began to cut his own singles at the age of 15 and attempted to start his own record label. He spent a year travelling in Australia before returning to London to pursue his career in music. His first release was ‘Has it Come to This?’ (2000) for the Locked On label, which reached the top 20 in the British charts.