"Routine Check" is the debut single by British hip hop duo
the Mitchell Brothers
The Mitchell Brothers were a Ghanaians in the United Kingdom, Ghanaian British Rapping, rap duo from London, England, consisting of cousins Owura "Tony" Nyanin from Manor Park, London, Manor Park and Kofi "Teddy" Hanson from Stockwell. They w ...
, featuring
Kano
Kano may refer to:
Places
*Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria
*Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State
** Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries
** Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom betwee ...
and
the Streets
The Streets is an English musical project led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner (musician), Mike Skinner. The project was founded in the early 90s, while Skinner was still a teenager; however, no music would formally eventuat ...
. It was their highest-charting single, peaking at No. 42 on the
UK Singles Chart in March 2005.
Theme
The song is a defiant response
to the perceived racism
of the
UK Police
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most law enforcement duties are carried out by police, police constables of ...
's "
stop and search Stop and search or Stop and frisk is a term used to describe the powers of the police to search a person, place or object without first making an arrest.
Examples in specific jurisdictions include:
* in England and Wales
* in Scotland
* Terry stop ...
" policy.
In 2012, Tony Mitchell said that the song summed him up as an artist and that the song was about a real situation in that many youngsters had to deal with such police interactions. He said that he wanted people "to like it, for them to like the funny side of it, but understand the seriousness of it as well. At that time with a lot of artists it was cool to be macho, but bringing that wit and humour for me was important."
Critical reception
Critical reception was mixed. John Murphy of musicOMH said the song was "the Mitchells at their most incendiary", arguing that the song could potentially be the British version of
NWA's "
Fuck tha Police
"Fuck tha Police" is a protest song by American hip hop group N.W.A that appears on the 1989 album ''Straight Outta Compton'' as well as on the ''N.W.A's Greatest Hits'' compilation. The lyrics protest police brutality and racial profiling ...
" and that "a whole generation of black youths" would be able to identify with it.
About the featured artists on the song, he commented: "The appearance of both Mike Skinner and Grime's latest rising star Kano gives the track added prestige."
Hattie Collins of ''The Guardian'' felt that the Mitchells' contribution to the track was inferior to Kano's contribution: "their flat flow, perhaps meant to lend a more authentic feel, serves only to make them all the more monotonous".
Aftermath
In an interview with ''
Music Week
''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future.
History
Founded in 1959 as ''Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music We ...
'',
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...
revealed that he had played the song "to death", and as a result was inspired to record "
Dickhead", a hidden track on his ninth studio album, ''
Rudebox
''Rudebox'' is the seventh studio album by the English singer Robbie Williams, released by Chrysalis Records on 23 October 2006 in the United Kingdom. A breakaway from previous releases, Williams worked with a variety of producers, including Ma ...
''.
References
{{reflist
2004 songs
2004 debut singles
British hip-hop songs