MC Tunes

Born Nicholas Lockett in Manchester, England, the rapper first gained notice through partnerships with the city’s electronic act 808 State before guesting on the track “Juicebox” by A Guy Called Gerald, himself an ex-member of that group. On his own releases, however, Tunes displayed an unfortunate knack for inflating his gifts; the boast “This is a concept of exceptional musical talent,” delivered on the single “Primary Rhyming,” proved unfounded. His only album benefited from robust production supplied by 808 State, yet its aggressive accounts of urban brutality and substance abuse never coalesced. While the former collective advanced to wider success, their one-time collaborator slipped into neglect. In the middle of the decade MC Tunes resurfaced alongside the Manchester outfit Dust Junkies, a quartet whose sound leaned toward guitars and which secured a deal with Polydor Records in 1996.