New Flesh

New Flesh first came together in 1990, yet a decade passed before the outfit delivered any full-length album; once that record appeared, they rapidly established themselves as leading figures in British rap, matching the originality and innovation of their Big Dada labelmate Roots Manuva. Initially assembled under the name New Flesh for Old, the lineup featured York native and graffiti artist Part 2, also known as Keith Hopewell, together with rappers Toastie Tailor from Grenada, Horny Baker, and Out of Order. A handful of live appearances took place during the first half of the nineties, after which the group issued its debut single, “This Is the Space Age,” on the independent New Flesh Music imprint in 1995. The follow-up track “Mesopotamia” arrived the next year, earning both favorable reviews and inclusion on DJ Vadim’s Organised Sound compilation. By this point the roster had settled into Part 2, Toastie Tailor, and Birmingham-born newcomer Juice Aleem, who began releasing material on Big Dada with the 1997 Electronic Bombardment EP. Their first album, Equilibriums, surfaced in 1999, while the 2002 sequel Understanding underscored their growing prominence through collaborations with Roots Manuva and Ty, Blackalicious’ Gift of Gab, Antipop’s Beans, and hip-hop pioneer Rammellzee. A stretch of reduced activity ensued, even as each member pursued separate projects; Part 2, in particular, assembled the production album Live from the Breadline featuring various rappers and vocalists. The original trio resurfaced in mid-2006 under the New Flesh name with Universally Dirty, showcasing their innovative fusion of bashment, dancehall, and old-school rap.