In 1996, Skitz released a single "Where My Mind Is At" with
Roots Manuva, which launched both of their careers, being noticed in both the hip hop and jazz scenes, as well as by
Gilles Peterson and
Patrick Forge. The track was sampled by
Dallas Austin on
Monica's track "Gone be Fine" on her 1998 album,
The Boy Is Mine. In 2000 he released "Dedication" featuring Rodney P rapping and the DJ, Deckwrecka; the single went on to win the best single at the UK Hip Hop awards in 2000. in the
British Hip Hop genre. Skitz told
Billboard magazine that the album reflected his rural upbringing and that it "helps define the simplistic life most of us strive for". and the DJs Tony Vegas and Primecuts from the
Scratch Perverts. The beats on the album were described as "a distinctive blend of breakbeat funk, jungle and reggae". Roots Manuva's "Inner City Folk" was based around a chorus sung by Valerie Ettiene from the
acid jazz group
Galliano. In June 2001,
The Face ran a feature, including Skitz, which stated that there was a renaissance in British Hip Hop. In July 2001, the
Los Angeles Times reported on how after 15 years of British rappers mimicking their American counterparts, they had recently created their own style. Skitz was introduced in the article as a "prominent British hip-hop DJ" and in it he discussed why British Hip Hop had not been successful before and how it was different from American Hip Hop. Later that year,
Countryman was named the best UK Hip Hop album at the UK Hip Hop awards and Estelle was awarded best female Hip Hop artist for her performance on the album. This was at a time that there was an "astonishing increase in the numbers of great UK rap records being released". ==Album discography==