Manga Saint Hilare ft: Kamakaze - Exercise (Official Video)
Grime linchpin Manga Saint Hilare releases new single ‘Exercise’ featuring Kamakaze and producer MoreNight. Capturing the essence of the golden era of a genre personal to both artists, ‘Exercise’ fuses potent flows, punchlines and wordplay rounded off with a boastful chorus completing the Grime masterclass. The futuristic beat from MoreNight sits at the foundation of the collaboration which sees two MCs trade verses to form a grimy cut that could’ve been built in another galaxy. Having flexed his artistic range in his recent club-ready banger, ‘U Be U’, Manga firmly rests on familiar grounds to reassure us that everything is under control.
“This was one of the first songs we created for the upcoming project. I’d never worked with Kam before this but was always a fan of his wordplay and delivery. We created a very sick, sonically exciting grime riddim.”
From the moment he shelled the standout verse on Roll Deep’s 2005 anthem ‘When I’m Ere’ - one of grime’s most impactful, instantly recognisable cuts - Manga Saint Hilare’s name has been synonymous with the game-changing genre. His career has spanned nearly two decades and has been redefined by a slew of increasingly innovative, deeply personal releases, which began in 2017 with ‘Outbursts From The Outskirts’. With that redefinition has come recognition: Manga received a MOBO nomination for Best Grime Act in 2022; he toured his critically acclaimed ‘Run For Your Life’ album, culminating in a sold-out headline show at London’s iconic Jazz Cafe; his collaboration with Jelani Blackman - ‘Maybe Not’ - featured on the Fifa 23 soundtrack, bringing millions of new ears to his music; he’s gone global too, shelling down the stage at Prague’s Frontline Festival in June, and attending the Klasgame tournament in Finland; and he’s taken to the airwaves as a co-presenter on Sian Anderson’s Radio 1Xtra show. Since his artistic rebirth in 2017, personal themes have been at the core of Manga’s work, so the birth of his daughter in April provides the emotional centrepiece of his upcoming project.
Kamazake has been at the forefront of Leicester’s Grime renaissance since breaking out in 2017. Whilst successfully juggling his career playing professional football for Dagenham & Redbridge, last month, Kama released his debut album ‘L.O.A.’ As well as continuing his residency with BBC 1Xtra, Manga recently appeared on a special episode of HC Podcast, discussing personal, cultural and global topics. With his full focus and energy going into his upcoming project, Manga is readying himself for exciting announcements in the new year.