The Streets is an English rap music project headed by vocalist Mike Skinner. As tensions surrounding the pandemic in the United Kingdom diminishes ever so slightly, Skinner, as The Streets, rejoices the liberating feeling with new single “Who’s Got the Bag (21st June).”
The new tune is an inventive blend of different UK house music elements. With its patent high hats and whirling electronic chords, there is a definite danceability to the track. While the lyrics are poised to do the same, they also have a wry afterglow to them. Skinner chants, “First in the room, thirsting from noon, herbalist fumes, where’s me balloon/ Curse off the zoom, bursting? We boom, first in the room.”
On the context of “Who’s Got the Bag (21st June)” Skinner said via a press release, “It’s been too long since I’ve been behind some decks, or on a stage, in a tour bus sleeping in a bunk. The moment we can do it we want to be the rave and we will. It’s also about hospitality, events and nightclubs not being able to take anymore. It’s a protest song, it’s saying, don’t change the date on us again! FIRST IN THE ROOM. 21 June.”
The track is the first release from The Streets since the critically acclaimed mixtape None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive last year, which charted at Number 2 in the UK Official Album Charts.