MANAGE

Manage – Artist | Producer | Founder of LAB79
Manage is a South East London–born MC and producer whose journey through UK hip hop spans more than two decades. Emerging in the mid-90s, he first made his mark in cyphers and open mic circuits across London and Plymouth, building a reputation from the ground up with raw lyricism and commanding stage presence.
After early work with crews like Murder One, he returned to London and became a key figure in the underground scene, later forming Expect No Mercy alongside CLG, Kope, DX, Physics and DJ Snuff—earning recognition through relentless live performances despite limited access to studio resources.
His recording career took off when he linked with Defcon Records, releasing his debut single I Realise with DJ Blood1. The record gained national radio support from Radio 1 and Kiss FM and received coverage in Hip Hop Connection and Mixmag, marking his arrival on a wider stage. He followed this with his debut LP Early Life Crisis, a deeply personal project shaped by real-life struggles and growth, and an important step in his development as both an artist and producer.
Continuing to build momentum, Manage collaborated with producer Chemo on the single Rise Up (2004), alongside Mics4Life featuring Reveal and Syanyde—further cementing his name in UK hip hop. This led to the release of his critically respected album Live In Protest, produced by Chemo and Beat Butcha, featuring a wide range of UK talent including Lowkey, Doc Brown, Skinnyman, Verb T, Kashmere, Reveal, Syanyde and many more. Released independently with support from DJ Snuff and DJ Steaz, the project solidified his standing as one of the UK’s most recognised underground artists.
During this era, Manage also co-founded the legendary Speakers Corner event in Brixton (Jamm), a cornerstone of London’s hip hop culture, hosting and showcasing some of the most important voices in the scene.
He later formed Chain of Command with Conflix, CLG, Syanyde and Skandal, releasing the politically charged project Rogue State, and continued performing across the UK, including major support slots for international artists such as Saigon.
Another defining chapter came with Caxton Press, alongside Kingpin, Emcee Killa and Amy True. Their album Shame The Devil (2012) was widely acclaimed, winning Album of the Year in Wordplay Magazine and earning a place in the British Library, marking a high point in Manage’s career and a major contribution to UK hip hop.
In later years, Manage continued to evolve creatively—releasing The Memory Hole with Boombap Professionals, forming Code Name Theory with Blitz for the project Sounds About Right (Revorg Records), and dropping his self-produced solo album The Scrap Book, created during the COVID lockdowns.
As a producer, he launched his independent platform LAB79, building a space to release music and develop artists. Through LAB79, he has worked with and released music from artists including Skirmish, Conflix, Teach Em, Apex Zero, Possessed, Reain, Menace Mendoza, Airklipz and Kakarot, alongside visual collaborations with Jack Diggs.
He also released the producer-led compilation Constellations, featuring a wide range of UK artists, and more recently produced the full project God En Man with New York MC Prolific Wone.
Today, Manage focuses on production, recording, and independent releases through LAB79, while continuing to write and perform. With a career rooted in authenticity, resilience, and contribution to the culture, he remains an active and respected figure in UK hip hop.