Unorthodox

Album: Black and White (2011)
Charted: 2
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the second single released by the Grime MC Wretch 32 after signing with Ministry Of Sound record, and his follow-up to his Top 5 UK hit "Traktor."
  • The song features the Pop rapper Example. Wretch told RWD Magazine how he ended up recording this song with the Kickstarts singer: "We bumped into each other on quite a few tours and at a few, he's a cool guy and I respect what he's doing, he makes incredible songs. It's always nice when a rapper and someone like Example collaborate, because we kind of bring two worlds together, we're both respected in our scenes. I'm really chuffed that he came through and did the chorus for me man."
  • The song samples Stone Rose's classic 1989 hit single "Fools Gold." Wretch explained to RWD Magazine why he chose to sample this particular track: "For those that know about music they'll know they were one of the coolest groups they're like what Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher look up to."

    He added: "I just remember hearing that sample when I was younger and remembering how everyone reacted to it, it was so cool you know what I mean, it was edgy and I kind of wanted to emulate a British sounding record so I thought it would be great if we could get something like that cleared. So we recorded it obviously they sent it through to Ian Brown and the rest of the guys and the political side and they were really feeling what we done with it and was like yeah good to go so yeah that's how it come about."
  • Example told RWD Magazine about their collaboration: "I wanted to do a tune with Wretch, I love the beat, I love the title 'Unorthodox' the song was already called 'Unorthodox' before I read the chorus so I just wanted to tie in all of those elements which is all about thinking positive if you're an outsider, you're a bit different, then you know don't worry be proud of your Unorthodox-ness."
  • The video was directed by Ben Newman, who also helmed the clip for "Traktor." He told RWD Magazine: "I really wanted to do a video that celebrated individuals but not only in music; in dance and in their ambition so this video is basically a portrait of youth and subcultures and it just so happens we're in London, I think that it will represent people from other places around the world hopefully."

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