The Streets’ Mike Skinner has shared a video on YouTube, documenting the creative process behind his new single ‘How to Win at Rock Paper Scissors’, released February 21. Made available as an independent release from Mike Skinner Ltd, the track marks the group’s first new music of 2025, their last effort being 2024’s ‘fabric presents The Streets (Mixed)’ – a compilation album of never-heard-before Skinner tracks, produced for London club and label, Fabric.
The behind-the-scenes video follows Skinner for approximately twelve minutes, taking viewers through the various stages of the song’s creation, from concept to its finished form. Released the same day of the new single’s debut, ‘the making of ‘how to win at rock paper scissors’’ features many locations, seeing the British musician penning lyrics whilst on a boat, at the pub, in his bedroom, at the studio, among other settings.
The single itself replicates the traditional sound of The Streets, featuring Skinner’s signature spoken-word rap style over a steady tempo and piano jazz. The track also spotlights sonic contributions from Kevin Mark Trail, longtime vocalist for The Streets, singing the catchy refrain: “Winners will repeat themselves, losers want to change.” As the track’s title would suggest, the song is about the strategies behind winning the game, as opposed to any deep philosophical meaning. In Skinner’s own words, as said on the video: “If you win at Rock Paper Scissors, statistically you’re more likely to play the same again. And if you lose, statistically you won’t play that again, because statistically you’ve got to do something else. So, this is basically a way that you can – it’s like a rule.”
Neither a solo artist nor a band, The Streets are a musical project led by Birmingham-native Mike Skinner, making waves in the British music scene since the early 2000s. Blending genres within the alt space, such as UK garage, R&B, and electronic, The Streets rose to prominence following the release of their debut album ‘Original Pirate Material’ (2002), featuring hit singles ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’ and ‘Turn the Page’, earning Skinner both Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations for the following year. Their most notable track ‘Fit But You Know It’ (2004) is often cited as The Streets’ crossover to the mainstream, solidifying them as one of the UK’s most well-known music acts. The track reached charted at #4 on the Official UK charts, with its accompanying album ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ (2004) charting at #1, making it their most popular release to date.
Listen to ‘How to Win at Rock Paper Scissors’ now.
