The Streets is still pushing his debut album forward in America, but in his homeland the British rapper is ready to move on.

Mike Skinner, as the MC is otherwise known, is about halfway through the follow-up to his acclaimed Original Pirate Material (see "Top U.K. Rapper Admits British Hip-Hop Invasion Unlikely").

"It's a bit older and a bit more eclectic sounding," Skinner said of the new material, which he plans to finish by summer. "It's still the Streets and there's still garage in it, but it's classic hip-hop-sounding."

Since Original Pirate Material was released in the States a year ago, Skinner has fielded collaboration requests from Outkast and other rappers, but on his second album, like his first, there will be no guests.

"I've got a lot of American idols, like Redman and Nas, but I don't think they would totally fit into what I'm doing," he explained. "I think the whole concept of the Streets is quite personal, so it's hard to get other people to write and have the same vision on each track."

Meanwhile, the Streets will continue to hit the streets of America behind his first record, touring and releasing a second single, most likely "Has It Come to This?," his first U.K. single and video.

"We're a lot tighter now as a band," Skinner said of his live show, which he first took overseas in the fall. "I do draw on hip-hop more than any other style, and that's what I listen to, but I don't think hip-hop is really designed to be live. We do it more as like a punk band."

The Streets tour dates, according to his publicist:

  • 3/17 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
  • 3/19 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
  • 3/20 - Boston, MA @ Paradise
  • 3/22 - Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park (Ultra Music Festival)