 |
| |
|
| |
Interview
by SashaS
21-12-2001
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| So Solid Crew |
|
Suss, Style and TT’s
So Solid Crew are numerous, bad muthas who might influence kids with their outlaw-raps; is Blair aware?
It looked like So Solid Crew appeared out of nowhere with ’21 Seconds’ to top the singles charts but several underground years are behind them. The fact was recognized few weeks later when they won two MOBO Awards for Best Newcomer and Best Garage Act. They follow it with a new single and an album; both entitled ‘They Don’t Know’, during this month.
The 30-strong ‘family’ hail from South London where they all work on different solo projects and under the umbrella of SSC to built a mini-business-empire that includes labels, distribution, PR and promoting ‘raves’. That makes the oft-comparison with an American collective even more valid, often called ‘the British Wu-Tang Clan’. They also share a chequered past, are named after cartoon-like character – Megaman, G-Man, Dandaman, Lisa Maffia – and claim to be real as far as the streetlife is concerned.
The street-credibility is based on a large sheet of illegal activities, gun charges and the latest shootings at the private-party-cum-show at London’s Astoria to celebrate Romeo’s 21st birthday. There is an air of violence around the crew and it is based on Megaman’s incarceration spell, Ashley D’s charges of gun possession and threat to kill; gun charges also hang over Neutrino (of Oxide & N., part of the collective as well as solo hit-makers), there were fight-involvements that required Asher and Harvey (stabbed in Ayia Napa last year) to have 29 stitches between them. Skat D got convicted for GBH (broken jaw) of a 16-year-old.
This street-activity is causing concern among the ones who get concerned about kids getting exposed to a renegade clout…
“Of course it does,” MC Mac says proudly from behind his cloud of puff, “people know that you’ve lived the life and you know what you are singing about. It’s not only pretending, it is real, as real as this day is. We have had experiences outside the law and it is a fact; we are not proud of it but it is there and there is nothing we can do to change it. But, not many people would dare mess with us…”
Gel-a-spell
The multi-numbered crew certainly has some history behind them and continue to break the law (for time being) by rolling and burning blunts during the interview. We managed to talk with four members, of five present in the South Kensington hotel, all as different as one can imagine: Megaman is a true leader with an aura of authority about him, Lisa Maffia is a diva-in-waiting, MC Mac is laid-back and so ‘kushed’ it affects his hearing, with Skat D so softly spoken that almost as much static as the actual voice ends on the tape.
The way things work out is that Lisa will be promoted by media and embraced by general public as the face/sex symbol while the rest of them will have to live in the shadow of Miss Maffia…
“I don’t expect anything like that to happen,” Lisa states with charm of an ice-queen, “but if it does, I don’t think I’ll have any problem with it; I think the best way is to remain yourself and carry on as normal and not let it become an issue.
“Lisa is one of a kind,” Skat D adds from his reclined poise, “she is in category of her own. Mega calls her a ‘24-carat diamond’.”
Flawed social forces…
SSC talk a lot about being REAL which is countered by Lisa’s claim that Audi TT is the only mode of transport: “I wouldn’t be seen in anything else. Megaman too…”
“They are our family cars, the TT’s are,” Megaman gets business-like, “We love them, all the members and most of the people in the family have got one. We should have been allowed a bulk-buy, discount but – nothing, full price. They are lovely cars, the coolest and we wouldn’t be seen in anything else.”
They’ll obviously have a convoy of tour busses instead to take them around on the December tour and then, SSC plan to work with Kelis on their next project.
“How do you know this!?,” MC Mac almost screams. “That’s supposed to be a secret!”
Explaining that Kelis told me herself I make my excuses and run for the lift. (And to my TT, of course!)
Tour dates:
05 December – UEA, Norwich
06 December – University, Cardiff
07 December – De Montford University, Leicester
09 December – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
11 December – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
12 December – University, Leeds
13 December – Royal Court, Liverpool
14 December – Academy, Manchester
16 December – Guildhall, Southampton
17 December – Leas Cliffe Hotel, Folkstone
18 December – Astoria, London
Stop press
The final date on So Solid Crew’s forthcoming UK tour has been pulled by London’s Astoria Theatre. The December 18 show will not go ahead in an apprent reaction to two men being shot recently during Romeo’s 21st birthday party at the venue.
An alternative venue is currently being looked for by the band and ticket holders are advised to hold onto their tickets.
ALL DATES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED - see News for full story
SashaS
21-12-2001
So Solid Crew’s album ‘They Don’t Know’ is released 19 November 2001 on Restless (Sony internationally)
|
|
|
