panafrica
10-28-2005, 10:40 AM
South London's So Solid Crew - made up of more than 20 DJs, producers and vocalists - has repeatedly found itself in the media spotlight since bursting onto the music scene in 2000.
Its mixture of R&B, hip-hop and ragga sounds helped secure the group three Mobo awards in 2001, along with a number one hit single, 21 Seconds.
But rap music itself has come under fire and has been linked to gun crime by commentators.
After several violent incidents, So Solid Crew found themselves being referred to as a "notorious rap group", under headlines such as "Gun police called to So Solid trouble".
In 2001 an 18-year-old fan was beaten to death in the street after a performance in Luton. Two months later band member Neutrino was shot in the leg during a scuffle in London.
Tour cancelled
But it was after the double shooting at the Astoria club in central London in October 2001, at a birthday party for one of the garage collective's members, that the really damaging publicity began.
Although other acts were performing that night, David Samuel, from So Solid's former management agency ASM, remembers the headlines.
"They called it the 'So Solid shooting' - but [the band] were on stage at the time, they were as oblivious as anyone else as to what was going on," he told the BBC News website.
Due to safety fears tours were cancelled against the band's wishes.
'Macho idiot rappers'
"They lost a lot of money, but it was a lot worse than that, it cost them getting on to the next level because they couldn't perform anywhere," said Mr Samuel.
Some felt rap music in general was being made a scapegoat for escalating gun violence.
Culture Minister Kim Howells commented that "macho idiot rappers" had helped create "a culture where killing is almost a fashion accessory" while then Home Secretary David Blunkett condemned the "appalling" violence in some rap lyrics.
But the behaviour of some of the group's own members exacerbated their woes.
Darren Weir broke a schoolgirl fan's jaw after a concert in Cardiff in December 2000.
Ashley Walters, aka "Asher D", was sent to a young offenders' institution for possessing an illegal gun and just over a year before executive producer Jason "G-Man" Phillips was jailed for possessing a loaded handgun.
However fellow band member Shane "Kaish" Neil was cleared of all charges - his solicitor said he had been a victim of the "recent hysteria about drugs, guns, rap music and black youth culture which sought to demonise So Solid Crew in particular".
It is an analysis with which Mr Samuel agrees.
"Kaish is one of the most peaceful, loveable guys you could ever hope to meet. He was actually totally freaked by the whole thing," he told the BBC News website.
"They [the newspapers] never cover the good things - they did a Solid Love Tour about gun amnesties and disarming, they never mentioned the stuff they did for really good causes, [the band] just seemed to be pretty good scapegoats at the time.
"I don't think I have seen anyone demonised as much since the Sex Pistols."
So Solid members continued to try to rehabilitate their image. After his release, Asher D was among those who joined the Home Office-backed Disarm campaign, urging others to learn from his mistakes.
But with the conviction of Carl Morgan, a producer with So Solid Crew, for murdering a love rival, the group are now back in the headlines.
The group's controversial lyrics came under scrutiny in the courtroom during his trial.
This year another band member, Michael Junior Harvey, was ordered to do 150 hours of community service for assaulting a police officer. He expressed remorse and pointed out he was not the first celebrity to get into trouble.
"I will get on with my community punishment and get back to reality," he said outside court.
"I have learned my lesson and it is a bad example to kids. You live and learn, everyone makes mistakes in life."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4352956.stm
Its mixture of R&B, hip-hop and ragga sounds helped secure the group three Mobo awards in 2001, along with a number one hit single, 21 Seconds.
But rap music itself has come under fire and has been linked to gun crime by commentators.
After several violent incidents, So Solid Crew found themselves being referred to as a "notorious rap group", under headlines such as "Gun police called to So Solid trouble".
In 2001 an 18-year-old fan was beaten to death in the street after a performance in Luton. Two months later band member Neutrino was shot in the leg during a scuffle in London.
Tour cancelled
But it was after the double shooting at the Astoria club in central London in October 2001, at a birthday party for one of the garage collective's members, that the really damaging publicity began.
Although other acts were performing that night, David Samuel, from So Solid's former management agency ASM, remembers the headlines.
"They called it the 'So Solid shooting' - but [the band] were on stage at the time, they were as oblivious as anyone else as to what was going on," he told the BBC News website.
Due to safety fears tours were cancelled against the band's wishes.
'Macho idiot rappers'
"They lost a lot of money, but it was a lot worse than that, it cost them getting on to the next level because they couldn't perform anywhere," said Mr Samuel.
Some felt rap music in general was being made a scapegoat for escalating gun violence.
Culture Minister Kim Howells commented that "macho idiot rappers" had helped create "a culture where killing is almost a fashion accessory" while then Home Secretary David Blunkett condemned the "appalling" violence in some rap lyrics.
But the behaviour of some of the group's own members exacerbated their woes.
Darren Weir broke a schoolgirl fan's jaw after a concert in Cardiff in December 2000.
Ashley Walters, aka "Asher D", was sent to a young offenders' institution for possessing an illegal gun and just over a year before executive producer Jason "G-Man" Phillips was jailed for possessing a loaded handgun.
However fellow band member Shane "Kaish" Neil was cleared of all charges - his solicitor said he had been a victim of the "recent hysteria about drugs, guns, rap music and black youth culture which sought to demonise So Solid Crew in particular".
It is an analysis with which Mr Samuel agrees.
"Kaish is one of the most peaceful, loveable guys you could ever hope to meet. He was actually totally freaked by the whole thing," he told the BBC News website.
"They [the newspapers] never cover the good things - they did a Solid Love Tour about gun amnesties and disarming, they never mentioned the stuff they did for really good causes, [the band] just seemed to be pretty good scapegoats at the time.
"I don't think I have seen anyone demonised as much since the Sex Pistols."
So Solid members continued to try to rehabilitate their image. After his release, Asher D was among those who joined the Home Office-backed Disarm campaign, urging others to learn from his mistakes.
But with the conviction of Carl Morgan, a producer with So Solid Crew, for murdering a love rival, the group are now back in the headlines.
The group's controversial lyrics came under scrutiny in the courtroom during his trial.
This year another band member, Michael Junior Harvey, was ordered to do 150 hours of community service for assaulting a police officer. He expressed remorse and pointed out he was not the first celebrity to get into trouble.
"I will get on with my community punishment and get back to reality," he said outside court.
"I have learned my lesson and it is a bad example to kids. You live and learn, everyone makes mistakes in life."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4352956.stm