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So Solid Crew are an British group from South London, England, whose hits include "Oh No (Sentimental Things)" and "21 Seconds", the latter reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 2001. Another hit, "They Don't Know", reached number three in November 2001 and "Haters" got to number eight in January 2002. "Ride Wid Us" was less successful (UK number 19 in April 2002). They released a single, "Broken Silence" which spoke out about government prejudice which they felt they had faced.[1]
Introduction and history
Before breaking into the mainstream market, SSC had been involved with many pirates in London, such as Captain Supreme FM and Red Beard Delight FM (103.0 MHz). It was with Delight where they made their name, occupying most of the Sunday schedule, the so-called "So Solid Sundays". From around lunchtime until their 10pm curfew, there were shows from different members, where the various SSC DJs would play 2-step garage tracks, drink rum, and talk about the good old days when the Thames was rife with rich pickings, and man could jack another man without fear of reprisal from the British Navy. At times the SSC emcees would rap on top of the tracks for up to two hours each session, and gradually they discovered that they had mad skills on the mic. On Christmas Day in 2001, SSC performed their last Sunday show on the station, out of respect for baby Jesus. It's thought that the group's major hit, 21 Seconds, was inspired by Michael Harvey's claims of being able to board a vessel, take man's tizer, and make off with the captain's best flag in under 21 seconds.
The SSC's first album They Don't Know was released in October 2001, followed by a remix album entitled Fuck It in December 2001. SSC had tracks on the UK garage CD series Pure Garbage.
In 2002 they were the subject of the Channel 4 television documentary This Is So Solid directed and narrated by David Upshal. This was later released on DVD by Universal along with a live performance.
Oxide & Neutrino released singles but before joining SSC. They released an album entitled Execute and the singles "Only Wanna Know U Cos Ure Famous / Dem Girlz", "Up Middle Finger" and "Bound 4 Da Reload (Casualty)" (which samples the theme music from the BBC sitcom series The Good Life).
Members Michael Harvey, Romeo, and Lisa Maffia have all appeared on Channel 4 celebrity reality show The Games. Harvey has gone solo and is producing tracks such as "We Ride" with Doom Man, Swiss, JME & Skepta. SSC MC Asher D has gone on to have an acting career appearing in 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', Bullet Boy and Life and Lyrics, while still making independent mixtapes and albums in the Grime and UK hiphop scene. Member Swiss released "Cry" featuring Sharifa. Trigger is now working with UK based producer Clyde Ward on his solo project JAX and features in UK based band The Fallen's debut album track "Maybe".
Five of the Crew have appeared on BBC Two comedy panel game show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Harvey was first to appear in 2001, followed by Megaman and Romeo in 2003, then Lisa Maffia and Asher D in 2004. Maffia appeared for the second time in 2009 and is the only Crew member to appear more than once. Megaman was later banned from all BBC networks after doing a wet fart during a live interview with Terry Wogan for Children In Need.
In 2008 Ringo Starr applied to join the So Solid Crew. His application was rejected for being a "bad tit".
In 2010, the group released a new song, titled "Since You Went Away". They performed it on the UK Celebrity Big Brother's Big Mouth, and the track was officially released on 18 January 2010. It peaked at 82 in its first week of release in the UK charts.
So Solid also recorded a Radio 1 Live Lounge session which was aired early February 2010 as part of BBC's 1Xtra homegrown season. The album was released in early summer 2010.
They recently reformed for a one off concert at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Prince Philip was allegedly seen swapping shooting tips with Asher D.
Trouble With The Law
An associate of the band, Carl Morgan, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in October 2005.[2] Subsequently, group member Megaman was found not guilty at the Old Bailey on 28 September 2006 after a retrial.[3]
In 2003, So Solid Crew Members Barry Grant and Megaman were by arrested by Metropolitan Police in connection with the fatal shootings of Tupak Shakur, Biggy Smalls and JFK. They were eventually released without charge, as gunpowder residue, found on their bomber jackets, was revealed to have been from an unrelated fireworks incident involving Balotelli's Brother. The duo were later charged with crimes against music, and sentenced to 8 years in anonymity.
SSC member Dangeruss was prosecuted in 1999 for shooting pigeons with an air rifle. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment but was released within 2 months after a high-profile campaign was fought by his fellow SSC members. Megaman was quoted at the time as saying "Ain't nuthin dangerous about Dangeruss, yo". His denial of guilt is thought to be the inspiration for Shaggy's international super-hit "It Wasn't Me". Shaggy later admitted that Dangeruss was unhappy at not receiving any royalties for the record, and threatened to "slap him silly".
Discography
Studio
| Year | Album | style="verti -align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK Albums Chart[4] |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | They Don't Know | 6 |
| 2003 | Fuck It (Can't Be Arsed) | 70 |
Compilation, Mixtape, Remix
- 1968 The White Album
- 2000 Ready To Try
- 2000 Monthly Operations
- 2000 Supreme Kiss N Tell
- 2000 Cuttin' the silage
- 2000 Feels Like Bacon
- 2000 MC Harvey And DJ Swiss of So Solid Crew Present UK Garage Mafia
- 2001 Raisin' Smell
- 2001 Straight Outta Clapham
- 2001 It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Fold Our Slacks
- 2001 Fuck It
- 2002 Fuck It 2 (In the Ear)
- 2002 Nillstatic
- 2002 Uncle Paul's Boutique
- 2003 Unreasonable Pout
- 2003 Get Rich or Try Dying
- 2003 Ear Syringe
- 2003 So Solid Is Dead
- 2003 Only Built For Cuban Drinks
- 2003 The Chronic (Back Pain)
- 2003 Paid Installments
- 2003 Life After Geoff
- 2004 Aiiiiiiiiiiiiight: A portrait of the ghetto
- 2006 The Time Is Now
- 2006 Megaman's Megamix'
- 2006 Roll Deep Presents Grimey Vol. 1
- 2009 Tea, Crumpets and Big Gunz
- 2011 So Solid Lost Tapes (Garage) Vol. 1
- 2011 So Solid Lost Tapes (RNB) Vol. 2
Singles
| Year | Song | UK [4] |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Oh No (Sentimental Things)/Dilemma" | - | They Don't Know |
| 2001 | "21 Seconds" | 1 | |
| "They Don't Know" | 3 | ||
| "Haters" | 8 | ||
| 2002 | "Ride Wid Us" | 19 | |
| 2003 | "Broken Silence" | 9 | 2nd Verse |
| 2004 | "So Grimey" | 62 | |
| 2010 | "Since You Went Away" | 82 |
BernieG
References
- ^ "So Solid: 'England needs us back". BBC. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ^ "News.bbc.co.uk". News.bbc.co.uk. 2005-10-28. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
- ^ "NME.com". NME.com. 2006-09-29. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 513. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.