So Solid Crew

Garage Group? 2 Step Group? Hip Hop? group?

What are they?

Harvey So Solid

Interview

Following their smash hit "Oh No" (Sentimental Things) This 20 strong London collective is back with one of the most requested videos on UK music television. With the success of Oxide & Neutrino also from the So Solid Crew The guys have gone from strength to strength. This latest single has outsold the Atomic Kittens former number one by over twenty thousand copies to go straight in at number one,with the even more infectious offering "21 Seconds".

The editor & So Solid

Phatmag went to have a deep chat with some of the band members. We find it more intense and honest to let you read the actual words from the interview rather than rewrite it ourselves.

We dug deep to find out why the guys shy away from the Garage tag and also how they cope with the violence, the travel difficulties, the finance structure with so many members.

INTERVIEW – SO-SOLID CREW

Phatmag: Can you say your names?
So Solid : Synth
So Solid: Scat Dee
So Solid: Harvey – So Solid

Phatmag: So how you guys doing?
So Solid : Fine man
So Solid : yeah fine thanks

Phatmag: Has it been a busy day?
So Solid : not that busy. This is quite relaxing compared to normal days really. At least we’re sitting down and not moving anywhere still

Phatmag: So has it been crazy busy or….?
So Solid : Crazy busy. Yeah crazy busy and obviously the release is going to be on Monday and it’s going to be messy So Solid busy after that.

Phatmag: So how did the whole So Solid Crew start? How did it all come about 'cos there's loads of you isn't there?
So Solid : yeah. We get asked this question all the time in it. Well basically, the majority of us have grown up together. a large majority of us have grown up together. We’ve added a few people that’s come through during the last 3 years but we’ve actually been together like for 3 years so it’s just turned into one big family. But we’ve all grown up together, been involved in certain life experiences but we’re like one big family

Phatmag: So is the whole crew from the Battersea area?
So Solid : no one lives more than 10 miles bruv. That’s the furthest any of us live

Phatmag: So you're all South London guys?
So Solid : most of us are South London apart from Oxide

Phatmag: So musically, how did that start. OK, you grew up all together but did you start out saying you were going to be a music outfit or was it something that just happened?
So Solid : it wasn’t like that at all was it?
So Solid :no
So Solid :it was a fun ting first I would say. We was on radio station and pirate radio. It was more a fun ting but as the group got bigger and stuff, and someone started taking us seriously and we started doing our own tracks…..Doing our own tracks is what helped us get more bookings, getting us out there and building fan base as well because we started our own promotions as well

Scatt Dee

Phatmag: So what radio stations?
So Solid : Delight FM and Supreme. Supreme was the actual station where Megga-Man, Romeo and PDS….That’s where they started. And Neutrino as well
So Solid: And Neutr yeah but he wasn’t even So-Solid then

Phatmag: So were you guys actual DJ's or MC'ing or was it a mixture of the two?
So Solid : This is how it started out yeah. To cut a long story short – MC Mac and DJ PDS yeah, they was the ones getting on the station Supreme FM. Then obviously they was close – MAC and Megga were close and they started MC’ing on the station Supreme then Romeo came along…..So Solid at the time was like Megga Man, Romeo and DJ PDS and Hacket which is the only member in So-Solid that has ever been kicked out and he was an outsider anyway. You know what I mean ‘COs he was greedy for money so he got dashed anyway. But that was it. So it built up. COs everyone was doing different things – I was a professional footballer for 4 years you know what I mean and I was just focussing on that you know what I mean. It was more of a hobby to me. Scat was on Delight FM at the time but he was Scat Dee with his DJ and then things just started to level out ‘COs we’d all grown up together we started to become close and things started to ….as my football started to you know, kinda go downhill, I started to take this seriously. And then as I said, we built up a fan base and started to get a large following and started thinking ‘I can make something out of this’ and like here we are today

Phatmag: What team?
So Solid : I was at Barnet for 4 years and Chelsea for 5 years

Phatmag: Really?
So Solid : yeah man. As a school boy. Chelsea school and I did 4 years pro-Barnet

Phatmag: So it's like proper teams!
So Solid : yeah, yeah. Proper teams. I played everywhere. I’ve played all over the world man

Phatmag: Being a big group, financially, how does it work. No c'mon, it's a massive group and every single one of you is on 21 seconds
So Solid : There’s 10 of us

Phatmag: How does that work?
So Solid : It works perfectly. I’ll tell you why it works perfectly. When ‘Oh No, Sentimental Things’ came out first everyone looked at So-Solid as Romeo, Megga Man and Lisa Mafia yeah. We was in the background and everyone underground knew that So-Solid was bigger than that. So G-Man, Asher D and MAC sat there and thought, how can we do a track where it’s going to bring every – get everyone out there…..’wait a minute – 21 seconds – adds up to 5 minutes , that ain’t a bad idea’ ‘COs everyone’s talented within the crew. No one’s better than the other – everyone’s talented. So like this was the idea yeah. All it’s enabled yeah is that everyone sees our faces which has happened now and people will be going off to do individual albums deals but it will always be So-Solid Productions – in-house production and you’ll always see that So-Solid logo. Scat will have his own album like Scat Dee and Harvey, Megga Man, Romeo or whatever with your own producer but it’s always going to be So Solid. It ain't a thing where 'wait there - you use it as a stepping stone and then break away' like the Spice Girls do and they just care about themselves....you'll always see the So Solid logo in the corner of everyone's album.

Phatmag: So is it going to be like a Wu Tang....
So Solid : Yeah, kinda like that

Phatmag: ....Rough Ryders kind of thing so you're all a big clan but each one is planning to do their own thing
So Solid : Right and this one thing you'll always have to remember....we'll always do So Solid albums together so in between that, you'll be coming together - doing that So Solid album come back together, studio, bang another album out - another So Solid album. Get that out there and we've got out own stuff out there. Old Dirty Bastard's got his own alum. Rza's got his own album, Method - they've all done it

Phatmag: A really important question right....when you signed the deal - whatever deal it is yeah, did you all sign as one group or is it a couple of people signed and the rest are whatever. COs it's important as an entity moving forward, it's going to be really difficult with just the basic costs of traveling from one place, from A-B. Say for example if things go crazier right, and you're all moving hard left, right and center - that's some heavy hotel costs, some heavy hotel costs...
So Solid : Right, so you're talking about us moving together as crew

Phatmag: Yeah, as a whole crew
So Solid : Right what it is yeah.... What you've got to understand is there's....on this track yeah you've got all the artists which is 10 and it don't get no bigger in numbers in terms of the artists - the rest is production or whatever yeah so it's just the artist that travel. You're right there actually COs when we go to big events - like when we did Radio 1 on Sunday.....two big space cruisers yeah and obviously we had to keep things down. We didn't stay in a hotel on the Saturday night - we just left at 6.30 in the morning on the Sunday absolutely knackered do you know what I mean. So....but at the end of the day we're gonna get bigger at the end of the day and obviously you've got to take risks in this bushiness. Money's gonna get spent, I'm not gonna lie about that do you know what I mean, but we will repay that money back. That's the main thing COs while you're doing this, you're traveling here and there but your albums ain't selling or your singles ain't doing well....then you just put yourself in more debt in it. But at the end of the day, people's got faith in us....like we thank everyone that's got faith in us in terms of the video in obviously of the budget, the way the video looked yeah, it's good because they've got faith in us, because with respect to ourselves, So Solid are up and coming as people look at us, but we ain't on a Robbie Williams level or a Michael Jackson level, but people's said 'these guys will be on that level' which I know we will because we've got faith in them. ' So we will spend a bit of dosh on them' do you know what I mean

Phatmag: Important question though isn't it?
So Solid : yeah definitely an important question. That's one of the most proper questions that I've heard in five weeks

Phatmag: We like to ask proper questions. So, I'm looking at So Solid Crew as a big thing - a big movement everything's always happening and one little bit of like a 'lull' and you guys might start disintegrating. I don't care how good friends you are right so that's the kind of thing you've really got to answer in this interview..... how far do you think you're gonna go before things go belly up and the more talented people, if there's such a thing start going off and making their own thing and say 'hey I love you guys but I've got to....'
Phatmag: COs you know the press for example can set one person out so say with the female in the crew, they set her out to be the talent COs they think she's nice and looks good in pictures and already she's it. Or they might take Romeo or one of you guys and the rest won't get as much press as them. So how does that work?
So Solid : it's a bit crazy because sometimes you can't control....there's things like that happening like but what it is, because we're strong within the crew, we're not letting it get to us. Say for instance, we've got interviews coming up and four front covers, they're going 'we want Romeo, Harvey and Lisa'. Now I'm sitting there thinking in my head, 'why are they putting the three light skinned people on the front of....'. That's what I'm thinking yeah...'cos we make a joke of it yeah. Luckily that everyone takes it...... Like Scat will turn round to me and say 'yeah you're the pretty boy, just go and do it' do you know what I mean but COs we look it at as a laugh...but yeah it could effect it us big time. COs wait there, we've got a dark side interview - send Scat and Face. Things like that. We've got Richard Blackwood... Harvey, Lisa and Romeo will do it. That can cause tension

Phatmag: That's the point I was trying to make
So Solid : That ain't no lie but you know what it is? Because we're so strong within ourselves and we don't even talk about it, it keeps it tight. Because we had a plan yeah and once you've been told a plan, then you shouldn't have no problems at the end of the day. Megga is the boss. He never said to us 'keep everything So Solid..... If you go outside So Solid you're in trouble'. He never said that. He said 'course people's gonna go off and do their own things because everyone's got their own ideas and inputs but there's basic rules... just keep the production in-house because I've got faith in all my producers yeah. We've done it by ourselves anyhow - keep it in-house and whatever you want to do on your own albums in the future is totally up to you'. But I guarantee you yeah, mark my words - that So Solid logo will always be on the corner of my album. They know the seriousness of it. No I'm not having it COs people will try and dig into you and pull you away yeah and I know this do you know what I mean. I might not see Scat for a year one time because he's been banging out his own album. He's doing his thing - he's busy. I might speak to him once and say yeah but we always know the level that we're at and we know that there's love within the crew, do you know what I mean. So this is where you have to be strong because I'm not gonna be a Bros and I'm not gonna be like them other groups and I don't wanna be known as a snake when a bit of money is being made because I remember we had 'shit' with no disrespect. So a bit of dough gets made, you get happy now and you duck off....let's forget about everyone. I want to known as a genuine person. I don't want to be known as a bad person like 'Harvey. He was in the crew and used it as a stepping stone and he pissed off'. That ain't no good thing to be known as because you build up more enemies than friends you know what I mean

Phatmag: So music why and production how many producers do you have in the crew?
So Solid : In the crew?

Phatmag: Yeah
So Solid : All the DJ's produce - that's 7 DJ's

Phatmag: Anybody else apart from DJ's
So Solid : And individual producers....Shabs is one of our biggest producers and Synth. Synth made 21 Seconds and Megga Man produces do you know what mean. So altogether, there's about a good 10 man that produce. Megga's probably like....Megga and Neutrino can produce, like Megga made 'Oh No' didn't he

Phatmag: Who writes?
So Solid : We write all our own lyrics. All our own lyrics
So Solid : We even write a part for each other

Phatmag: Have you got publishing?
So Solid : Yeah of course you've got publishing because you're writing your own stuff

Phatmag: You've all got individual publishing or is it a group?
So Solid : Yeah all got individual publishing. All of course so that's it and I'm glad you're asking me all these questions, because no one don't ask these questions

Phatmag: What's the album vibe like because I know you lot came out with 'Oh No' and '21 Seconds'....
Phatmag: Bad tracks
So Solid : Thanks man

Phatmag: ....And it sounds like it's going somewhere else. It doesn't sound like where the mainstream two step stuff is going
So Solid : It ain't garage bruv that's why

Phatmag: So what do you call it
So Solid : Right....
So Solid : So Solid music
So Solid : ....So Solid music. That's exactly what it is right

Phatmag: Like Camdino Soul. Do you know what Camdino Soul is?
So Solid : No. What is that?

Phatmag: That's Wookie. That's what he calls his stuff
So Solid : Arrh come now Wookie you're being extra. I respect that guy yeah - a boom producer man but what's he talking about (everyone laughing). 'Comon bruv. Like we just gave you a basic thing yeah - we ain't called it Batterzealy music because we're from Battersea or something like that yeah. It's called So Solid music - that's what we're saying we learnt our trade in garage. We said 'yeah man I'm feeling that lets do that'. I'm not diss the garage tunes - no way COs that where we learnt our trade and that's what's made me what I am today. But, '21 Seconds' is not garage. That is a Missy Elliot type of beat. If Missy Elliot heard that and would say 'yeah man. I'll spit on this' because it's that kind of bouncy beat because that's what I'm saying. I don't know what it is because Scat is more rap orientated. I'm like a performer - hyper and I'll attack it. Romeo is smooth. Megga and Asher, they're lyricists and when you put that all together, you've got Rap, Ragga, all different styles and you put that all together, you get a different sound COs it's all different inputs in it of all different styles

Phatmag: So what would you say were your core influences. Say for instance, you like garage, two step....so OK, what are you core influences
So Solid : Someone like....I like Lady Saw and raga and I like Beanie Man. I like lyricists and I like Beanie Man as a performer

Phatmag: So you influence is a raga influence
So Solid : Yeah and Jay-Z too
So Solid : Yeah I'd say raga and hip hop. Definitely raga and hip hop

Phatmag: Would that be the main thing throughout the crew or....
So Solid : Yeah it would be wouldn't it. It's not just that yeah. I like good talent yeah. I like talent and I like N-Synch COs the boys can sing. That is talent. They can dance...they're not fake and they just said 'we're gonna come like this'. I respect other talent. I like Robbie Williams I'm not gonna lie - I like him. Certain people are nicking a living. I call it 'they're taking my money because you don't deserve it' but that's just how it is though. That's just how the business is. Unfortunately people let shit into the business in it sometimes but So Solid, you get 110% from us you know what I mean. COs we've MC'd for £50 back in the day and for £20. It ain't a money thing you know. We love the music - that's it. We love the music. We get out of our bed at 6 o'clock in the morning, travel to Plymouth and give it our best shot because I couldn't picture myself 2 years ago/3 years being in front of 40/50,000 people at Radio 1 and talking to Sarah Cox off the radio. You don't picture yourself doing that but they have to accept it now because everyone wants to get with it

Phatmag: How did you find the crowd - the Radio 1 crowd for example. Obviously when you're doing festivals....
Phatmag: Can you list the festivals you've done?
So Solid : Eminen, Gate Crasher, Lil' Kim. It goes on in it? Obviously, Radio 1 one big Sunday. We've got Leeds and Reading all coming up. We've got Great Yarmouth coming up. I could go on for ages what's coming up but the ones that we've done yeah, Eminen, Gate Crasher, Lil' Kim....We done Destiny's Child out in Finsbury Park so...the list is endless

Phatmag: From listening to what you just said about the influence on music, it just sounds like it's a new British movement. And I think everyone that I talk to about garage or two step are all shying away from two step/garage. Like even Craig David right, really got his kick from the garage/two step scene....
So Solid : yeah that's right

Phatmag: .....but his album was Rn'B - British Rn'B and it' like they put a garage tune out there yeah COs a lot of distress and then pull away from it and I don't really understand that. No disrespect to you or anybody else but I don't really understand it that something that's captured the imagination of people abroad like the Americans and God knows whatever other Europeans....that you'd shy away from it and not embrace it and say we're garage/two step and that's it. Do you see the point I'm making?
So Solid : Yeah I understand

Phatmag: No disrespect to what you know that you can do COs I don't know what you do but if you tell me you're doing something then that's what you do. But what I see from out here....from what I'm getting from the radio or TV or whatever is So Solid - garage/two step do you see what I'm saying to you? But when I talk to you now it's like 'no, we don't really do that, we do this' but I believe if you were to embrace that and say that's what we are maybe that might be the British thing
So Solid : Yeah, well I totally agree with you with what you said there COs like I said to you, I'm not dissing garage....

Phatmag: I know that yeah
So Solid : I'm definitely not going to diss it and that's what we represented yeah - that's how we've become. You can never forget how you got big and we come through them walls. But what I'm saying yeah....garage yeah....I tell what's happening and why people's getting disheartened with it - the violence yeah, that's going on within it yeah. The hatred of seeing people.....a lot of people are coming out big out of garage yeah and as well as a lot of supporters, we've got a lot of hatred against us yeah - a lot. Like there's incidents yeah like where we have to go to a rave sometimes with 30 of us. 30 of us and stand on a stage and everyone's there COs like it's messy bruv seriously. Like there's certain times when I've been on the stage and I've been scared bruv. I'm just being honest with you in it. COs it's happened.... there's been incidents where I got stabbed last year. I don't understand how someone can hate you because you're doing well at something. I don't particularly want to stand in a garage rave yeah, because what happens now is that we go into a garage rave yeah 'there's them So Solid boys' and you might get five men screwing up their face in a corner. Then you might come out of a club and you might see five men sitting in their car. You don't know what they're on. So with no disrespect, I don't want to leave it behind because I used to love just walking in at the front door yeah, going in and people say 'what's up man', but now they think you're famous, they think you've got pure money and it's like it's burning them. It's like they hate you and you ain't done nothing to do and that's the reason why garage is dying and that's the reason why I look at it....I'm not dissing it but it ain't got nothing for me

Phatmag: I understand that because it's like denial of the environment.....
So Solid : From what we started in, what we loved. I love people that rave and that's what happens. We go to bookings outside of London and we rave like we've never raved in our lives. You know why? Because you go to somewhere like Cambridge in it Scat? And we have great nights there. They love you 'you're wicked', blah blah. People come over to you and buy you drinks and have a good night and like 'you lot are nice people' do you know what I mean?

Phatmag: So what is it then? Is it a London thing, a Manchester thing, a Birmingham thing?
So Solid : Birmingham....Like Birmingham yeah, Birmingham is just wicked yeah. Do you know why it's wicked? It's so underground yeah but they just love So Solid and we've been into some dark clubs in Birmingham yeah but they just love So Solid. You get twenty men that come over to you and look very intimidating but give you bare love...'make sure you get to your car all right', 'when you come up here man...'. I'm not being biased COs like the person I got stabbed by was from Manchester do you know what I mean? But I'm not just gonna pin point Manchester like 'I hate people from Manchester', COs since then I've had pure bookings from Manchester. Like girls from Manchester and the guys come up and say 'You guys are wicked man. When are you going to Manchester and do something'. I'm not pin pointing an area because someone done something from that area but if you look now, you don't see a lot of garage flyers in London no more. You don't see...Collasium don't want garage. Camden Palace don't want garage. Do you know how many clubs don't want So Solid? And we're just the artist you know but they say the following that we bring....the trouble that happens. We went to Luton to go and perform at our own rave and the boy died and they're saying we done it. That's how spiteful people are. We done it! And how it actually worked out, the boy who died is actually one of our DJ's...it's like his second cousin. But they put in the papers, 'The So Solid Crew from South London Dark Side Underground...'. That's what I'm saying and these are the things they're doing to us. People already think that we carry guns and we do this and.....but it's just a typical black stereotype man COs they don't do that Robbie Williams. They get caught with a spliff and they make a big thing out of it. With us yeah, they go as deep as guns and this....and that we don't know how to carry ourselves right. It's a joke right and that's why we're getting disheartened by it because we can't take bookings no more

Phatmag: But you guys are working outside London though?
So Solid : Oh yeah. Most definitely. Out of London is the best in it? Traveling down the motorway - it's wicked man. Like the buzz I get from it.... 80,000 people man and like the way we are before we go on stage - we're like hugging as a unit. We just keep it real man

Phatmag: It's shame that....because there's so many of you that you can't have security (laughs). You can't carry security because there's so many of you. I'm just thinking of the logistics of it yeah
So Solid : No we've got security. What can I say....when you do the record label stuff you get all the proper security yeah. Like now, we're in a nice office.... you sit in a nice office. It's sound proof. When you do the underground stuff yeah there's no... you just have to....there's no rules - it's just crazy. When you do the underground stuff we are just how we are. Like I've been to bookings with say Shabz or anyone yeah and my girlfriend's in the same business yeah and because she's just been signed, she's got all the security...

Phatmag: Who is she?
So Solid : She's in Mis-Teeq

Phatmag: Which one?
So Solid : The MC one

Phatmag: Arh I fancy that one
So Solid : No problem man. That's all right man. A lot of people fancy her so that's all right

Phatmag All of them
So Solid : When she comes to bookings with us she says 'you lot walk in the front door' and she's shocked. She's stunned and she's thinking.... because they're used to like, when they get there, through the back. So when we go to our bookings, we're just walking raw to the door. But then next thing you're walking down the road and you look into a pub and your video's on MTV and you're just walking to the front of this door like you're normal. She's just shocked right 'where's the security?' like 'what? you go and look for your own money?'

Phatmag: Taking it back right COs there's a little thing I'm trying to get here COs talking about Mis-Teeq.... there's a little connection between Mis-Teeq, you lot, Oxide & Neutrino, Craig David....that was his license to get into what he's doing... It's like, if it's not going to be called garage/two step, where are we going with this. What's it going to become. Are we gonna start having different names and nobody knows what it is and then you can't move as a movement. Like there's New Metal - like Lymp Bizcuit and everyone else you know what I'm saying?
So Solid : I think garage yeah - especially the sound of So Solid and Mis-Teeq it's like the new sound of the UK answer to the Rn'B and hip hop

Phatmag: Yeah but what's it called?
So Solid : I don't know because the name garage puts it down in a way because British people to me, like they're too stereotypical. If they want RnB, they want American RnB, that's the way I've always looked at it so them labeling So Solid as garage that's they're way of accepting it do you know what I mean. So I don't know what the new form of music is going to be called but with So Solid, it's a unique sound

Phatmag: But do you see the point I'm making?
So Solid : Yeah

Phatmag: I hear what you're saying and it's all good but I'm just trying to dig yeah, to find out what Mis-Teeq is. To find out what's So Solid...what's Oxide & Neutrino, what's Craig David? And if you've all got different little names, how can you move forward as one and say this is the new lick and buy into something
So Solid : Do you know how I'll put it? This is how I'll say it. When we get introduced on stage yeah, even at Radio 1, Sarah Cox said 'they are a different UK Garage type of act, not your usual'

Phatmag: That's long man
So Solid : I know but that's how I could explain it. We're different. As I said, we're not dissing UK garage you know. No way. We are different. With Oxide who I've got so respect for, he's just brought a different sound. That's why the Dream Team got on his case because like 'no this is garage'. 'No - just COs you played that first, don't mean it's garage'. Oxide has brought a whole new different dimension. When you hear his beats, you're thinking, this is deep but this is a new sound but it's still...what's the tempo? 133
So Solid : That's it. It's the tempo
So Solid : What is it? Is it 137?
So Solid : Yeah 137
So Solid : But then Zinc comes out and makes a 138 trek but that's in-between a jungle tempo and a garage tempo. Did you know that? That's why the track was called 138 Trek

Phatmag: I didn't know that
So Solid : But it's still labeled under garage. It's messed up man. Now do you understand what I mean now

Phatmag: Do you think it will get to a stage where it's evolved. Where this is this and that is that. Do you think it will ever get to that stage or do you think it forever will be trying to be different, forever trying to change
So Solid : It's just garage man. It will get ridiculous if you start going..... we're from the UK and we learnt our trade in garage. Like next thing, someone's gonna call it R'nB garage, American garage, Soulful garage, different garage

Phatmag: COs like for me, I look at Mis-Teeq as being an R'nB group really
So Solid : Yeah
Phatmag: Yeah they are with a two step/garage remix
So Solid : Yeah that's right

Phatmag: This is the crucial point because when we write an article, it's like 'So Solid Crew' what? Like a big question mark or something but it's all good. But it's like loads of R'nB acts who are really good - really good vocalists and stuff banging away for months, years and can't make it...(clicks fingers)then bang they get a remix - two step/garage and it's like 'wooo' and that's the lick.? So if they call you garage, you're gonna call yourself garage or not?
So Solid : That's what I'm saying. I'm not dissing garage (laughing). He's on my case right?

Phatmag: So Solid Crew - garage or question mark. That's the heading
So Solid : We're saying we learnt our trade in garage. I love it. There's nothing better than when we've done an good hours garage set when we do our bookings and just express ourselves hearing those dark beats - them Wookie beats. COs like I respect all them guys.... I respect Wookie - he's come man..... to make a whole album with just your tunes man and every single tune that he's made, everyone knows....he's good man do you know what I mean. It's talent and I respect people like that but I'm not gonna disss it man but we've gotta to.....'Cos that what I'm saying is, the difference we've got over everyone whereas.... and I'm not saying - Craig David, that's the difference you've got over everyone. He can take his stuff over to America yeah. He can do that. Mis-Teeq can take their stuff to America because they've gone to that side and So Solid can but you can't....no disrespect yeah... but you've can't take Ed Case and Sweetie Irie and present that to America. You can't do it you get me. Whatever they've done, you couldn't present it because all people are doing....like people have learnt their trade in raga but they're thinking 'boi, I can make some serious money in this bizness, (chups)' and jump on the band wagon. Now they aren't real. We started in it. We ain't gone, wait there 'we wanna be rappers....oh my God, the dough's in garage. 'Comon, lets all jump over the bridge'. That's what people are doing and that's why I hate them fake people yeah and they're there making all these remixes and they originally come from thing. I hate it COs like you hear this ragga man on a garage track (starts toasting) and you're thinking 'get real man'. Do what you done best and just knock out a boom ragga album and stay to that market in it where you learnt your trade.

Phatmag: Is there any point that you'd like to put over in this interview?
So Solid : The support man. What I'd like to say is to get a message across - don't stereotype people man until you go deep into the person at the end of the day. And like, one thing that is bad yeah, it's a shame to see your own black people not supporting you yeah and that's where you find most of the hatred is - your own black people and it's sad man. It's sad because I've been getting more love from white people and I don't want that. I want love from everyone yeah, but it's just not good man. Like if you can't rely on your own people, what have you got then? COs then they start calling you a sellout and it's deep man but if anything man, that's all I say....put this out and just tell people to support us. You spoke to us yourselves now and like people think we're thugs when we walk into a place - it's ridiculous. We're just normal guys that work hard yeah and we're striving to get to somewhere and that is it. When most of the hatred comes from your own people, that is hurtful and could bring me to hears

Phatmag: I hear that

Phatmag: One more question. What advice would you give to someone who was starting out in the business. I mean, how did you get your deal?
So Solid : We just got spotted naturally

Phatmag: So an A&R man just said 'ooooh'
So Solid : No. Basically, Oxide & Neutrino opened the gate for us basically. Casualty opened the gate then Megga and obviously got speaking to people who were in the same click and started presenting things to them and that just opened more doors. Because what it's done is like 'Oxide & Neutrino raaah (mobile phone rings with Missy Elliot's Get Your Freak On ring tone) Romeo and Megga Man, Harvey Scat Dee Bloody hell there's more of them. Like 'we can make some serious dough here - I think we better get all of them' you get. That's how it all opened. At first it was one, then two doors, three doors and now all the doors are open for everyone

Phatmag: What's your ultimate goal apart from having a big production company and everything else as a group Is it America
So Solid : Well don't just say America
So Solid : Worldwide

Phatmag: And are you getting interest from different European countries at the moment
So Solid : Oh yeah Europe. Like we've been Switzerland and done place like that and people are feeling us there. Been like to all them kind of places. Conquered Iyanapa and Cyprus....I know what every wants - The So Solid album...just for everyone to enjoy our music and just love our music

Phatmag: When's the album going to be done?
So Solid: October
So Solid: Thanks very much man
So Solid: Respect for that man