RECALLING the journey of So Solid Crew requires more words than this article will allow.
And quite frankly, if you’ve never heard of the infamous south London garage collective, you were probably hibernating throughout the early noughties.
But in short (well, short-ish), the British crew – famed for having around 30 members – shot to the top of the UK charts in 2001 with their smash hit, 21 Seconds; scooped several MOBO awards and a Brit Award; and are credited as one of the most significant acts to bring UK garage to the mainstream.
Unfortunately, the group went on to become associated with violence when two men were shot at one of their shows at London’s Astoria nightclub in 2001. As a result, promoters cancelled their upcoming tour in fear of further trouble and so, their reputation as the UK’s most controversial crew was born.
Of course, it didn’t help that crew members found themselves on the wrong side of the law. In 2002, Ashley Walters was jailed for possessing a gun and in 2003, G-Man was jailed for the same offence. The following year, founding member Megaman was charged with murder, having been accused of encouraging producer Carl Morgan to shoot Colin Scarlett in November 2004. Mega (as he’s now known) was held in custody, but was later cleared of the charge.
Now, older and wiser, So Solid make their return to the music fold with original members Mega, Romeo and Lisa Maffia fronting the collective. Back with an aptly titled new track, Since You Went Away, the group is focused and ready for action, as Mega – real name Dwayne Vincent – explains.
What would you say to those who feel that So Solid’s time has passed?
A lot of people think that. I think it’s sad that people look at black British artists and think that their life span should only be five years. That’s not the case in America. Look how many years Michael Jackson made music for. And even bashment; artists like Beenie Man and Bounty Killer have been around for years. I think in the UK we need to think out of the box and think bigger. Furthermore, when it comes to the black British music scene, we’re not really creators, we’re followers. That’s why when a crew like So Solid comes out, they stand out.
The last year or so has seen a surge of grime artists become pop stars. Are those acts not creating their own scene?
I don’t think anyone’s created their own scene. When So Solid came on the scene, we made garage, we released garage and we went to number one with garage. Nowadays, you’ve got artists who’ve been around for a while doing grime, and as soon as they get signed and release a tune, you don’t hear grime any more. There are a lot of creative artists who are good at making grime but they’re putting out dance tracks. I don’t know if they’re doing it for a pay cheque or if they’re doing it so they can play in different territories. Either way, I don’t wrong them for it. But they should also remember that are a lot of people who were inspired by their original work and not just think about looking out for themselves.
But was that not part of your problem as the leader of the crew: too many people to look out for? Do you think you’re too caring?
Yeah, maybe. But we’re young, gifted and black and we like to do things in numbers. I think it gets really creative when you have a number of people round the table, all putting in their two pence worth. I still have artists that are loyal and that I still do business with and I think it’s important to nurture new talents. I don’t know how many crews are still like that today. I don’t know if we’ll ever see another Roll Deep. I don’t know what happened to Pay As You Go or what happened to More Fire Crew.
Will So Solid’s comeback include all of the original members?
So Solid has never had a track where all of the crew were on it. Oh No (Sentimental Things) was just me, Lisa and Romeo. Then there was 21 Seconds, which featured a few of us. Then there was They Don’t Know, which was just me and Ash. Then there was Haters, which was Scat D, Face and Ash. Then there was Ride With Us – and that was just me! So we’ve never had everybody on one track. But you’ll get plenty of us on the album.
Do you think the industry will be willing to welcome So Solid back with open arms, given your controversial past?
My mum once said to me, ‘If I didn’t forgive you for your first mistake, I wouldn’t be your mother.’ It’s been a long time since So Solid were on the scene and I think people have moved on. In many ways, we were used as scapegoats for a lot of things. Yes, certain individuals made mistakes. But in terms of So Solid as a collective, we were blamed for a lot of problems in society, and the reality is, things haven’t got any better since So Solid got locked down.
Do you think your stint in prison gave you a new outlook on life?
Yeah, it did. It made me realise the opportunity I had and showed me that I had to make the most of it. I mean, I don’t live in the ghetto anymore; I moved out of that environment. I don’t even live in London anymore. I’m just in a nice space now where I can focus and I’m comfortable.
Do you have any regrets?
I think my regrets are very personal. Like I regret not looking after my own interests. I’ve been through a lot… the powers that be tried to put me in prison for 30 years when I wasn’t the gunman. I didn’t incite anything or pull the trigger. I was at the scene, trying to resolve a situation between two people. I had to go through three trials in order to get a not guilty verdict. I’ve come through all that and now I’m working to get back to where I need to be. This is my passion. And nothing can kill that apart from God himself. Yes, I get angry sometimes but I keep my focus. I smile at the people who hate me, I laugh with the people who dislike me, and I just keep it moving.
Since You Went Away is out now through Mega & Co via IMS / Nova
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