More Fire Crew

Over the last two weeks Neeko, Lethal and Ozzie B have become household names with appearances on TOTP and The Pepsi Chart with their smash hit "Oi". Starting up on the North London pirate radio stations, the 7 piece More Fire Crew set about proving the haters wrong with their unique UK Garage Sound. We caught up with Neeko who filled in all the blanks from the UK's hottest new garage act.

Q: Its a top ten smash with your debut single "Oi". Did you expect this success so early on?
A: Its a good feeling, but everyone's keeping their heads together and their feet on the ground. Its all a good experience because we've worked for it. Pepsi Chart and Top Of The Pops are having it so its all good.

Everyone thought it was a London thing, but its spreading now. It still hasn't sunk in really because we didn't expect it to be like this. Everyone thought we were just going to be big in our area, big in the N's!!! We have a lot of respect in the N's, but we've just been blown away. The US has rap and now we have UK Garage!!!!
 

Q: You all started out in Pirate Radio. When did you actually hook up and start MC-ing?
A: That's where we all linked up and started the crew. I started MC-ing on and off when I was 14, just doing it for a muck about. I did my DJ course, started DJ-ing at 15. I was proper into being a DJ and then I started getting more in MC-ing and forgetting the DJ-ing. That's how I met Ozzie and Lethal.
 

Q: The track "Oi" is about all the people that showed you no love. All the haters. Was it really bad?
A: Its not directed at haters. Its not one of those hating things...its directed at the people who didn't want to show us love in the beginning, wanted to put down at every angle. We don't really care because were going to go through. It don't matter what they're saying.

We used to have a lot of people saying they were better and they didn't want us to be successful and that. There's been a couple of people that have come back trying to be best buds, but its those people that don't want to admit it. Its cool because its all about the music. I don't really keep no circles, since 16 i've just kept focused on the music!!!!
 

Q: Each of you guys (Neeko, Lethal and Ozzie B) have all got your own crews under the More Fire Crew name. There's 3 of you we all know. Fill us in with all the unknown MFC members?
A: There's 7 of us in the group - 3 MC's / 4 DJ's. When it comes to booking for a set, one DJ will come out and do his set and the 3 of us will MC. Were trying to get some up and coming talent in, because its all about the up and coming talent now.
 

Q: All the crews that come out now are naturally compared to So Solid Crew. Would you say that's valid?
A: The way people see it, is that So Solid were the first crew to go through to the mainstream which is true. They've opened up the way for others crews to come through as well...so you're going to get all the comparisons because they were the first act to get through to the mainstream. Everyone who comes trough after that is going to get compared to So Solid.
 

Q: You guys actually have a "no swearing on vinyl" policy. A far cry from the So Solid Crew surely?
A: We have but there will be times when we say the odd swear word. But it gets rectified. We keep it real, but we keep it tidy as well!!! We don't want people to get the wrong idea about us. Were still speaking the truth and letting everyone know what's going on...keeping them informed with what's going on in the streets...but we don't want them to think that were the nasty characters.
 

Q: What's the one message you guys want to get across lyrically?
A: That it can be done. It don't matter who you are, if you just work at it 100% you can actually get somewhere. You have to put 110% into something to get somewhere. Not being able to sleep, socialize is all good at the end of the day. It may seem bad right now, but its all good if you get to where you want to go. If you've got time to relax it doesn't really mean you're doing anything!!!!
 

Q: What's the next single going to be and do you worry you'll be able to achieve the same success as you have with "Oi"?
A: At the moment its top secret, you know the way it is!!! No one will be disappointed though. I know people expect the next thing to be bigger than "Oi" and it is going to put a lot of pressure on us. But we don't set out to make a hit, we just make a track that's good.

We working on the album at the moment. Were half way through it right now. The albums going to be different!!!

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www.morefire.co.uk

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