Neutrino and Romeo

Exclusive interview with Delight FM's MC Neutrino and MC Romeo

I was sitting in my house one day watching MTV when 'Bound for da reload' came on, to start with I was shocked, garage on TV? What was going on? But the thing that really made me sit up and watch was the sight of the MC. He was gorgeous, who is he? Where does he come from? Where can I find him? These were the questions I bugged my friends with for days after until someone informed me that he was MC Neutrino, part of the So Solid Crew. As it happened this was just two days before Heartless vs So Solid at Camden, a rave I definitely wasn't missing! Aside from all the badness (which you all must know about unless you've been hiding under a stone for 6 months) I had a really good time, especially after seeing another so solid member MC Romeo (where did so solid crew find it's MC's? A modeling agency?). I didn't hear much of So Solid crew after that, as a North London girl myself I hadn't really noticed the so solid fever that's sweeping south and west London until another night when I decided to take a trip down to Colloseum for Delight FM's first birthday bash (So solid crew are part of Delight) I knew that this must have been something major when I saw the queues outside. Once inside the popularity of the so solid crew really hit me when I noticed that almost everyone in there could chat along with all their lyrics. These men were most definitely underground superstars and I just had find out more....

What were you doing before you became involved with garage?

Romeo: I was doing a YTS levels 1&2 in retail. I started Mcing at about 17, I'm now 20.

Neutrino: I was at school, I started Mcing at 16, I'm now 18.

Who has inspired you?

Romeo: From the jungle scene Skibadee and Det, garage was new territory for me so I thought let me try mcing to this and I was good.

Neutrino: No-one has inspired me only my crew. I like to create my own style, others crews follow, we have different flows and different beats.

What have been your best and worst nights playing out?

Romeo: The worst is when the rave is empty, dead.

Neutrino: The best has been performing live on radio roadshows in front of 70,000 people, that's amazing it gives you such a buzz.

What advice would you give to aspiring MC's?

Romeo: Keep on trying, don't give up the best things come to those who wait.

Neutrino: We were told that So Solid wouldn't get anywhere. Lot's of people brushed off "Bound 4 da reload" so sticking at it and believing in yourself is very important. Everyone in the scene should be sticking together.

What are your plans for the future?

Romeo: I plan to be comfortable, I plan to have everything I need for a nice life through the success of my MCing.

Neutrino: I want to make garage big, I want to take the so solid crew to the furthest level that we can go. We have got an album being released in September on East West records so that's our next step up the ladder.

If you could do it all over again what would you change?

Romeo: If I could do it all over again I would not change anything. In a fantasy world I would have come along before Creed and all the top MC's and thought of their lyrics first and been the best MC in the world.

Neutrino: If I could do it all over again I would have started MCing along time ago when I was much younger so that I could have a bit more experience behind me.

How did you come up with your names?

Romeo: At school I wasn't playing football with all the boys I used to just be chilling with the ladies, I was a bit of a ladies man so Romeo seemed to fit the bill.

Neutrino: I was really good at science and it's scientific term. I knew no-one else would come up with that name, Quantum physics and all that!

What is your all time favourite garage tune?

Romeo: Sugar daddy because it reminds me of raving back in the day.

Neutrino: Hype funk original version.

If you weren't MC's would what you be doing now?

Romeo: If I wasn't Romeo I would probably be an accountant. I was going to college but my hobby took over (I still believe that education is incredibly important and wouldn't suggest for anyone to choose MCing or DJing over it, keep it as a hobby until your school days are over).

Neutrino: I would be a computer engineer or an athlete. I would love to run for England.

Where did you first play out?

Romeo: I first played out by accident at One Nation. I was pissed out of my face and the MC sounded shit, I decided to get up and freestyle, the promoter liked it and the rest is history...

Neutrino: I first played out in 1996 at a jungle rave called Cameos.

What do you think of current garage?

Neutrino: I think current garage is split into a lot of different aspects, there's too many tunes which is good because you've got more of a choice but some of it shouldn't be classed as garage. Everyone is able to get hold of garage but that could kill off garage. All the authorities will take it over, so UK garage being recognised and becoming a big main stream thing is good and bad.

Why did you become an MC?

Romeo: It was just a hobby at first but I was good at it and stuck at it so I made it.

Neutrino: I always wanted to do it. I had been a jungle boy and garage was new to me. I entered the seen and became big, it was my ambition.

What do you love most about your job?

Romeo: I love to be recognised. Knowing where I've come from, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth and a lot of people know that. It makes me proud to know that I've come from that to this.

Neutrino: I love the crowd response. Obviously when there's girls screaming at my feet I get a buzz! I love it when the crowd appreciate what I'm giving them.

Any songs that you hate?

Romeo: I don't hate any tunes. A lot of people hate our tunes. I dont hate any tunes, I just prefer some to others.

Describe yourselves in 3 words

Romeo: Friendly, laid back, hard working.

Neutrino: Hard working, ambitious, friendly.

What pisses you off?

Romeo: I hate little girls on the phone, kids sell our phone numbers in schools, I rate them for getting my number in the first place but it's really annoying.

Neutrino: I get pissed off with people talking behind my back. Playa haters in and outside of the scene.

What's your favourite rave and your favourite venue?

Neutrino: I rave at Twice as Nice and, obviously, Garage Delight because it's our rave. My favourite venue is Colloseum.

Romeo: I'd have to agree, Garage Delight is one of my favourite raves as well. It's turned into a huge thing.

What's the proudest moment in your career so far?

Romeo: I felt really proud the first time I saw my name on a flyer.

Neutrino: My proudest moment was getting to Number One. It was unbelievable.

How has underground superstardom affected your life in general?

Romeo: Since becoming a bit famous I tend to look at life differently.

Neutrino: After I was on TV it all blew up. People wanted autographs. It's madness in South and West London. We really are huge. Everyone knows who we are. It's hard to have girlfriends, because other girls beat them up. It's amazing I never thought it would get like this.

Romeo: It is harder with girls. You have to keep everything to your self because otherwise people start talking.

Neutrino: It's hard to trust some girls. Some girls ring up the radio station asking if they can link us. It's easy to tell who is fake. One girl up in Bristol was talking to me and she asked 'How much money have you got in your bank account?' I was, like, piss off just piss off. Some people do approach me just because I'm Neutrino.

Who do you admire?

Romeo: I admire my brother. He's been there with me through thick and thin.

Neutrino: My mum, my dad, my sister. My sister is only 15 but she acts so much older. She's not fazed by this whole thing at all.

Do you think there's any room for improvement?

Romeo: There's always room for improvement.

Neutrino: If you feel like you're on top, you have to remember there's always somebody better than you.

What's the worst thing you've seen happening in a club?

Romeo: One time I saw a girl getting slapped up by a guy in a rave. Obviously, I tried to stop it.

Neutrino: There are some people who love to cause trouble in raves.When it happens at Garage Delight or Solid Sunday it makes us look bad. Not at our rave, but I once saw someone bottled to the floor.

Are there any forthcoming events you're looking forward to?

Neutrino: I'm looking forward to a lot of celebrity parties and roadshows. It's good because you get to meet celebrities and nice women.

How do you feel about being heart throbs?

Romeo: We've always been quite popular with the girls, so the big-headedness has been there since school. We can't complain, when girls like you it's good.

Tell me your version of what happened at Camden on May 1st?

Romeo: I wasn't feeling the clash at all. I was standing upstairs on the balcony, just watching. Seeing how my guys were doing. I didn't agree with all the cussing. But the crowd got hyped. Heartless Crew came on and did their thing, but really it was just a publicity stunt.

Neutrino: Heartless Crew came on, Mighty Mo had the mic. To make it a clash we wanted to go back to back. He didn't let me. Heartless Crews guys came over (we later found out they were nothing to do with Heartless Crew) they were cussing, and one of them ended up getting rushed. At the end of the day, it was just a stage performance. It wasn't personal at all.

Is there still tension between you and Heartless Crew?

Romeo: There's no tension between us, but I have heard that they don't want to be booked with us. We really all need to sit and talk about it. I think it would be good if we had a rave back to back with each other, to show everyone that it's all good and there are no bad vibes.

What's the deal with the blonde hair?

Neutrino: I dyed my hair blond to make me stand out, but then I noticed loads of people trying to copy me. I went to one rave recently and there was one guy with blonde hair, the same jeans and the same vest I'd worn the week before. He just looked at me looking at him - looked shocked and walked off.

When can you see yourself giving up?

Neutrino: I'll give up when I have to. If my records are not selling, that's when I'll know.