"Standard Flow" became the bands first single to be released, this featured the dancehall legend Elephant Man and was released to pirate radio stations on the Weighty Plates label. Xplosive Records and EastWest/Warner Music followed this with their first commercial release "Crossroads" which debuted at number one in the UK Charts.
Breakthrough and debut album
TNT Xplosive and EastWest/Warner Music both agreed to work on the single "Crossroads", which was originally recorded by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony as "Tha Crossroads" in 1996. Using their own version of the chorus the band wrote their own MC verses. The track was released as their first single once they left school at the ages of 16, where they also had a history of academic success.[citation needed] "Crossroads" went straight into the UK Singles Chart at number 1 in August 2002. During their short time of 2 years together, the group achieved 6 consecutive UK Top 10 hits, however they faced a lot of criticism. Their rap skills were not taken seriously by the British media, sidelining them to a younger audience. Despite this, their debut album In The Beginning achieved gold satus in the UK and spawned two further UK Top 10 hits, "Love On The Line" which reached number six and a double a-side single "Reminisce/Where The Story Ends" which reached number eight in February 2003.
The group were popular with commercial radio gigs and roadshows as well as pre-teen pop-music magazines such as Top of the Pops and Smash Hits[citation needed].
[Further success and Now or Never
The group achieved further chart success in 2003, with two UK top five chart hits. "We Just Be Dreamin'" reached number three in July 2003, whilst "Flip Reverse" reached number two in November. "Flip Reverse" was used to re-launch the BBC's Top Of The Pops. A special performance was recorded outside Television Centre with 100 or so hooded back-up dancers.
Despite the chart success with their singles, they failed to match it with their second album Now or Never, which failed to reach the UK Top 40 album chart. A live recording of a concert in Liverpool was released for Christmas 2003. However, it failed to re-ignite the flagging sales of their second album, nor did a follow-up single "Here 4 One", which peaked at number six in the UK, during early 2004. The group also completed a sold-out UK 21-date tour in 2003. The tour was managed by successful[citation needed] rap touring promoter mogul Aaron Hill. He has a hand in promotional internet videos with dizzie rascal currently.
Decline in popularity
2004 was quiet for the group, until January 2005 saw Kenzie appear on Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother, finishing in second place. The original Blazin' Squad split shortly after. Kenzie went on to form Friday Hill with 2 other Blazin' Squad members. Friday Hill's music was more pop-based and different in vein to the music of Blazin' Squad. They released two singles in the UK, "Baby Goodbye" which peaked at number five on the Official UK Singles chart in November 2005, as well as "One More Night Alone" which reached number 13 in February 2006. They also released an album Times Like These, which failed to chart.
Blazin' Squad did make a brief return to the UK charts in October 2006, but as a four-piece. The single released was a summer-sounding "All Night Long", which reached number 54 in the UK Singles Chart. The group expressed their disappointment via their official myspace.
After this disappointment, the group split and Blazin' Squad was left to rest for the time being. There have been petitions and Myspace pages set up to re-unite Blazin' Squad again[citation needed], it is known that certain Blazin' Squad members are in talks to do a reunion tour in 2008[citation needed], adding further to this speculation a newly set up Official MySpace was set up with five of the original members and a new track "Lets Start Again", which is listed to be released April 13th 2009. [1]
Criticism
The band were notoriously criticised, even after the release of their second album, as they were seen to be pioneers of the chav culture, and some said that they were to So Solid Crew what S Club Juniors were to their senior counterparts, S Club. They were also seen to only appeal to the young population of the UK.
Split
The split occurred in 2005, shortly after Kenzie's appearance on Big Brother. MC Kenzie, MC Flava and MC Strider started their own band (preferring to be called Kenzie, James and Mus respectively), known as Friday Hill. The trio released their debut single, "Baby Goodbye" in October 2005. Blazin' Squad did consist of Marcel (MC Plat’num), Stuart (MC Reepa), Sam (MC Spike-E) & Chris (MC Melo-D). They decided to call it a day in 2006. Lee (Krazy) has gone solo and is currently working on his solo album in the US called the 'Lee Bailey project'.
Comeback
Blazin Squad are set to be making a comeback with the song "Let's Start Again" , a snippet is available on the MySpace. The song is expected to be released on 13th April 2009.
Only 5 of the original members will be returning though. They are Kenzie, Krazy, Strider, Flava and Plat'num B. However it is believed they will go by their first names due to the group's music sounding more different and personal.
Riders
Blazin' Squad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have a vision, tell me what's wrong with dat,
x-ray so I can see what's guarn wid dat,
I'm gonna help people in need wot and that's that,
you know me I don't want nothing back coz,
what these people need is British rap so they can live their lives without fear of arch enemies
and Satans peeps it's a bird it's a plane but it's on the beat,
super Flava's on the street bounce back again,
I wanna help old ladies carry bags for them coz,
world peace is what I intend,
and I'm gonna lick it up wid my powers dem,
nobody in the world can seewhen I'm in the dark ducking out watching friends in the park when
it's gonna start,
and if it goes off I'm gonna blow up and if I aint seen then you're still gonna know it,
Flava's presence in the air,
from here to America from there to wherever,
identify never known people hink they're clever,
cape crusader who goes there,
chicks wanna know but I don't really care,
the end is near so have no ear,
so they ask us.
(CHORUS)
(All)
Why do we fly so high,
Flying through the sky,
just live your lives,
don't mess with us.
Why do we fly so high,
Flying through the sky,
just live your lives,
don't mess with us.
We are the riders riders,
come flash your lighters higher,
don't retire,
entire worlds on fire,
we're the riders,
we're the fighters.
We are the riders riders,
come flash your lighters higher,
don't retire,
entire worlds on fire,
we're the riders,
we're the fighters.
(Reepa)
I've got split personalities,
in my mentalities,
one of me two of me Japanese Chinese,
so what do you reckon when you see me in my mask,
stopping criminal tasks I'm there I'm gone fast I'll be watching you like a hawk,
you think I will stalk,
why people started to talk about what we do at night,
did we give you a fright when we were stopping that fight cause I stay out the light,
so Reepa's gonna stay on the street serve and protect can you feel the effect as I connect you
bet another bad guy locked up another one behind bars,
my crime stoppign rating I'm rated five stars,
so at the end of the dayz,
I can sit back and blaze another criminal down another criminal pays,
if you see us in the shadows bad guys beware, Blazin' don't stop will arrest you there.
(REPEAT CHORUS)
(Freek)
I am a man that will win so spin,
burning down crime like the dust in the wind,
never coming till the lights go dim,
when Freek comes through the streets they shout so loud 'It's him,' help peoples asses,
save people's lives
jacking them digits and jacking then knives,
my kru's Blazin' and we're bringing them vibes,
like Robin Hood I get rid of bad guys,
coz man get smoked and man get jacked,
as I breeze through the street with the F on my back,
to attack with my sack never lack that's the end of my rap and that is that.
(Spike-e)
Reload it's time to bust rhyme,
hit em when I bill em I'm busting and I'm robbing and I'm still never copying,
busting never trusting,
hit em wid da dust ting,
come mans what wanna swing,
I'm a bad man from down da down town,
who wanna check the sensational sound hit the ground got a bloodhound,
fangs so sharp they rip roar,
let him off the muzzle,
in a bit of trouble,
there goes your clic ha, ha, ha,
I'm a bad chatter,
about to chat fatter,
T-Tom B no-one's better,
getting kinda hotter tongue tied knotter,
selecta ta, ta, ta
(Rocky B)
Beanies they call me B Rocka,
coz I rough up and hot up,
any top shotter,
Tottenham, Chingford all be da manors,
Pettchy ten LT who's nanger,
every man dem on the street,
wanna bang her,
if they do then Rock B's,
in da slammer,
juice my girl on da regular,
pass me my Nokia,
blaze like a pro coz I've got pure stamina,
blaze hensey coz I don't blaze amon nah,
man of steel I'm da gangster of lead,
blaze all night so my eyes blood red,
all dat crap you said going over my head,
I've let you live once not gonna do it again,
cause I'm da cat,
you'll better stay clear of,
da cat bad mans be scared of.
(REPEAT CHORUS x5)
In Blazin' Squad's song "Riders," the different members of the crew take turns rapping about their superhero personas and their commitment to fighting crime and protecting their community. Flava speaks of his vision to help people in need without expecting anything in return, while Reepa talks about his dedication to serving and protecting his community by stopping criminals in their tracks. Freek boasts about his crime-fighting abilities and his tendency to finish the job before the lights go out. Spike-e raps about his "sensational sound" and his bad boy image, while Rocky B talks about his reputation as a gangster and his ability to stay focused and determined.
The song "Riders" was released in 2003 as a single and was the second track on Blazin' Squad's debut album "In the Beginning." The group originated in London and was composed of 10 members, including Kenzie, Strider, Flava, Tommy-B, Freek, Spike-e, Reepa, Krazy, Melo-d, and Rocky-B. They were known for their unique blend of pop and hip-hop music and for their high-energy performances.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a vision, tell me what's wrong with dat,
I have a dream of helping people with British rap music so they can live without fear.
x-ray so I can see what's guarn wid dat,
I want to see what's wrong with people so that I can help.
I'm gonna help people in need wot and that's that,
I am going to assist those in need without expecting anything in return.
you know me I don't want nothing back coz,
I don't expect any rewards as I help people in need.
what these people need is British rap so they can live their lives without fear of arch enemies
People need British rap music to live without fear of their enemies.
and Satans peeps it's a bird it's a plane but it's on the beat,
I am like a superhero who stops bad guys.
super Flava's on the street bounce back again,
I'm back on the street and ready to help.
for the crowd again I wanna stop bad guys in their tracks again,
I want to impress the crowd by stopping the bad guys.
I wanna help old ladies carry bags for them coz,
I want to assist and protect the elderly women.
world peace is what I intend,
I am committed to achieving world peace.
and I'm gonna lick it up wid my powers dem,
I will use my powers to achieve world peace.
nobody in the world can seewhen I'm in the dark ducking out watching friends in the park when,
I am hidden and watching from the shadows so no one can see me.
it's gonna start,
Sometimes it's necessary to fight.
and if it goes off I'm gonna blow up and if I aint seen then you're still gonna know it,
I will be victorious even if no one sees me achieve it.
Flava's presence in the air,
I am present everywhere.
from here to America from there to wherever,
My presence is felt everywhere.
identify never known people hink they're clever,
People speculate about my identity.
cape crusader who goes there,
I am like a superhero disguised in a cape.
chicks wanna know but I don't really care,
People are curious about my identity, but it doesn't bother me.
the end is near so have no ear,
The end of the world is approaching, so ignore the noise.
so they ask us.
People ask us questions.
Why do we fly so high,
Why are we so confident and successful?
Flying through the sky,
Achieving success.
just live your lives,
Live your lives without fear.
don't mess with us.
Don't underestimate us.
We are the riders riders,
We are the heroes.
come flash your lighters higher,
Celebrate our victory.
don't retire,
Keep going.
entire worlds on fire,
The world needs our help.
we're the riders,
We are the heroes.
we're the fighters.
We are determined to win.
I've got split personalities,
I have multiple personalities.
in my mentalities,
I have different ways of thinking.
one of me two of me Japanese Chinese,
I identify with different cultures.
so what do you reckon when you see me in my mask,
What do you think when you see me in my superhero mask?
stopping criminal tasks I'm there I'm gone fast I'll be watching you like a hawk,
I am there and gone quickly when stopping criminals, and I am always watching.
you think I will stalk,
You might think that I'm stalking you.
why people started to talk about what we do at night,
People are curious about what we do at night.
did we give you a fright when we were stopping that fight cause I stay out the light,
Did we scare you when we stopped a fight because we work at night?
so Reepa's gonna stay on the street serve and protect can you feel the effect as I connect you bet another bad guy locked up another one behind bars,
I will stay on the street to protect you, and you will feel the positive effect.
my crime stoppign rating I'm rated five stars,
I am highly rated in stopping crimes.
so at the end of the dayz,
At the end of the day,
I can sit back and blaze another criminal down another criminal pays,
I can sit back and celebrate taking down another criminal.
if you see us in the shadows bad guys beware,
The bad guys should be careful if they see us in the shadows.
Blazin' don't stop will arrest you there.
We won't stop until we arrest you.
I am a man that will win so spin,
I am a winner and a go-getter.
burning down crime like the dust in the wind,
I am determined to eliminate crime.
never coming till the lights go dim,
I will keep going until the job is done.
when Freek comes through the streets they shout so loud 'It's him,'
When I come through the streets, people recognize me.
help peoples asses,
I help people in need.
save people's lives jacking them digits and jacking then knives,
I save lives and prevent crimes.
my kru's Blazin' and we're bringing them vibes,
My team Blazin' has a great energy.
like Robin Hood I get rid of bad guys,
I am like Robin Hood, but I get rid of bad guys instead of stealing from them.
coz man get smoked and man get jacked,
Men face violence and theft.
as I breeze through the street with the F on my back,
I move through the streets quickly with my team's logo on my back.
to attack with my sack never lack that's the end of my rap and that is that.
I am always ready to attack and this is the end of my rhyme.
Reload it's time to bust rhyme,
It's time to start rapping again.
hit em when I bill em I'm busting and I'm robbing and I'm still never copying,
I am original and always keep my style fresh.
busting never trusting,
I don't trust anyone, I just keep going.
hit em wid da dust ting,
I will strike them with my power.
come mans what wanna swing,
Who wants to fight with me?
I'm a bad man from down da down town,
I am a tough guy from the rough part of town.
who wanna check the sensational sound hit the ground got a bloodhound,
Listen to my amazing music which will make you go crazy.
fangs so sharp they rip roar,
My words are so sharp and powerful.
let him off the muzzle,
Let it loose.
in a bit of trouble,
I'm in some trouble.
there goes your clic ha, ha, ha,
I just defeated your gang, hahaha.
I'm a bad chatter,
I talk a lot, but I am also a tough guy.
about to chat fatter,
I am going to talk even more.
T-Tom B no-one's better,
I am the best, no one can beat me.
getting kinda hotter tongue tied knotter,
I am getting more and more intense, and my words are tying my tongue.
selecta ta, ta, ta
Goodbye for now.
Beanies they call me B Rocka,
I am called B Rocka because of my woolen hat.
coz I rough up and hot up any top shotter,
I am tough and can defeat anyone.
Tottenham, Chingford all be da manors,
I come from different areas in London.
Pettchy ten LT who's nanger,
I come from Pettchy ten LT and I am feared.
every man dem on the street,
Everyone on the street knows me.
wanna bang her,
They want to talk to me.
if they do then Rock B's in da slammer,
If they talk to me, they could end up in jail.
juice my girl on da regular,
I talk to my girlfriend all the time.
pass me my Nokia,
Give me my phone.
blaze like a pro coz I've got pure stamina,
I rap like a professional because I have great energy.
blaze hensey coz I don't blaze amon nah,
I drink cognac because I don't drink cheap alcohol.
man of steel I'm da gangster of lead,
I am tough like steel and can lead the gangs.
blaze all night so my eyes blood red,
I will stay up all night and my eyes will become bloodshot.
all dat crap you said going over my head,
All the irrelevant things you said are not important.
I've let you live once not gonna do it again,
I spared your life once, but I won't do it again.
cause I'm da cat,
I am the leader.
you'll better stay clear of,
You should stay away from me.
da cat bad mans be scared of.
Everyone is scared of me because I am the leader.
Contributed by Alexander G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brid Mackle
Chavilicious :D
Mackenzie Johns
REEEEEEPA!!
Rebecca Porthouse
@akay1122 From Blazin Squad's In The Beginning album, track 10 :)
Kelly Wilson
@akay1122 yes it is, hav u eva listened to this album b4
Jensy Anton
thx a lot.. btw hu do u think is da hottest ..?
Kelly Wilson
probs flava, krazy, melo-d, reepa or strider
Juppalieu
Reepa is rapping on the second verse