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Who were Blazin’ Squad – the rap group Love Island star Marcel Somerville used to be in?
When the new series of Love Island started, viewers saw hopeful Marcel Somerville make a pretty big deal about the fact he used to be in Blazin Squad.
He told both Olivia and Jessica about his pop star past in the hope that it would impress them.
Olivia wasnt sure who he was on about, getting Blazin Squad mixed up with the infinitely superior So Solid Crew. (Sorry Blazin Squad fans but So Solid were better…).
But who were Blazin Squad? Well if Flip reverse it and Whos that? Get off the train mean absolutely nothing to you, then read on….
Blazin Squad originally had 10 members: Kenzie, Freek, Melo-D, Spike-E, Flava, Rocky B (Marcels rap name), Strider, Krazy, Reepa and Tommy-B and they all knew each other since school.
In 2002 they burst onto the music scene with their chart-topping first single Crossroads, which sampled the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony track, which featured the iconic line from Spike-E: Whos that get off the train.
Some of their other hits included Love On The Line, Reminisce/Where The Story Ends, We Just Be Dreamin, Here 4 One and Flip Reverse, their highest-charting single after Crossroads. You know you want to hear it again.
They released two studio albums in the original line-up: In The Beginning in 2002 and Now Or Never in 2003.
Now Or Never actually didnt do too badly with critics. Strider told the BBC in an interview at the time that they wrote the entire record themselves and even co-produced a few of the tracks.
In 2005, members Kenzie, Flava and Strider formed Friday Hill and released two singles – Baby Goodbye and One More Night Alone. Both singles charted in the top 20 but their album Times Like These peaked at 67.
The same year, Marcel, Reepa, Spike-E, Melo-D and Tommy-B reformed Blazin Squad and released single All Night Long, which didnt perform well and they split up once again.
Then in 2009, Strider, Flava, Kenzie, Krazy and Marcel got back together as the Squad and put out comeback track Lets Start Again. A Greatest Hits album followed and Blazin Squad disbanded for the final time.
Love Island viewers will see Marcel STILL trying to impress people by talking about Blazin Squad, even though he insists he doesnt want to come across as though hes bragging.
He tells Kem in the second episode: I was trying to keep it low. I don’t want everyone in here to be like he’s boasting. When I was younger, around 15/16 I used to be in a band.
Do you remember the Blazin’ Squad? It is mad.. Kinda sounds like youre boasting, Marcel….