So Solid Crew: From Doctor Who to prison sentences, what hip hop group are doing now

It has been over two decades since So Solid Crew’s huge hit 21 Seconds became a number one single in the UK. Regarded as a pioneering garage anthem, the track is still popular to this day, but things weren’t glorious for the trailblazing collective for long.

Composed of Plymouth’s MC Harvey, Lisa Maffia, Carl Morgan, Megaman, MC Romeo, Ashley Walters, and Skat D, So Solid Crew emerged out of the Capital’s pirate radio scene and enjoyed huge mainstream success for some time in the early 2000s. Their debut album ‘They Don’t Know’ was released in 2001, and went platinum in the UK, The Sun reports.

In the 21 years that followed their success, all members of the group have experienced their fair share of setbacks and controversies. Just this week, it was sadly reported that Lisa’s cousin, 21-months-old Jetson Maffia-Kerbey, died after falling into a hot tub in Kent.

The former So Solid Crew star paid tribute to her beloved cousin on Instagram, writing: “My handsome little cousin Jetson. I love you and your mumma. I’m so sorry you’re gone so soon.”

The untimely death of little Jetson is not the only low point Lisa has been put through in recent years. She endured an agonising health scare last year when she was ended up in hospital due to endometriosis and fibroids. In 2020, Lisa revealed the heart-breaking revealed news that her mum had terminal cervical cancer.

Lisa Maffia in London last month (Image: Getty Images for Universal)

Unhappy with her ‘saggy cleavage’, Lisa underwent a boob job in 2004, and has spent many years recovering from arising complications from the operation. 12 years later, in 2016, Lisa appeared on ‘Celebrity Botched Up Bodies’, and had the now-banned implants removed after revealing that she was left in excruciating pain because of them. But what’s the story with the other members of So Solid Crew?

MC Harvey

Plymothian rapper MC Harvey pursued a solo career following the end of So Solid Crew, and achieved success at first. His debut single ‘Get Up and Move’ reached number 24 in the charts. But the rapper, now 43, is mostly known for his rocky personal life, which has involved a considerable amount of infidelity.

In June 2005, Harvey tied the knot with singer Alesha Dixon, but the couple split the following year after Alesha discovered Harvey had been having an affair with former Eurovision contestant Javine Hylton. In 2008, Harvey and Javine welcomed their daughter, Angel into the world, but separated amid allegations of infidelity on his behalf after.

MC Harvey playing in a charity football match (Image: Adam Fradgley/Exposure)

In 2015, ten years after his first wedding, Harvey married Ghamzeh Mahdizadeh, a dancer he had been dating for five years. The couple welcomed their daughter, Persia the following year, but it was then reported he had cheated on his wife with Harry Potter actress Elarica Johnson just two weeks after their wedding.

That same year, Harvey was put behind bars for ten weeks after being spotted driving his car whilst using his phone by police officers, even though he had been banned from driving. Now, Harvey is set to tie the knot again, this time to a woman called Mia, who he proposed to on her birthday in December 2021.

Carl Morgan

Once So Solid Crew’s producer and featured in the 21 Seconds music video, Carl Morgan was sentenced to life in prison after fatally shooting Colin Scarlett, his ex Elisha McFarlane’s new partner. Court documents say that Carl felt humiliated after Colin beat him up in front of Elisha in November 2004, so he shot him dead after engaging in South London gun battle.

Despite maintaining his innocence and insisting that there was a third gunman who shot Colin, he was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison.

Megaman

Megaman – real name Dwayne Vincent – was also charged with the murder of Colin Scarlett. Arguably one of So Solid Crew’s most prominent figures, Dwayne was accused of encouraging Carl to pull the trigger, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict during an initial trial.

In 2006, Dwayne was found not guilty during a retrial after spending a year in prison. Upon his release, he told MTV: “I was innocent. I look at my hands and say these hands are clean. These hands ain’t taken no life.”

Six years later, in 2012, Dwayne pleaded guilty to one count of affray following a mass brawl at a nightclub in Birmingham. Just last year, Dwayne, now in his early 40s, criticised venues who required those entering them to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

MC Romeo

In 2002, MC Romeo, real name Marvin Dawkins, seemed to have a bright future ahead of him as a solo artist when he released It’s All Gravy with singer Christina Milan. Unfortunately, Solid Love, his debut album, did not have much success, peaking at number 46 in the charts. In 2008, he was set to release another album, but his plans were then shelved.

Following the flopping of his solo career, Romeo decided to try his hand at being a reality TV contestant, and entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2012, finishing in sixth place. He then starred in Fool Around with… Romeo, which saw him try and suss out which one of four girls he had been placed in a room with was single.

Romeo got into trouble with the law in 2004 when he was charged with wounding with intent to cause bodily harm when a man was slashed with a knife. The following year, he was found not guilty as the prosecution decided against taking the case any further.

Ashley Walters

Rather than pursuing a solo career in music, Ashley Walters swapped his So Solid Crew fame for an acting career. Now 40, Ashley received universal acclaim for his role as Dushane in Top Boy, and is estimated to have a net worth of over £2.2million.

Ashley has also starred in popular TV shows such as Doctor Who, Grange Hill, and The Bill. He also appeared alongside 50 Cent and Terrence Howard in Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

Ashley Walters at the House of Dragon premiere in London last month (Image: PA)

But, despite having a glitzy on-screen career, Ashley has still had his share of run-ins with the law. In 2002, he spent 18 months in a young offenders institute for carrying a gun, and had more legal troubles in 2013 when he admitted to assaulting a security guard.

In 2014, he was fined for carrying cannabis, and was ordered to pay £1,000 after using threatening behaviour aimed at hotel staff in Islington in 2016. From 2018, Ashley played police officer Ronnie Pike in Sky One’s Bulletproof, which he created and starred in alongside Noel Clarke. The show was shelved last year after Noel was accused of bullying and sexual misconduct by over 20 women.

Earlier this year, Ashley spoke out against Noel, saying: “It’s not how I’ve been brought up, it’s not something I condone.” He has been married to his wife Dannielle since 2013, and has eight children, and one grandchild.

Skat D

Before So Solid Crew made their breakthrough with 21 Seconds in the early noughties, Skat D, real name Darren Weir, was fined £1,500 after breaking the jaw of a 15-year-old schoolgirl who had rejected his sexual advances. Darren was spared jail as the judge did not want to harm his promising music career.

The victim was awarded £3,500 in compensation, and had to have three metal plates fitted. In 2011, Darren punched another teenage girl, this time his 17-year-old girlfriend, after she refused to do his laundry; he was not sent to prison, and was given a 120-hour community order.

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