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The Ground Breakers - Fallacy & Fusion
By Simon Nash

Fallacy and Fusion are here to set a standard. Their single the Ground Breaker was produced without any musical convention in mind, and it shows, with a cocktail of hip hop, tough garage, funk and tons of energy. In the midst of a heavy schedule of dates the pair took some time out to chat to the Situation about the single and its reception, their thoughts on the UK's urban music scene, it's emerging identity and the restraints that come with it.

Individually they have been involved with hip hop for years. At the tender age of 6 Fallacy was introduced to hip hop music and culture through the film Beat Street, "We didn't know what it was, how important it was as a culture, but it was interesting, it was new." Still only 23 Lambeth's Fallacy has worked with a who's who of UK artists including Root Manuvre, Blak Twang and MJ Cole. Otherwise known as Fat Danny he has taken his musical inspiration from a whole host of MC's From Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick, Ninja Man, Admiral Bailey through to Navigator and Dett.

Like wise Fusion, the production guru of the two, list Dre, Marly Marl, Gangstar and even the Bangles. "When I was younger I didn't have much access to hip hop. I heard lots of music on the radio. Musically it has left me a lot more open minded. Fusion, or Alian as he's also known, has worked as a journalist at Echoes, Darker Than Blue and MTV Base. After putting together some intro outro skitz for a UK compilation album called 'Home Grown,' Fusion bumped into Fallacy at a night club. Once Fallacy discovered it was Fusing who done the tracks he demanded. "I wanna work with you" and that was that.

This vast musical background is what helps set Fallacy and Fusion apart from the rest, "Personally I would say my beats have always been a bit different. My squad will be like 'Fusion you on some jazzy shit, or you on this, or on that,' and I could only carve out a few things for them." But where Fallacy is concerned he insists, "Whatever I did for myself was what he wanted. There was a kinda natural connection." Fallacy nods. He is sitting with a knife carving up the table like a naughty school boy in detention, while fusion is messing around with a table tennis bat and ball. They both seem a little bored, but who can blame them, sitting in the Source/ Wordplay record label offices when they have been tearing up crowds at nights like Dekefex at Mass in Brixton. Fusion explains excitedly, "It was like a riot, people moshing out, grabbing their friends and throwing them across the dancehall." This seems to spark Fallacy as he laughs, "Yeah that was kinda mad. Certain regular faces I've started to see. I go, 'More Rowdy' they go, 'OK.' Dekefex was mad, some kinda rock energy. I was throwing water on them and they were loving it." Both of them seem most impressed by the song's reaction. They even get the reload demanded when they perform the single.

However, they recognise that the single has been getting a mixed reaction, largely because it does not sit comfortably within any one genre. Fusion remembers, "The first time we performed the song was at Hackney Volcano. People stood with their jaws open. The energy, the sound clash of Mo Town, big horns, hard drums, key board synth, freaked them the fuck out. It's definitely a statement track."

The title may be a little bold, but they believe it lives up to it's title. Fusion says the track was never developed with a formula in mind. Hip hop purists may liken it to garage, but Fusion insists, "When I took the sample and worked with it. I was just vibing with it. I clocked the tempo afterwards, I wasn't trying to fight it. It made sense. Then Fallacy just found the way."

Fallacy believes lyrically he has no set agenda. When concerning The Groundbreaker, "Its about every city that you name. Somebody somewhere in that city should be able to relate to this song. Of course first hand it's about London, cos that's where I'm from." They both seem adamant that they don't want their sound to get pigeon holed as UK hip hop. Fallacy points out, "UK hip hop segregates its self just by saying UK hip hop." Fusion Agrees, as he says about the beats of The Ground Breaker, "For me hip hop is any tempo, it can be as slow as 70 as fast as 180 and it's still hip hop, it's the spirit of the music."

Despite this Fallacy recognises that the UK has a distinct style of MCing, one which he feels draws largely raga and has been developed by jungle and garage MC's. "We are at a stage right now in London, and probably across the rest of the country, where White, Black, Chinese, Asians all speak the same language, its like a broken Patois English, we got our own slang." This is a long way from English rappers putting on an American accent and sounding out of place, or as Fallacy points out, "Harsh in a fierce cockney accent." As the audience has now been softened up he feels the music is more marketable. He does not want to compromise, just promote. "In any rebel music, where there's more attached to it than just the aesthetic of sitting down listening to it, when there's a lifestyle attached to it, an ethos that people live by within that, of course people feel threatened by losing what makes them different in the first place. It's like tourism, for real, you gotta look at it as tourism. People from another place, come to where you are at, and enjoy what you are and what you do."

For them the video is a reflection of who they are, including the fact that all the people in the video are their mates. They didn't want just any model or a bodybuilder standing around looking rude. The co production got very stressful at times, with all important aspects of hip hop videos nearly missing. Fallacy says, "My brethren was supposed to bring a feet of mercs down, but he got stuck at the Nigerian embassy. So my other friend came down at the last minute with the porches. We nearly didn't get the car shot." Also see if you can spot the famous friends in the video.

On the topic of famous friends, the duo pulled in MJ Cole and Shy FX to do the Ground Breaker remixes. Fusion states, "Shy is at the top of his game, he's heavy weight. I've know shy for years. We're both Emerton boys." The Shy FX mix has been given the full revocal, and the combination is crisp. The MJ Cole mix is a more laid back affair, but quality none the less. All mixes will be available from June 10th.

It's unclear when, or if, we can expect an album but Fusion ensures, "I've got plenty more in the chamber." But for now it's all about the Ground Breaker. Fusion believes that people don't want to hear an album unless the artist has proved themselves on a commercial scale, "Hip hop didn't become the global force it is simply by making album tracks." The plan is to pace themselves, but with virtually every dates virtually everyday up to and beyond the release date, they're gonna be busy. In that time they will be performing along side the likes of Ludacris and Mobb Deep.

The single defiantly looks set to blow up, the follow up material will be waited on with baited breath, as we wait see if they continue in the same convention defining vein.

Fallacy & Fusion: The new single 'The Ground Breaker' out in June