Musical groups today are starved for lyrical content, direction and even motivation. That much is obvious, based on what we hear coming out of the radio.
Spearheading Richmond’s protest of commercialism is the hip-hop group The Line Up.
A diverse range of musical talents, The Line Up’s members come from all reaches of the East Coast. They have developed a unique sound by combining different rhyming styles and blending a multitude of creative ideas.
The group is based out of VCU and consists of Rayvon Burrwell, who is known as “DJ Rayvon”, Mark “The Bully” Ferguson, Mike “Da Truth”Adu-Gyamfi, Jovani “Wildchild” Allen and Ticia “LT da Menace” Watkins. They all met during their freshman year two years ago, when rapping was just something to kill the time, but they began to have fun with it, toying with their abilities as they were developed .
“We’d make a song, people liked it. We’d write another song, people liked it too,” Ferguson said. “Then, it just became what we do.”
Their sound is said to be unique, and the group believes it has to do with their lives and locations before coming to VCU in terms of the styles they bring and the lyrical content of their 100-some songs.
It is unanimously agreed within the group that the music is difficult to classify.
“As a collaboration of all different kinds of music, it comes out as The Line Up.” Ferguson said.
“What this group does have that sets them apart from all the rest,” DJ Rayvon said, “is on the outside of the music, there are friendships – while you’re unsuccessful sometimes, they’ll be all you’ve got. And when it’s like that, it seeps over into the music.”
The Line Up has performed all over the East Coast, but recently could be seen at VCU’s homecoming concert at the Siegel Center, where the band opened for Trey Songz and Twista. Past performances include the premiere of BET’s “Ultimate Hustler” at the Hustler’s Lounge in New York City.