SCOTS rapper Gavin Bain is writing the soundtrack to a movie based on how he duped execs at music giant Sony into giving him a £250,000 record deal.
California Schemin’, directed by James McAvoy, will tell how he and pal Billy Boyd posed as US hip-hop duo Silibil N’ Brains.
Gavin and pal Billy Boyd posed as US hip-hop duo Silibil N’ Brains[/caption]
James McAvoy is turning Gavin’s memoir into a film[/caption]
We told how the duo ditched their Scots accents and claimed to have been taught to rhyme by Eminem after London label bosses wrote them off as the “rapping Proclaimers”.
Gavin, 43, from Motherwell, said: “I’m doing a lot of music for the film.
“I’ve dedicated my life to this journey.
“Being creative helps keep the demons at bay.”
The flick is based on Bain’s 2010 memoir of the same title. He met Boyd, of Arbroath, as students and they spent two years learning how to rap.
Undaunted by their rejection, they posed as California skateboarders and were snapped up by Sony, leading to MTV appearances and parties with Madonna.
But they blew their advance and split before their debut album was released after their ruse was discovered.
Gavin now releases tracks as Brains McLoud and teaches how to rap online.
He added: “I do the things that make me happy. Everything else sorts itself out.”
Gavin and Billy claimed to be skate punks from San Jacinto, California, who had been taught to rap by Eminem, and went round the room rhyming insults at the clueless execs, prompting one to blurt: “These guys are the real deal.”
Within months they had signed to Sony and had secured a meeting with mogul Jonathan Shalit, who was desperate to manage them, having already helped guide the careers of Sir Elton John and Cher.
The lads arrived in London with just £90 between them, but blagged a payday by telling their new rep they didn’t “get out of bed for less than £70,000”.
Gavin added: “I wanted to show them the problem was not the talent and skill, it was just their ears were not used to it yet.
“The plan was to do it until we got our foot in the door and when the record came out, we were going to say guess what?”
Silibil N’ Brains were the hottest hip hop group in the UK for two years, landing spots supporting Eminem’s pals D12 and being offered their own MTV show.
They made around £250,000, but squandered it partying and trying to live up to their outrageous personas.
