Being a Bradford is the secret behind Bad Boy Chiller Crew

For any musician, playing in front of fans across the country is their bread and butter.

But as Bradford rap trio Bad Boy Chiller Crew reflect on performing in front of their hometown crowd, they feel differently.

“They see us growing from the street, the street corner or the estate. They see the work we do,” Gareth “GK” Kelly told BBC Newsbeat.

The band honed their infectious, humorous, bass-heavy sound in their hometown and have proudly worn their roots on their sleeves ever since.

GK says things have changed dramatically in Bradford since the Bad Boy Chiller Crew's early days, with the nightclubs they used to perform in closing and a feeling that “the heart has been removed from the local scene”.

There is also a sense that the focus has shifted to other cities, particularly Leeds, which is just 10 miles away.

Symbolic of this is Bradford Live, a former concert hall and cinema now converted into a £50 million music venue.

It is currently in the city center and has not yet opened after operators lined up to pull out of an agreement with the local council.

“It’s a beautiful building,” GK said.

“It was perfect and they worked really hard. I just don't get it.”

GK hopes government funding for Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture will help promote and revitalize the area.

Still, the attention it brings to the city and some undiscovered artists is a big aspiration.

“There are so many races, religions and different backgrounds here – there's a lot of talent,” he said.

“I think if everyone comes together and works together, it could be really good,” he said.

GK said he and his fellow band members, presenters Kane Welsh and Sam “Clive” Robinson, have always tried to keep it real and believe this has helped them achieve their success.

“I think there was a rawness, a naturalness to us back then,” he said.

“We're not trying to be anyone else.”

The group said people in the music industry tried to get them to tone down the “Bradford character” but they had no reaction.

“That’s not who we are,” GK said.

“We can't adapt to this.”

Clive added: “Because we are so raw and genuine, that’s what makes us stand out from the rest.”

The duo also credits the local music scene for allowing them to experiment and find their signature sound, while also developing their signature sense of humor.

“It was the entertainment of our band that gave us our breakthrough,” GK said.

“It's laughs, jokes, song parodies. Pranks, stunts, skits.”

“We've had some problems, too,” GK admitted.

The rap trio has filed a legal claim objected to their record label and said they were owed around £400,000 in unpaid royalties.

They said they had “no choice” but to file a lawsuit against House Anxiety, who signed the band in 2020 and released their Full Wack No Breaks mixtape that year.

These include the band's breakthrough song “450” ​​and follow-up “Disrespectful”, which reached number two on the UK album charts in 2022 under a licensing deal with Sony's Relentless label.

House Anxiety has previously strongly denied the claims and said it welcomed the opportunity to “clarify the inaccuracies.”

GK described the situation as “heartbreaking” and said he has put everything on hold for Bad Boy Chiller Crew.

“We were belittled, taken advantage of and manipulated,” he said.

“As it stands, there is no future because we are not allowed to release music.

“We weren't allowed to put anything out. We couldn't even go on tour because we couldn't release music.”

GK said this was the case despite their “efforts and push” to do so.

“It stops us from working, it stops us from doing what we do best and what we love,” Clive told Newsbeat.

House Anxiety has not responded to further requests for comment.

On a personal level, GK said it had taken a “huge toll”.

“We put in a lot of effort and sacrificed a lot,” he said.

“It makes you want to avoid people completely.

“Because I don't want to be asked: 'Where are your songs? Did you break up? Did you have a falling out?'”

But once that's all sorted out, fans can expect a lot of new music from the band.

“We’ve built up a catalog,” GK said.

“Some of the songs remind me of when we started.

“So we have to release a lot of songs.”

The boys said they knew the perfect place to debut their new material – Bradford Live, a former cinema they frequented as children.

“Of course,” GK said.

“We’ll be looking for nachos and popcorn.”

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