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Blazin’ Squad: What Happened to the Noughties Band After They Split

BBG News

They shot to fame in the early 2000s with six top 10 hits, including the iconic Crossroads cover. 

Not all members of the Blazin’ Squad, which originally consisted of ten, have continued their careers in the music industry following their breakup.

2002 saw the debut of Blazin’ Squad’s first album titled “In The Beginning.” The following year brought their second album, “Now Or Never,” however, due to low sales, plans for a third album were not approved.

In 2005, the band started to split apart when Strider, Flava, and Kenzie entered into a different recording contract, while Rocky-B, Reepa, Spike-E, and Melo-D revamped Blazin Squad as a group of four. Four years passed, and Kenzie reconnected with the quartet for a Blazin Squad comeback, and they put out a compilation album featuring their biggest hits.

Marcel Somerville (also known as Rocky B) and James McKenzie, recognized as the band’s standout members, have also made a name for themselves in the realm of reality television.

But several of its members had surprising career changes in the years after the band’s split. 

TopMob explores the current activities of the members, ranging from songwriters to celebrities, all the way to a Net Zero manager and a window installer – the Blazin’ Squad.

Window fitter-turned-wifi engineer

Melo-D – Chris McKeckney 

Chris McKeckney, aka Melo-D, still takes to the stage on and off with the band for reunion gigs.

But the star also turned his hand to a variety of careers in the years after they disbanded. 

Initially, he worked as an installer of double-pane windows, and later on, in January 2017, he established his own business named Stronghold Glazing Limited.

Despite its initial promise, the venture didn’t last long as Chris stepped down from his role as the company’s director in May 2017, only five months after he took up the position.

Five months later, in October, an application was submitted for the company’s removal from the registry entirely. By January 2018, this process had been completed, and the company was officially dissolved.

Following my passion, I transitioned into a new role and have been serving as a Field Services Engineer at Virgin Media since February 2017, as you can see from my LinkedIn profile.

Songwriters to the stars  

Strider and Flava – Mustafa Omer and James Murray 

Following their strong connection while being in the band, Mustafa Omer (Strider) and James Murray (Flava) have since collaborated frequently.

Instead, they continued their careers in the field of entertainment, eventually forming a songwriting partnership known as Mojam.

The pair experienced tremendous triumph as authors and collaborated with artists such as Emeli Sandé, Leona Lewis, Naughty Boy, and Professor Green.

They even co-wrote Sam Smith and Naughty Boy’s hugely successful hit single La La La.

In 2013, my beloved track managed to secure the sixth spot among the top-selling singles in the UK, and remarkably, it also found a place on the US charts that same year.

Net Zero manager 

Spike-E – Sam Foulkes

Sam Foulkes aka Spike-E still reminds people he is a member of Blazin’ Squad on his social media.

He also performs alongside popular figures such as Chris, reality TV personality Marcel Somerville from Love Island, and Ollie Georgiou (better known as Freek).

Since their peak period, Sam has shifted his focus towards a more eco-friendly endeavor in recent years.

From August 2014, he commenced employment as a Document Controller with the eco-friendly design firm, MTT Limited, and was there for approximately two years and a few months.

In the year 2016, he transitioned into the realm of renewable energy and began his employment with the Net Zero carbon firm, Vital Energi Utilities Ltd, serving as their Document Control Manager.

He shares that he has extensive experience as a Document Control Manager, particularly within the construction sector, focusing on Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing projects, as well as District Heating systems, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Reality stars 

Rocky B and Kenzie – Marcel Somerville and James McKenzie  

In 2017, Marcel Somerville, known as Rocky B, reintroduced the popular group Blazin’ Squad to the spotlight by participating in the third season of Love Island.

After departing from the reality show, he swiftly penned down “Dr. Marcel’s Pocket Guide to Grand Amour,” a book that made him famous for his relationship counsel.

However, his unfaithfulness proved detrimental to his television career following that period, since plans had him as a relationship expert on Celebs Go Dating.

It’s said that Marcel’s estimated value is £100,000, but he forfeited the job opportunity when it came to light that he had been unfaithful to his girlfriend, Gabby Allen, during their vacation.

In early 2025, he resumed his stint on reality television by joining the “Love Island: All Stars” edition held in South Africa. Unfortunately, his stay was brief as he was eliminated from the program after approximately a week’s time.

Another Blazin’ Squad member to take to reality TV was Kenzie [James McKenzie].

In my early twenties, I, much like Kenzie, found myself in the limelight following a runner-up finish on Celebrity Big Brother. However, it wasn’t just the reality show that catapulted me into the public eye; I also made headlines when I started dating Jodie Marsh, a well-known model at the time who happened to be nearly twice my age. This unexpected relationship certainly added another layer of intrigue to my life!

Later, he made appearances on various television programs such as The Weakest Link, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and Celebrity Juice, in addition to releasing a personal memoir.

In 2014, he participated in ITV’s The Big Reunion, a show that brought together bands from the ’90s and early 2000s (noughties), and became part of a collective group known as 5th Story.

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2025-02-15 17:19

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