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Herbal remediesIn a city swamped with manufactured pop, a hip hop collective is offering a refreshing alternativeMalik Fareed Updated on Jun 19, 2008Sir JBS appears to be getting a little antsy. "I don't really care, but people want us to be underground," says the resident provocateur of Hong Kong's biggest rap group, 24 Herbs. "We're not underground. That means you rap in the MTR station."

It's no surprise that JBS' comments are laced with humour. For all of the street linguistics and urban appeal of 24 Herbs, the group see themselves as a positive force, embodied by their Chinese name, Ya Sei Mei - a reference to a popular local herbal drink which is bitter but also healthy.

"We look like thugs but we are actually gentle giants," says JBS. "Our music is quite crazy, but it's actually a positive message."

We are sitting a stone's throw from 24 Herbs' de facto HQ at Drum Music and the group are doing what - outside of music, anyway - they do best: drinking. When they formed two years ago, a healthy dose of lubrication helped turn six disparate individuals into a homegrown hip hop success story.

"We spent a lot of time drinking together," says Drunk, aka Conroy Chan, a 10-year veteran of Hong Kong's entertainment industry who formed the band after meeting JBS at a wedding in 2004. Chan then approached Kit and Phat, former members of underground rap group LMF, who had been working with the film crew of a movie he starred in called Heavenly Kings. For the taciturn duo, whom Chan dubs "the ghetto boys of the group", 24 Herbs offered a shot at redemption after LMF's rocky experience with major record labels.

A key moment for the group came when they got producer Eddie Chung (aka DorYuk) to work with them. Chung has honed 24 Herbs' sound along with the group's last recruit - bespectacled rapper Ghost Style, a Hong Kong musical veteran also known as Brandon Ho.

"The unique thing is we have the pulse of Hong Kong," says Chan. "We have so many members who represent different industries."

The crew's eclectic background has resulted in a sound that is more unique than your typical hip hop. From the pop stylings of Superstar, which takes a sly dig at Hong Kong's celebrity-obsessed culture, to the street anthem Respect Tou PK, the self-titled debut album's production shimmers with a range of influences, all underpinned by bone-shuddering beats.

Although the rapping - a mixture of Cantonese, Putonghua and English - isn't always easy to decipher, it's worth catching 24 Herbs live given their incendiary performances. In a city dominated by manufactured Canto-pop, 24 Herbs are well aware of how disruptive their music can be. While other hip hop acts, especially LMF, have failed to break into the city's mainstream, 24 Herbs may have got the timing right, given their success on radio and cable TV.

"We didn't want to be traditional hip hop," says Chan. "We don't try to follow commercial hip hop. And we're not against Canto-pop. We're just trying to do our own thing."

This approach means the band eschews the gangster posturing of many Asian rappers. "They copy the image, but not what's inside," says Phat. "We have that subculture experience, but we are still looking at the mainstream."

24 Herbs' independent streak extends into their business dealings as well, and reflects the group's willingness to trust their own instincts. "We're a little older, so we're focused," says Chung. "We explored going with a big record label, but what could they do for us that we couldn't do for ourselves?"

All of them share a healthy dose of scepticism about Hong Kong's entertainment industry. Kit and Phat refuse to sign for a major label after their experiences with LMF. Chan, given his string of movie credits, perhaps understands the situation best of all.

"Trying to get out of the system is hard, but now it's easier," he says. "We want people to get to know there is a different lifestyle to the norm in Hong Kong."

The strategy seems to be working. The group's debut album is selling well and, after a tour of Malaysia with Chinese-American rapper Jin, have set their sights on gigs in Thailand and the mainland. For Ho, the success is vindication of a 10-year grind in the city's competitive indie music scene.

"It's a good feeling," he says. "We put it out there - we don't think it's for fun, but it's good to see what response we get."

"We're reasonably happy that there are people who appreciate us," says Chung. "To keep doing what we need to do, we all understand we need some level of success."

It seems the process, rather than the product, holds the most allure for 24 Herbs, whether that means partying, burning up shows, or spending hours in the studio. A happy rap crew, perhaps, has a better shot at superstardom.

Unsurprisingly, Sir JBS has the last word. "Respect is the secret to us," he says. "And we're lucky we all look handsome."

Let's Fight Live Round III feat. 24 Herbs, Soler, Audio Traffic, Josie Ho and more, June 30, 7pm, Hitec, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, HK$290, HK$450, HK Ticketing. Inquiries: 3128 8288