Trexx And Flipside

Trexx

Trexx is the DJ of the unit, the man with the musical talent behind the decks. He is a big guy who likes his food and has a heart as wide as his waistline. When the going gets good Trexx reaches for a bargain bucket!

Trexx loves his music, and is happy to lose himself in a tune - he's more than happy to let Flipside dominate the spotlight when they're in front of a crowd... but does Flipside have to be such a moron?!

Considering Trexx likes to avoid confrontation, it's a shame his manager 'Brilliance' thinks some high profile feuds would be good publicity. Trexx is vulnerable to criticism, and has a tendency to be oversensitive. He's not too much of a man to cry, and when he does it's a horrible sight to behold, verging on hysteria; all tears, and snotty blubbering.

Trexx wears his heart on his sleeve. When he feels something, he feels it far too hard. Love goes deep, fear goes deeper and fear of B-ICE, Tiny and (most of all) Chinaza, goes deepest of all.

Until the glory, the big guy is working part-time as a receptionist at his local gym. His cousin is manager there, who through family pressure, has reluctantly been persuaded to let Trexx work in spite of the rather unhealthy image he presents upon arrival. He does shifts on reception, which basically involves giving out locker keys whilst reading books and eating bags of crisps.

Of course they don't let him near any of the actual exercise equipment, but he is the first thing you see when you enter this temple of fitness!

Flipside

Flipside is the hip-hop duo's rapper. He raps, he beatboxes, he is every inch the frontman, the ladies man... or so he thinks.

Flip is a hyperactive man child who is uber-ambitious. His brain rattles along at the speed of light, never stopping to consider the consequences of his actions, never looking back. Flip lives in the moment, running on instinct and bravado. He reacts, and never thinks. He is the sort of man who would jump out of the plane, and then realise he forgot to put on the parachute!

Flipside wants the cars, the bling, the women, the money, the respect, the attention, and the adoration - it isn't that Flip thinks he's a star; he already knows he's a star - and he's just waiting for everyone else to catch up. Consequently, he's impatient, and frustrated. He has the talent, he just doesn't have an outlet for it (or, at least, not the one he thinks he deserves). He wants success, and he wants it yesterday. He's desperate for the lifestyle that he sees B-ICE enjoying; by rights that should belong to him and Trexx!

When he can be bothered, Flipside is a postman. It's a job that fits well with his lifestyle, because the work pattern doesn't get in the way of band business in the day or the evening. An occasional drawback when Flip tries to impress the honeys out on an evening out is that he has to be in bed by 9.00pm because of the early starts!!!

Mr Brilliance

Mr Brilliance is quite possibly the last person you could imagine looking after the interests of an up and coming rap unit like Trexx and Flipside. He has more experience in booking cruise ship entertainers and tribute acts, or trying to put his own girl band together, but he's never been one to pass up a potential sure-thing, even if he can't stomach that racket they churn out, and doesn't understand the first thing about the lifestyle! His PA, Ollie, says she knows who is going to be big and that's good enough for him.

Brilliance had a few minor windfalls (mostly thanks to a couple of bankable tribute acts and obscure variety acts being on his books) - enough to afford a half-decent office - he's coasting on far-fetched tales of acts he almost managed to sign, and the outlandish reasons why they inevitably made it really big with someone else.

Nevertheless, despite his status, Brilliance exudes confidence and power, and strongly believes in his boys - who represent possibly his last, and only, chance at breaking through, and making his millions. He's likeable and friendly, but he'll also sell his own soul if he thought it'd mean he could buy a new Roller.

Brilliance does have some great 'showbiz stories': "Did I ever tell you boys about the time I was stranded in the Gobi Desert with Chris Martin? You've never witnessed desperation until you've seen the lead singer of Coldplay eat a handful of sand..."

Ollie

Ollie is Brilliance's only full-time member of staff. She's his receptionist, his PA, and his filing clerk, cleaner, tea lady, and dry cleaning-fetcher.

Forget Brilliance's insane schemes, it's Ollie who really runs the company (even though her contract still reads 'office junior'). She has a passion for music, and it was Ollie who talent-spotted Trexx and Flipside on a drunken night out with the girls. Although she still has to pay lip service to her boss's orders, she'll try and twist his directives into something potentially less disastrous - and chances are he'll never realise anyway.

Ollie has a lot riding on Trexx and Flipside because, despite her apparent confidence, she's never signed or managed a band before. She has something that marks her out as destined for more than the office junior, but she's certainly not a seasoned pro. This is uncharted territory. Much of the time she's flying by the seat of her pants on instinct and sheer determination... but she is the best chance that Wu-Hah Management and Trexx and Flipside will ever have.

Clinton

Another old schoolyard pal of Trexx and Flipside, Clinton is a full-on computer geek and all round Mr Fixit. He's like the boys' brother they never had (and sometimes never wanted).

Clinton now works in the boys' favourite diner, Dr Chicken, where he sets ups doomed TV shows from time to time, as well as serving up Gumbo.

When Trexx and Flipside need something, Clinton can usually provide it - although it's rarely how you imagined it would be. He always delivers, but never delivers in the way you'd expect. Hence a much-needed Limo was sourced by Clinton - but only if they didn't mind sharing with a hen party.

Clinton has a criminally unfashionable taste in sounds, liking everything from prog rock to easy listening. Indeed, he's even awed by some of the iffy acts Brilliance has worked with in the past.

B-Ice

Trexx and Flipside have significant history with B-ICE: he was their old school bully, a few years above them, and someone to be feared.

What makes it even worse for Trexx and Flip is that B-ICE has failed to leave the neighbourhood after he made it big, he has just had his old childhood home bulldozed and moved into a cool city-crib. He lives there with his crew and gets visits from his mum, who he loves dearly, and who is possibly - along with his icily intimidating girlfriend, Chinaza - the only person in the world he's scared of (and you disrespect her at your peril). Is he as tough as he would have us believe?

To B-ICE, Trexx and Flip are not even on the radar, but he finds them an irritation he could live without. In fact he hates them and wants them wiped out!

Chinaza

B-ICE's main squeeze and tease, Chinaza is stunningly beautiful, and has a voice to match. For now she's happy to play the role of arm candy, surfing B-ICE's bling until she gets to the point where she can ditch him for a record deal of her own.

But even while she's biding her time, we feel her understated power over B-ICE. When she asks him to do something, he whines, moans and protests - then he does it and fast!

Chinaza isn't so much the power behind the throne as the power and the throne. She is the Queen of the scene and never lets B-ICE forget it!

Tiny

B-ICE's bodyguard, Tiny is strong, silent, and deadly - a terminator in shades and bling. Much seems to confuse Tiny, who clarifies his mind by doing exactly what B-ICE (or Chinaza) says. The fact that Tiny hesitates whilst working out the instructions allows vital seconds for Trexx and Flipside to escape.

He's a man of few words, mainly because his vocabulary is so limited. That said, he knows his fashion and has been known to give (brief but perfectly-formed) advice on what to wear and what not to wear. Perhaps, this hulk of a man is metro-sexual? But just don't ask him to spell it!