James McAvoy will bring the story of Dundee rappers Silibil N’ Brains to the big screen this year.
Billy ‘Silibil’ Boyd and Gavin ‘Brains’ Bain duped record label bosses and the rich and famous with their American shtick in a failed bid to become global superstars.
Their astonishing hip-hop hoax has been given the movie treatment by X-Men, Filth and Atonement star McAvoy, who is making his directorial debut with California Schemin’.
Based on Bain’s book of the same name, filming for the production took place in the City of Discovery in November.
The Courier takes a look at the stars duped by the wannabe rappers as they tried to make it in the music business.
Eminem and D12
A big part of the pair’s story was how they were “best friends” with Eminem, who had taught them how to rap.
But Bain and Boyd’s cover was nearly blown when they were given the opportunity to support the Detroit rapper and his crew.
Joined by their managers at a soundcheck for a London concert, Bain was able to convince rapper Proof that it had been a long time since they last met.
Gavin later said: “When we got to the venue D12 were on stage sound checking and so we decided we just had to be confident we went on to the stage and gave the group all a hug and a handshake as if we had known them for years.
“We knew they would probably think, ‘Who are these weird guys?’
“But we just had to fake it.
“Of course everyone thought we were best friends with Eminem and he had taught us how to rap so we just had to really keep our distance from him so that no one would ask us questions as he would have no idea who we were.
“It was difficult as he was our hero and we couldn’t even spend time with him.”
Madonna and Alicia Keys
After sealing their record deal, Boyd and Bain gained access to some of the biggest events in the music calendar.
This included the former attending the Brit Awards, where he spent the night chatting with Green Day and Daniel Bedingfield.
In his book, Bain revealed the pair found themselves partying with pop giant Madonna during their heyday.
They also found themselves freestyling in front of Empire State of Mind star Alicia Keys.
But their world soon came crashing down as a result of the pressure of the lies and the music industry, and a £50,000 tax bill.
Bain later revealed he attempted suicide.
He told Vice: “How do I get out of this trouble now? So I start doing whatever [to make money].
“I’m like this rapper, one minute I’m hanging out with Madonna and a few weeks later I’m donating sperm to make money.
“I’m taking out old women, paid to take women out. Then I’m in the f***ing job centre.
“It’s like, how the f*** did this get here?”
Jo Whiley
The pair duped the BBC DJ into playing their record after they re-recorded a demo in an American accent.
It came after the Beeb launched a competition to find the next big act in the UK.
The song was picked up by Radio 1, where it was played on ‘heavy rotation’ for a week by DJs including current Radio 2 presenter Jo.
Jonathan Shalit
A manager to the stars, Jonathan Shalit has helped guide the careers of Cher, Sting, Charlotte Church and Elton John.
After performing as Americans for the first time in London, Bain and Boyd were signed up by his company.
Shalit said: “They were very young, they were dynamic.
“My plan was to use the Sony system to take them to the world.”
Deemed as one of the most powerful managers in the music business, Shalit ploughed thousands of pounds into the act, including an advance of £70,000.
He was philosophical when the truth emerged.
Shalit told The Guardian: “Everyone scams their CV, don’t they?
“The bottom line is, we signed them because we liked their music.
“Their [American] story was massively important to them – because they lived it.
“But from my point of view, the fact that it’s turned out not to be true is irrelevant.
“If I’d signed them because of their story, I would have checked it out.
“But they could have been Brixton road sweepers for all I’d have cared. I would still have signed them, because their songs were good.”
Busted
After moving to London, Bain and Boyd became neighbours with Busted’s James Bourne.
He told BBC documentary The Great Hip-Hop Hoax: “After my band (Busted) had split up, I didn’t really go out much, I was just locked in my house.
“People would come round and they came round.
“They played me a DVD of their band. I really believed they had a chance to be really big, it was just very obvious to me.
“I sort of became a big fan, actually.”
Rod Stewart and Ray Winstone
Bain and Boyd were picked to play in a celebrity six-a-side football tournament in London as their stock rose.
The pair were joined by music legend Rod Stewart and movie star Ray Winstone.
McAvoy later revealed that he hoped to have Celtic fan Rod make a cameo appearance in the film.
Muse, Depeche Mode and So Solid Crew
With manager Shalit’s influence, they were able to sign a record deal with Sony.
In an interview with Vice, Gavin said: “They put us in the studio straight away.
“This side of us is Muse, that side of us is Depeche Mode, across from us is So Solid Crew.
“Everyone is popping their heads and hearing the crazy lyrics we had just said.”
Bain later recalled watching Muse headline Reading and Leeds Festival on TV once Silbil N’ Brains had split, thinking what might have been.
MTV
Music giants MTV included the Dundee hoaxers in their ‘Spanking New’ list in 2004, showcasing the next big acts in the UK music scene.
They were listed alongside acts including Kasabian, Bloc Party and Natasha Bedingfield.
The pair were even invited to perform, as well as chat with host Dave Berry on the channel’s TRL (Total Request Live).
But it was a nerve-wracking interview for Bain and Boyd as Berry quizzed them on where they were from.
It is claimed, following the appearance, people from Dundee who knew them messaged online forums calling the pair “fake”.
Conversation