Silibil N' Brains
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Dundee , Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Products | Hip-hop music |
'Silibil N' Brains is a hip-hop pair originating from Dundee, Scotland, composed of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd (distinct from the Scottish actor of the same name). Their rise to prominence stemmed from masquerading as Californian rappers to obtain a recording contract, a narrative explored in Bain's 2010 autobiography California Schemin (subsequently republished as Straight Outta Scotland) and the 2013 film The Great Hip Hop Hoax, directed by Jeanie Finlay.
History
During the early 2000s, Bain and Boyd found it challenging to break into the London rap scene due to frequent rejection based on their Scottish accents. To counter this, they assumed fictitious American identities from San Jacinto, California—Boyd as Silibil and Bain as Brains McLoud. This strategic reinvention brought them greater opportunities, leading to representation by Jonathan Shalit and a contract with Sony Music UK for two singles and a full album. Their live performances included supporting acts such as D12 and appearances on MTV, while their Scottish backgrounds remained largely concealed.
Nonetheless, a corporate merger at Sony caused internal changes that postponed their debut release by no less than six months. As support waned and personal circumstances shifted—Boyd returned to Scotland for familial reasons and exited the group—Bain continued solo under the name Brains on a reduced scale before publicly disclosing the deception.
The duo came together again in 2013, issuing the EP Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and sharing previously unreleased tracks from their original 1998–2005 era on Bandcamp. Bain released his solo album Almost Dead Famous on 4 July 2015 and maintains his career as Brains.
Documentary
The 2013 documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax, directed by British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay, chronicles the story behind the deception.
Biopic
Filming commenced in Scotland in November 2024 on a musical biographical film entitled California Schemin' under the direction of James McAvoy.
Discography
- "Play With Myself" (2004, promotional single)
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2013)
- Losers (2014, originally slated as their debut album in 2004)
- C**t (2015, demo recordings by the early-2000s S&B live ensemble featuring a pop-punk influence)