Shooting Stars Section - 311 (Hit Parader, 1996)‏

The line between the formerly divergent worlds of hard rock and hard rap have been further and further eroded in recent years. While it wasn't too long ago that any true fan of traditional rock would look with downright disgust upon anyone who voiced a preference for rap, a number of bands have been making significant headway in merging these separate musical factions. One of the latest of these rock/rap units is a band form Omaha, Nebraska (noted as a bastion of strength for both the hard rock and rap empires...not), that goes by the name 311. With the release of their self-titled third album, these heartland rockers have done their share to bridge the still existing rap-rock gap.

"Coming for Omaha, you don't feel the need to fit into certain peer groups," said vocalist Nick Hexum. "You don't have the ethnic mix, or the ethnic tensions you do in a bigger city. In Omaha, you can just appreciate music for what it is, and not for what social statement it's making. There's an energy to rap, reggae, or some types of jazz that's really similar to the energy that a lot of rock music has. What we do is just a natural extension of our personal tastes."

While they still proudly call Omaha home, the fact is that 311 has been located in the sunny climes of Los Angeles since their debut album was released in 1992. While that album--and its follow-up--did little to distinguish these boys from a variety of other "white soul" men, their new disc has seemingly done the trick with everyone from MTV to rock and urban radio jumping all over the band's songs. But before these guys are gonna tip their caps and give the media credit for their success, Hexum want the world to know EXACTLY how hard 311 has worked to achieve their current success.

"It's our fans , the people who came to clubs to check us out, the ones who bought our first two albums, who really made it happen," the singer said. "It's been a word-of-mouth buildup taht eventually reached MTV's ears. They didn't create us--though we're very thankful for their support."