While many local rock bands have gathered attention in the past, students are starting to take notice of 2006 KU graduate Trey Allen and Ricky Thrash Jr., Kalamazoo, Mich., senior, who go by the stage names spa3 and Rick Luv respectively. Together, they make up the hip-hop duo Crux and they are currently working on their second album, The Answer.

“This second album is going to be so much better than the first,” Allen said. “If you play it, you will definitely get something out of it.”

Allen came to KU after graduating from Wichita East because he received a full scholarship and wanted to be close to his high school friends.

Thrash, who grew up a KU basketball fan, decided to attend the University because of the school’s sports reputation.

Although Crux didn’t form until 2005, Thrash and Allen knew each other since 2004 when Allen moved into Lewis Hall. Fellow group founder Kris Kennedy, 2007 graduate, also lived in the residence hall.

“We all got close when we learned we had a lot of the same views on music,” Thrash said.

Allen said Lawrence had more of a rock and indie music scene, but Crux was bringing hip-hop to the city.

“I always told myself when I got to college I would find some kind of outlet for my poetry and writing,” Allen said.

From there, Allen began to produce his own beats and formed Crux with Kennedy.

Thrash already had a strong musical background.

“My Dad raised me to do it all. I joined the children’s group Baby Faze and put on a bunch of different performances that would air on local cable access shows,” Thrash said.

Thrash recorded an album during high school with his cousin and a friend, but moved to Lawrence to attend the University right after it was released. Initially, Thrash resisted joining Crux because he didn’t think he was a good rapper.

“You are your own worst critic,” Thrash said.

Crux put out its debut album, The Question, in 2005. The group consisted of Allen, Thrash and Kennedy and two of their friends. They recorded the album in just more than a month.

“We would go through the beats and ask ‘does that sound good?’ or ‘who would sound good on this?’ We narrowed the beats down and came up with lyrics on the fly. An example is the song ‘Get Loose,’” Allen said.

‘Get Loose’ was the group’s first single and both Allen and Thrash said it was their favorite song on the debut album.

After the release of The Question, the group began performing many benefit shows such as Crux Against Cancer.

Kennedy’s younger brother had cancer and Allen’s mother died from the disease.

“It’s why I do the shows and why it’s so special,” Allen said. “It’s my way of letting her know how I’m doing and to help give money to finding a cure.”

Personal experiences are a primary source of the duo’s original lyrics.

“Our lives aren’t what BET represents. Life isn’t grills, spinners or a thug life. It’s regular. So our music is just about anything we are feeling,” Allen said.

Thrash said the black community portrayed in the media frustrated him and had a large effect on his lyrics.

“My music is just about my life experiences whether it’s girls or the fact that people can do better,” Thrash said.

The group’s second album will feature a collection of individual tracks from both Allen and Thrash, with guest appearances from Kennedy and a few collaborations between the duo.

“The first album was forced in that we were trying to get everybody on equal tracks,” Thrash said. “On this one, we both have our own styles. Sometimes it was hard to do a certain track with certain members because I wanted it to be harder than it sounded. This time, we get to do what we really want to do.”

Both Allen and Thrash produce and write all their music.

In addition to the second album, which is slated to be released by winter break this year, the guys are hoping to have multiple concerts, including the homecoming halftime show and benefit shows.

Thrash and Allen said they were hopeful that the second album would receive more play time from local venues.

“There is a certain piece of our music that fits everybody,” Allen said. “Whether it’s our lyrics, beats——it can touch somebody.”

­— Edited by Elizabeth Cattell