With the growing popularity of hip-hop, the genre is looked upon as music that is focused on sex and drugs and women.

However, for the group Legendary Icon Crew, that perception of hip-hop is what they are trying to change.

Andre Khatami 19, marketing major, and Cal State Fullerton student Javier Romos 19, electrical engineering major, say that the reason why they want to change the perception is because hip-hop is not all about sex, drugs and women.

Both, along with Romos’ twin brother Francisco, also an electrical engineering major and friend Juan McLean, Cerritos student and audio and music engineering major, have focused on a positive message.

Romos, said that he along with his friends would hope that the music that they create people would walk away with its own message.

“That’s just the way I see it and I do think that our take is different because we try to focus on talking about family and life experiences,” he said.

In addition, Khatami says the music that the group writes deals with war, family and an understanding of society in general.

Romos’ twin brother wasn’t available for comment and neither was McLean both two out of the quartet says that, that focus in the end result of who L.I. Crew is.

In trying to categorize its music, both said that it is difficult to because the group doesn’t necessarily look to compare itself with others.

“Would honestly say that the music is fresh,” Khatami commented, “because we as a group sing it with emotion.”

That emotion is what is hoped people relate to Romos said.

When the group first began Khatami who attended California High School, said that there were only three band members it was he, both Romos twins before McLean joined in. However, Khatami said that when McLean had demo of his music, his music blended in.

Friends of the group could not be reached for comment.

The group will release its EP album at the end of the semester and Khatami says that it will be released through an independent label. The album will contain six tracks including the song, “Change the Word.”

Khatami says that there are plans to release a full-length album in the future. “With this album it will be contributed to local record stores and also will be distribute at upcoming performances.”

Alexx Daye, who has been a producer for the group Fresh Air among others, produced the album and according to Khatami it is only a sampling of what the full-length album will sound like.

As for why the group chose to focus on hip-hop it had nothing to do with just what the music means today but that there is something positive about it.

For more information about L.I. Crew visit http://www.myspace.com/licrew