The mastermind behind the So Solid Crew rap collective yesterday sang to an Old Bailey jury during evidence in which he denied ordering the killing of a man in a "wild west" shoot-out in a London street.

Dwayne Vincent, better known as Megaman, told an Old Bailey jury he played no part in the murder of Colin Scarlett on a south London estate last November. He admitted driving his friend Carl Morgan, a junior member of the collective, to the victim's home and said he tried to mediate in a row between the two. But he denied telling his friend to shoot the victim with the words: "Burst him".

He said: "I ain't going to encourage my friend to kill anyone. It's ridiculous."

During the musician's appearance in the dock, he attacked earlier prosecution claims that So Solid Crew lyrics revealed a predilection for gunplay and violence and that, in his case, art mirrored real life.

He sang the chorus of one song, Ghetto Anthem, to the jury and Judge Brian Barker, claiming it was a call for unity rather than confrontation.

"The east side's fighting the west side. It's about time that we flip the script, let's stick together, all turn legit."

He also gave the court an insight into rapping, describing the importance of computers, mixing desks and his need to be mentally in the "zone" before "spitting" his lyrics.

Standing to address the jury, he said it was incorrect to equate his personality with that of his showbiz creation Megaman and the use of violent imagery on the So Solid Crew recordings. "It was not in my mind to glorify violence. Megaman was just a character," he said.

"Megaman is a musician, and me personally, I am a businessman. There are certain things you do in your career and things you do in your social life and you can't really mix the two."

He insisted that the songs do not necessarily reflect his experience. "I don't have 'gold-diggers who pop shots at cops'. I've never been in a situation where I've been shot at or held a gun. I'm speaking about firearms but I'm using it as a metaphor. I'm saying I'm hitting them with a lot of hits in the music industry."

Mr Vincent said the material did not appeal to people likely to involve themselves in violence. "Most of our fans aren't from south London, they're at universities and colleges. I don't see thugs or those type of people buying our records."

The rapper admitted his collective were frustrated by the hostilities and jealousies of contemporaries and said the music reflected some of their frustrations. They had also sought to address So Solid's violent media image but were dissuaded from doing so by their record company.

"They said answer back in your music," he said. "So we basically stuck to the music and didn't go into the public eye."

Mr Vincent said there was no reason to engage in gun crime when he was a successful musician, winning nine awards with So Solid Crew and securing record deals for himself and many of his friends.

"Why would I want to go into music and make something for myself and still be a violent character on the streets? It doesn't make sense," he said. On the contrary, he explained, he had volunteered to work with anti-gun crime initiatives.

The jury has heard how Mr Scarlett and Mr Morgan clashed last November in a domestic row. The victim was involved in a relationship with Elisha McFarlane, who was previously Mr Morgan's girlfriend and is the mother of his two children.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Morgan assaulted Ms McFarlane and was subsequently beaten up by Mr Scarlett, 24. He is then said to have called on Mr Vincent to join him in seeking retribution. But Mr Vincent told the court he knew nothing of the dispute and only drove to the scene because Mr Morgan directed him there on the way to a studio engagement. He said both fled on hearing gunfire.

Mr Vincent, of Baron's Court, west London, and Mr Morgan, of Battersea, southwest London, both deny murder.

The trial continues.

Lyrics

An extract from a selection of lyrics cited by the prosecution as evidence of Mr Vincent's mindset.

Ride Wid Us

This is my life, and still you're fuckin' with me

Telling you niggas, talking 'bout you wanna blaze me.

I am prepared for you,

So niggas wanna fuck with me or

Check one of my chicks when they're not with me or

Talk about my shit when I go on a tour or

Fuck with my clique, yeh I target scoreboard.

Wait there's more or walk on bye why?

Hits for the clips when they rollin' by.