Usual Suspects formed in 1998 as a drum-and-bass group comprising Carl Hovland, Lawrence Hughes, also known as Keaton, and Chris Lavin. Hovland and Hughes met while studying sound engineering in Kingston, London. That year, the group began releasing music on Renegade Hardware, a label associated with the act. Their tracks included Killa Bees, Spawn, Hole Punch and Shrapnel; Killa Bees sold more than 14,000 copies. Spawn / Hole Punch reached number 99 on the UK singles chart. The group also released music on Metalheadz, 31 Records and Timeless.
Other tracks included Sawn Off, made with Fierce, and Ja Bless. The group produced together until at least 2003, after which Chris Lavin continued DJing under the Usual Suspects name. Usual Suspects collaborated with Konflict on Armageddon. In 1999, the group released Stalker / Fracture on Renegade Hardware with Loxy. In 2024, ED 209 (NC-17 Remix) appeared on Renegade Hardware with NC-17.
