In keeping with Breast Cancer Awareness month, Team Solid, a group of local musicians, will hold a fundraiser on Oct. 11 at Longshots near Charles Town. The band, comprised of Tristan Jacobs, Mikey Morales, Keegan Clarke, Joe Green and Charles Bailey, will offer an evening of hip hop and rhythm and blues entertainment.

Jacobs, who leads the group, said this week that despite the fact that there has been a lot of negativity revolving around the local “hip hop” scene, he declares, “We don’t do that type of music. We are different from what people expect.”

Jacobs, who says he is a fan of all types of music, says he and his bandmates perform everything from Elvis to pop.

“We write country songs, too,” he said.

Jacobs said that he and the group want to give back to the community and that cancer awareness is important to him. He explained that his younger brother, Tehron, is a three-time lymphoma survivor.

“Since October is breast cancer awareness month, we chose to support that,” Jacobs said. “We want to do something positive and show the community that we are worth supporting as well.”

The benefit will be held Oct. 11 at Longshots where there will be free admission with a donation. All proceeds from the donations as well as a portion of the night’s proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. In addition to those funds, Jacobs said there will be band merchandise available for purchase with proceeds also going to the ACS.

In speaking about Longshots, Jacobs said that the owners of the establishment have been strong supporters of his band.

“We consider this our ‘home’ performance venue,” Jacobs said. “They have always supported us.”

Some facts about the disease include that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and is the second leading cause of death among women.

Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 410 will die each year.

Every effort to find a cure for breast cancer and other types of cancer is necessary and Jacobs and his group hope to make a significant contribution to the cause via this benefit event.

“If you have a voice in the community, you need to use it for good,” Jacobs said. That is what Team Solid will do.