Spotlight: Artist Of The Week
Written by Brittany Higgins on December 1, 2020
King Cruff
Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, King Cruff credits being surrounded by the local culture and music to have had a profound influence on his musical ambitions. The alluring energy of reggae and dancehall music would inspire him for years, but it was his personal fondness for hip-hop music that would lead him to write. He started rapping in high school, often making songs on free software and having rap battles with his peers. He found himself influenced by artists like Kendrick Lamar, Andre 3000, Damian Marley and Chronixx. His career didn’t truly start taking off until he moved to Ontario, Canada, an environment with more of a love for hip-hop. Linking up with recording engineer Smoothe, they’ve been able to build a fresh new sound that encapsulates a colorful blend of hip-hop, dancehall and neo-soul. His cadence is a thing of beauty, and he can weave vivid stories like a seasoned emcee. Nonetheless, his most striking attribute is his versatility. With a seemingly effortless ability to bend genres to his will, Cruff has created a standard for himself in which every song he releases carries their own sound. While he offers “Blackberry Groove” as an uplifting and confident anthem, he also gives us a vulnerable and somber ballad with his latest single “Let Me Forget”.Outside of music, Cruff has made it a goal to elevate the local scene he’s been integrated into. Cruff formed his own promotional company called Urban Flavours that aims to connect local hip-hop artists to their audience. He would then go on to be nominated for the FCLMA Best Hip-Hop Artist Award.
Check out the his latest single here
