Music – Official Ruff Gr8ness Website

Coffee & Cigarettes

ruffgr8ness — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 06:47:29 +0000

Coffee & Cigarettes is a synthpop-esque, soft rock and alternative rnb ballad. The irregular vocal echoes, obscured synths, and sparse arrangement make for the prefect reflective soundtrack. Ruff Gr8ness bewails his feelings authentically and effortlessly and yet the distinction his voice makes with the heavy bassline is unbelievably satisfying. Still, it might be the subtle sultry background adlibs laced throughout the track which really sell the coffee & cigarettes.

On-beat sub-bass sounds, subtle falsetto howls, and lyrics featuring brash affirmations of affection mixed with vulnerable pleas of powerlessness to the force of love, make this a sure hit. Ruff Gr8ness makes coffee and cigarettes a perfect metaphor in this song. Coffee & Cigarettes is triumphant in its ability to blend the powerful bass line, strong synths and his middle-range vocals.

Credits

Song: Coffee & Cigarettes
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness ft Love Imperfection
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Ruff Gr8ness
Copyright: Hit Different Production

“Down Baby” single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

Ruff Gr8ness manages to set the palette for a musical painting with this soundtrack-ready pop and rnb ballad. What makes ‘Down Baby’ simple and catchy, besides the thoughtful lyrics, is Ruff Gr8ness’s choice of instruments for the track. A deep bass guitar is complemented with a light ever-present piano note and well-timed background vocals.

The strongly backed “down baby” shouts in the chorus, combined with the turned-up adlibs sprinkled throughout the song make for an honest and vulnerable, but attention-worthy dedication song.

Credits
Song: Down Baby
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Ruff Gr8ness
Copyright: Hit Different Production

“Love Worry” single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

LL Cool J’s ‘I Need Love‘ was the first true hip-hop love song. Ruff Gr8ness’s ‘Love Worry’ is one of the songs in line to carry the torch of confessional crossover ballads. Particularly, from the least suspected source. In between the softly sung vocals in the song, Ruff Gr8ness cleverly uses an aggressive vocal style on specific lyrics to paint the pain he feels mixed with the love for her.

The intentionally bare instrumental comprises of background synthesizers and vocal samples guided by clever drums and kicks all while accentuating the hi-hat the most. ‘Love Worry’ is stylistically influenced by the best rhythm and blues storytellers, and it tells.

Credits
Song: Love Worry
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Ruff Gr8ness
Copyright: Hit Different Production

“Pumpkin Belly” single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

This Ruff Gr8ness foray into a genre other than RnB or Pop, isn’t quite a departure from his familiar style. He manages to bring everything you’ve gotten accustomed to from him. ‘Pumpkin Belly’ is not a traditional dancehall track but more of an RnB song sung in Caribbean patois. This of course is authentic to Ruff Gr8ness as he is Caribbean. With that understanding in mind, the listener can appreciate the creative and triumphant attempt to fuse two worlds that he achieves like no other with this song.

Perhaps Ruff gr8ness had to sing this song in patois as the slang allows him to express his feelings in the song without having to use explicit lyrics. “Straight slappaz”. If you know, you know.

Credits
Song: Pumpkin Belly
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Ruff Gr8ness
Copyright: Hit Different Production

“Badd One” single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

80’s-style synths and hi-hats immediately hit you when you press play on this bold retro-respecting but new school uptown-funk track. Ruff Gr8ness’s boy band leader type callout vocals play effectively over the commanding drums and synths and set the perfect party mood.

Ruff Gr8ness’s delivery on Badd One ranges from baritone to nearly a falsetto at times to match the clever lyrics. He does the switch ups to good effect. In case you thought, “it was love”, he reminds you with an extra strong tone that, “Nah Ni**a”.

Credits
Song: Badd One
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Ruff Gr8ness
Copyright: Hit Different Production

“400 Years” Single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

‘400 Years’ is a critically acclaimed powerful black protest track and slavery legacy reminder. The song is accompanied by an impassioned official music video that sees its singer/producer/writer, Ruff Gr8ness, re-enacting the pain that his – and every black person born in North America or the Caribbean’s – slave ancestors endured. The song and video connect the kidnapping of black people from the continent of Africa, their enslavement in the American colonies, as they toiled as indentured servants picking crops such as tobacco and cotton, to post-emancipation proclamation methods of oppressing them. The video attempts to show how plantation slaves suffered living in inhumane conditions and how modern-day black people are still prone to inhumane treatment.

Part of the proceeds from “400 YEARS” will be donated to Black Lives Matter (Toronto), where Ruff Gr8ness is based, and other organizations that advocate for non-violent protest against all racially motivated violence and systematic racism against black people.

RUFF GR8NESS – 400 YEARS [LYRICS]

INTRO:
Yeah
You aint know what we do man
This one, we gon black out
Straight
It blacker than a mother
Ya dig?
Aight

CHORUS:
The chain on me put me to work
Blooding my back
Rip up my shirt
Let it be, my fingers hurt
400 YEARS
Feel the pain growing bigger yeah
Feel the pain growing bigger yeah
Feel the pain in my neck again
Feel the pain in my neck again
Now it’s pain in the duffle bag
Only pain in the duffle bag
Now you wonder why I bang bang
So, you wonder why I bang bang

VERSE 1:
Some people don’t like what I do
But I love what I do
could give a WHAT about you
And people don’t like what I say
But I say anyway
Coz that’s how I stay
Tell me, how you gon fly
If you scared of heights
And tell me, how you gon ride
If you scared to die

VERSE 2:
On your daddy back
hear the whip crack
Yet still it’s me that you’re grillin
Instead of the fro-grow
You let the snow blow
Now you call yourself a ‘G’ tho
Tell me, how we gon rise
You can’t stand with I
And tell me, how you gon try
If you’re scared to try

CHORUS:
The chain on me put me to work
Blooding my back
Rip up my shirt
Let it be, my fingers hurt
400 YEARS
Feel the pain growing bigger yeah
Feel the pain growing bigger yeah
Feel the pain in my neck again
Feel the pain in my neck again
Now it’s pain in the duffle bag
Only pain in the duffle bag
And you wonder why I bang bang
So, you wonder why I bang bang

“Congo Bongo” Single

ruffgr8ness — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:43:43 +0000

You can imagine yourself at a lit Latin block party when listening to this song. Congo bongo has all the elements to light up an Afro-Caribbean-Latin scene. The hypnotic kick and instruments pay respect to Latin-American hip-hop and the vocals are delivered by Ruff Gr8ness in a Michael Jackson meets Wyclef Jean flow.

The Rastafari chant inspired hook is a rhythmic ode to the true Rastas who hail Selassie, even when on a romantic conquest. “She’s in the field looking for a movie star”. Ruff Gr8ness carries himself like a true movie star on this blockbuster song.

Credits

Song: Congo Bongo
Performed by: Ruff Gr8ness
Written by: Ruff Gr8ness
Produced by: Wyshmaster Beats
Copyright: Hit Different Production