Fast-rising visionary artist King Cruff has announced the details surrounding his long-awaited debut EP, WHAT HAVE I ‘DON, dropping November 14 on Tuff Gong Collective / Universal Music Canada. Known for his poetic lyricism and innovative sound that blends elements of hip-hop, dancehall, reggae and funk, King Cruff’s debut project promises to further solidify him as an artist to watch.
With his potent new single “EASY!,” out today, the London, Ontario-born artist pays homage to Y2K hip-hop and reveals a bold, braggadocious side of his artistry. “‘EASY!’ is another shade of Cruff that I’m introducing to my audience,” he says.
“It’s a lot more rugged, a lot more aggressive than previous releases. It’s more of me beating my chest, which I think people would attribute to an earlier version of my sound. ‘EASY!’ carries that feel that is undoubtedly early 2000s with the performance being very Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes-esque, and the production being reminiscent of The Neptunes. On top of that, the delivery itself is still very dancehall. I’m trying to show people that there are so many ways to create with the dancehall sound, it just needs that experimentation.”
“EASY!” marks King Cruff’s third collaboration with Grammy and Latin Grammy-nominated duo Banx & Ranx, following the dancehall-reggae track “FALLBACK” (which was named one of Billboard’s Reggae / Dancehall Fresh Picks of the Month) and their summer smash “PROPPA GHANDA,” which is still charting at Top 40 radio since its release in May.
“More and more, I see my collaborations with Banx & Ranx becoming recognized as one of those iconic artist-producer duos, like Future and Metro, or Smino and Monte Booker,” says King Cruff.
“When we’re in the studio, we just don’t miss.”
King Cruff on Sway In The Morning
In other King Cruff news, yesterday Sway’s Universe released a video of King Cruff joining Bob Marley’s grandson Skip Marley for an interview and freestyle on Sway In the Morning. You check out the interview and freestyle below. On top of that, Cruff has announced his first headline show in Toronto. It’s taking place November 26 inside the Drake Underground.
