Roffe Ruff

Last updated

Roffe Ruff
Also known asRoffe the Ruffler
Origin Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres Hip hop, ragga/dancehall, reggae
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer
Years active2007/2009–2018
LabelsStiladig
Olofsson Management

Roffe Ruff is a Swedish hip hop and ragga artist and music producer from Gothenburg. His real identity remains a secret, and he always wears a skull mask in his appearances.

Contents

Biography

Roffe Ruff was raised in Majorna, the district in Gothenburg that receives most performing royalties from STIM—the Swedish collecting society. [1] He played in his first band at the age of twelve, and recorded rap songs on a DAT recorder together with a friend when he was seventeen. They made a go for it in the music business three years later and Roffe loved the feeling to be on stage, but hated the feeling after a gig, as he felt self-contempt over the fact that his stage personality—that emanated confidence—was a lie not reflecting the real him. [2]

His first appearance as a solo artist (under the name Roffe the Ruffler), after several years in different bands, came in 2007 when he was offered to record a single for the hit disc Mr. Gillis Reggaepropaganda vol. 2. [3] He sent a card of himself disguised with a skull mask for the cover, [4] the future trademark appearance of Roffe Ruff. He was fired from his job not long after, unrightfully and against Swedish labour law according to himself. His frustration and vindictiveness was vented in his first album Ormar i gräset that was released in 2009. [4] [5] The album was published on his website, downloadable free of charge. Roffe Ruff states that due to the lack of fair ways for artists to make money on their music, he chooses to "fool everyone including myself on the profits". [6] The anonymous release of his music was a liberation, there were no expectations on him and for the first time he could look himself in the mirror without being ashamed of the music. [4] People also seemed to concentrate more on the music and less on the person, allowing people to interpret his music more freely. [5]

As Ormar i gräset was released uncontrolled there are no sales statistics, but the songs from the album have been played over 450,000 times on YouTube—around 100,000 plays more than the songs from Joakim Thåström's Kärlek är for dom, the Swedish Grammy Award album for 2009—and Roffe Ruff was observed in a much wider sphere than he anticipated. [7] The next project, Panterparken EP, a cooperation with his friend and colleague Hofmästarn, was originally meant to be a short four-track EP but was expanded to nine tracks in the end. [6] It was released in 2010, and was made available free of charge by Roffe Ruff on for example The Pirate Bay. [8]

The anonymity created by the mask and the artist name—that at first seemed to have solved his lifelong dilemma [4] —soon became a burden when the interest for the man behind the mask was spurred by the mysterious and withdrawn personality. Since Roffe Ruff and his childhood friend sent merchandise from the address where their secret studio was located, unthoughtful in retrospect, more and more people in his neighbourhood figured out the real identity. [7] On New Year's Day 2010 the studio was subject to a burglary, and even one of the policemen who was sent to the crime scene had figured out that Roffe Ruff was one of the victims. A big fan of the artist that has recorded the song Snutsvin ("cop pig"), the policeman asked if he could get a hold of a Roffe Ruff shirt anywhere. [1]

Being exposed in just the way he did not want to be, Roffe Ruff's third album Barrabas released in 2011—downloadable for free just as the previous ones. [3] For the first time the songs are about his anonymity, stating that "when I made my previous album I was so naive, I though I was in control of myself and my life. I know now that I was wrong, and that is why I am quitting now. But first I have to do an album that speaks for itself." [9]

2013 the latest album called Bootlegs was released. The album contains 17 tracks recorded together with Rico Won, Snacka San, Hofmästarn, Daltone, Tommy Tip, Organismen. The album contains new and previous released songs at YouTube.

Musical style

Roffe Ruff's albums are a mix of Swedish hip hop, reggae, ragga and dancehall. [3] [6] The atmosphere is mostly dark and the lyric themes include police harassment, criticism of various community institutions, old memories, alienation, depression, social class and consolation drinking. [5] [10] Some of his early songs were created by adding his own texts over the beat of well-known English-speaking artists' productions, such as Chamillionaire's Day dream (became Snutsvin) and Estelle's and Kanye West's American Boy (became Majornapojk), [5] while his last album Barrabas consisted entirely of new productions. [10]

Discography

Citations

  1. 1 2 Lundström 2011, p. 141.
  2. ↑ Lundström 2011, pp. 141–142.
  3. 1 2 3 Perzanowski 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Lundström 2011, p. 143.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Cato 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 T. 2010.
  7. 1 2 Lundström 2011, p. 145.
  8. ↑ Dagens Nyheter 2010.
  9. ↑ Lundström 2011, p. 146.
  10. 1 2 S. J. 2011.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Flames</span> Swedish heavy metal band

In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990 out of the Swedish death metal scene. Their lineup has changed several times, with vocalist Anders Fridén and guitarist Björn Gelotte being the only consistent members since 1995. Since the departure of Strömblad in 2010, no original members remain with the band. In Flames helped pioneer melodic death metal along with fellow Swedish bands At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity. The band has sold over two million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jens Lekman</span> Swedish musician and songwriter

Jens Martin Lekman is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. His work is heavily influenced by Jonathan Richman and Belle & Sebastian, and he has been likened to Stephin Merritt, David Byrne, and Scott Walker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apathy (rapper)</span> American rapper

Chad Aaron Bromley, better known by his stage name Apathy, is a rapper and producer from Willimantic, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masia One</span> Canadian rapper

Masia Lim, better known as Masia One (MAS1A), is a Canadian rapper from Toronto, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Martin (British musician)</span> British music producer

Kevin Richard Martin, often known under his recording alias The Bug, is an English musician and music producer. Martin moved from Weymouth to London around 1990 and is now currently based in mainland Europe. He has been active for over three decades in the genres of dub, jazzcore, industrial hip hop, dancehall, and dubstep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaving Here</span> 1963 song by Holland–Dozier–Holland

"Leaving Here" is a song written in 1963 by Motown songwriters Holland–Dozier–Holland. Written at the beginning of the partnership, it is notable in several recordings. It was originally released as a single in December 1963 by H-D-H lyricist Eddie Holland and peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 27 on the Billboard R&B chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Sean</span> Singer-songwriter

Oliver Sean is a singer-songwriter, based in Algarve, Portugal. His brand of music is known for its Americana influence with acoustic rock, world and contemporary undertones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durrty Goodz</span> British grime MC, rapper and songwriter

Dwayne Mahorn, better known by his stage name Durrty Goodz, is a British grime MC, rapper and songwriter from London. He is known for his versatility across his tracks with a flow that fuses many styles, from dancehall to reggae to hip-hop and bashment, evoking artists as disparate as Ludacris, Kardinal Offishall and Pharoahe Monch. He is known for his lyricism, flow and wit on the mic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tallest Man on Earth</span> Swedish singer-songwriter (born 1983)

Kristian Matsson is a Swedish singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. Matsson grew up in Leksand, and began his solo career in 2006, having previously been the lead singer of the indie band Montezumas. His music has often drawn comparisons to the music of Bob Dylan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Dragon</span> Swedish electronic band

Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic music band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 1996. The band consists of Yukimi Nagano, Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Wallin (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Hassle</span> Swedish singer and songwriter

Kaj Erik Persson Hassle is a Swedish pop singer and songwriter. His career started in 2008 with his first single, "Hurtful", which eventually reached No. 11 in Sweden and peaked at No. 2 in Denmark. His most successful single to date, "No Words", reached the Top 10 of the Global and U.S. Spotify Viral Chart and achieved Gold certification in both Sweden and Denmark.

Colin Bailey, better known by his stage name Drums of Death, is a London-based electronic musician, originally from Scotland. His music is a blend of techno, house, and electro. He is known for energetic and exciting live shows and has said in interviews that his debut album is all "Love songs and rave horns".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J Dilla</span> American record producer and rapper (1974–2006)

James Dewitt Yancey, better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer, composer and rapper. He emerged during the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, as a member of the group Slum Village. He was also a member of the Soulquarians, a musical collective active during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He additionally collaborated with Madlib as Jaylib, releasing the album Champion Sound. Yancey's final album was Donuts, which was released three days before his death.

Dywane Eric Thomas Jr., professionally known as MonoNeon, is an American bassist, experimental musician, singer and songwriter. His work, spanning multiple experimental projects and collaborations, including with American musician Prince, has seen an online cult following. Thomas was the last bassist Prince hired before his death in 2016, and he additionally played bass on American singer Ne-Yo song "Makin' A Movie" released in 2010. MonoNeon also played bass on Georgia Anne Muldrow's EP "Ms. One" (2014). He has since become known for his videos that harmonize viral videos with basslines, and his compositions that utilize microtonality. He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sbtrkt</span> British musician and producer

Aaron Jerome, known professionally as Sbtrkt, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. Jerome has remixed songs by artists such as M.I.A, Radiohead, Modeselektor, Basement Jaxx, Mark Ronson, and Underworld, and has released singles, EPs, and four albums. His music has been playlisted by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kapten Röd</span> Swedish artist and music producer

Björn Nilsson, better known by his stage name Kapten Röd,, is a dancehall/ragga artist and music producer from Gothenburg, Sweden.

Ruff Sqwad are an English grime crew. The group was formed in 2001 in Bow, East London. Various members and affiliates of the crew are considered key figures in the early development of grime music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anders Lundström</span> Swedish songwriter and record producer (born 1977)

Anders Lundström is a Swedish songwriter and record producer. He is also a country recording artist who has released in January 2013 an album Stay True with the stage name MAV. At various times earlier in his career he was also known as A.L. Sweet, Lucka and during his Rednex days (2006–2008) as Maverick.

Ahmed Mohamed Kakoyi better known by his stage name Mad Ice is a Ugandan singer and songwriter of Raggamuffin and at a later stage with Afro-pop and Afro-soul music. He gained fame in Uganda, Tanzania and throughout Eastern Africa, later settling in Finland and developing a distinct world music career still singing mostly in Swahili and Luganda with some additional lyrics in English. Considered a world music performer from East Africa, he has appeared in jazz, world music, pop, rock and fusion festivals and has released studio albums Baby Gal, Mad Ice and Maneno and EP Maisha.

Jan Linton is a British singer, musician and producer from Warrington.

References

All sources in (in Swedish) unless otherwise noted.

Journals
News
Online
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.