Canadian-Jamaican MC King Cruff (Solomon Marley-Spence) was born with the talents of songwriting and performance in his blood. An introspective storyteller, Cruff explores the juxtapositions of human behaviour with energizing, innovative sounds that uplift and inspire. Drawn to the theme of duality, he plays with these layers in his music, juxtaposing vibrant rhythms and tempos with lyrics that have narrative depth woven within his intricate bars and smooth cadence. The 27-year-old artist views his songs as think pieces set to his original ‘punky’ sound. Uniting his love for hip-hop, reggae, dancehall and funk, the versatile King Cruff creates music formed from an ear-bending amalgam of genres across the diaspora.
Jamaican singer, DJ, MC, songwriter, and producer Sebastian Anthony Bennet (aka Runkus) has worked hard on creating his own unique blend of music, combining elements of reggae, dancehall, trap, and hip-hop. Born in Portmore, Jamaica, to reggae artist Determine and booking agent Paula Francis, Bennet had an early introduction to the music business, already in the studio recording with his father by age seven. His debut mixtape, a collaboration with his father titled Like Father Like Son, emerged when he was just 15. He formed a band called Oldksi Bond in 2014 and began performing around Jamaica, going on to release two singles, “Victim” and “Run.” Within the next couple of years, he became a solo artist going by Runkus, issuing his debut EP under the new moniker in 2016. After the release of his 2019 single “99%,” he began cropping up in multiple projects, including a feature on the Skints’ “Armageddon” from their album Swimming Lessons and a couple of co-production credits on Jah9’s Note to Self. Runkus kept busy during the COVID-19 lockdowns by writing and recording 2021’s IN:SIDE.