Nigel Staff Suffers Stroke, Could Miss Beenie Man’s Big Performance In UK

Well-known musician Nigel Staff of the Ruff Kutt band recently suffered a stroke while at his home on Friday. He was hospitalized but is reportedly doing well.

“It happened on Saturday, and he was hospitalized. We were worried but he is now texting and communicating with band members so it looks like he is pulling through,” Ricardo ‘Drummy’ Davis of Ruff Kutt, told DancehallMag.

Staff is a key member of the well-known Ruff Kutt band which has provided key musical support to the reggae and dancehall community, working with the biggest performing acts of Jamaica’s music industry.

Staff’s stroke could mean that the band could be forced to get a replacement for him as they are slated to back Beenie Man on his grand return to a United Kingdom stage on August 28. It will be Beenie Man’s first performance in 12 years at the inaugural staging of the Afrobeat festival, Yam Carnival in Clapham Common, London.

According to the promoters, the decision to add Beenie Man to the line-up was geared at “achieving diversity”. “Expect a host of classic Dancehall hits from a whopping catalogue stretching back to his early breakthrough days as a Jamaican sound system deejay, through to his first major chart-topping hits in the 90s, and collaborations with everyone from Janet Jackson to The Fugees,” they noted in a press release.

Beenie Man’s compatriot Koffee, is also billed for the event which also includes Davido and other Afrobeats acts.

The band comprises Donovan ‘Benjy’ Belnavis, guitarist Paul ‘Titus’ Green, Nigel Staff on keyboards, and drummer Ricardo Davis.

“We might have to get a replacement for Nigel because he needs his rest and we don’t want to run the risk of him getting worse or getting on a plane at this time, so we might need a replacement for him for that show at the end of this month,” Drummy said.

Nigel Staff is an important figure in dancehall music. He co-produced Give It Up To Me by Sean Paul, featuring Keyshia Cole and in 2007, he walked away with an award at the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Pop Music Awards.

He has composed and played on the Drop Leaf, the Jonkanoo, blue Steel, Cool Fusion, French Vanilla and Season rhythms.