Bob Marley’s Grandson King Cruff Signs To Universal Canada, Releases Debut ‘Samurai Chop’

King Cruff, a grandson of Reggae legends Bob and Rita Marley, has released his label debut titled Samarai Chop after signing a record deal with Universal Music Canada and the Marley’s Tuff Gong Collective. 

Born in London, Ontario, King Cruff, whose real name is Solomon Marley-Spence, is the son of Stephanie Marley—Bob’s adopted daughter with Rita.  As his stage name suggests, King Cruff is drawn to the theme of duality.  The word “cruff” means having no ambition or style in Jamaican parlance—the opposite of a “King.”

“I like to think of it as a balance between someone’s potential to be the best at what they can do and the worst of what they can do. It’s the juxtaposition of what we have in us as humans,” Cruff explained.

The new track Samarai Chop incorporates Cruff’s unique vibe.  “I’m a big fan of songs that have one vibe but the lyrics tell a different story,” Cruff shared.

“Samurai Chop is about the party lifestyle and how chatter and drama can bleed into it. The line that really influenced the song was ‘Words cut deep like a samurai chop’. My mom always said that words have power and I believe in that.”

Cruff’s diverse musical influences begin with his grandfather. 

“I feel like when you look up on Marley’s career, he didn’t really waver on any of his beliefs, whether they were religious, spiritual, political,” he told CBC. “He always knew what he was talking about, and he didn’t care if people went for him for that. So I kind of feel like he influences me that way the most.”

On his other musical influences, he added:  “I grew up on a lot of hip hop, so I’m a big fan of Kendrick Lamar and Andre 3000. I kind of like hip-hop storytellers.”

“I grew up on a lot of reggae, too. Obviously, you know the Marley brothers, I love a lot of that. For the new school of reggae, it would be Chronixx, or Runkus or Protoje, that type of energy,” he said.

Cruff described his signing with UMC/Tuff Gong Collective as a manifestation of years of hard work and commitment to his artistry.

“I feel like it came at that time where I was on an upward incline, but we weren’t sure exactly where to take the King Cruff status to next,” he said.  “When the deal came through, and the signing happened, it was like a very clear vision, a kind of epiphany of a sort, and I’m very excited to see where it goes from here.”

Universal Music Canada’s Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Remedios, said “King Cruff is an artist like no other – he is a captivating performer and compelling lyricist with talent that runs deep. It is an honour to partner with Tuff Gong for the first time in support of this dynamic artist with global potential. We’re proud to share King Cruff’s voice.”

Cedella Marley, CEO, Bob Marley Group of Companies added “The Tuff Gong Collective is committed to cultivating the next generation of music artists and creators and we’re thrilled to be working alongside the Universal Music team in Canada to introduce audiences to King Cruff. His distinct style and clear artistic vision shape this project and we’re excited about all that’s to come.”

King Cruff will release his debut project with Universal Music Canada/Tuff Gong Collective in 2023.