Ruffest is made up of Max and Sello form the Cape Town Kwaito duo, the Ruffest, arguably one of the Mother Cities biggest champions to South Africa's ever-loved, and these days sometime ignored, indigenous kwaito music genre. Coming from the township of Nyanga they embody the resilient and passionate attitude that so many Kwaito artists have imbued as a part of their success: a tough sense of survival when it comes to making their mark.
Both of these talented artists began, like so many before, as dancers a decade ago. It was this that gave the two their passion for music, "That's where the love of music grew. When we got home we had to learn the moves we didn't know, listening to music all the time," says Sello. Although they were in different dance crews, the two soon met and began making music together.
But fate had its own plans. In 2004 Max was caught in crossfire in Nyanga, as rival gangs shot it out, and lost the use of his legs from the waist down. His reaction to the tragedy captures the tenacity of the Ruffest. Although it ended his dancing days, the tragedy made him evaluate the importance of his life, the fragility of it, and what he wanted to achieve. In essence it made him even more determined to make music work.
Fast forward several years, by the end of the decade the two had found their focus and their name, “Ruffest”. Having worked with several collaborating artists and producers, Max and Sello decided upon their group name for its simple message, "The entertainment industry is tough to get in. You have to be strong and rough to survive. You have to be the roughest. That's where the name comes from."
Initially the duo produced their own beats to perform to using Fruity Loops but after a chance meeting with Ace V, a house and kwaito producer studying at City Varsity, they knew they had found the "ace up their sleeves". Together with his production, their kwaito singing and the help of willing engineers at City Varisty and Cape Audio College, they were able to lay down enough music to capture the ears of greater music scene, and now is in full management by Zelizwe Promotions headed by Phindile George who secured a deal through the Red Bull Studio in Cape Town who offered a week of studio time to produce a three-track EP with the help of engineer Steve Elsworth aka Audiophile. have also worked with an underground Dj Setro who has made marimba beats for the Ruffest.
Since then Zelizwe has exposed the Ruffest to greater heights, by working with Red Bull South Africa, namely performing on their stage at big festival which has an international outlook like Rocking the Daisies; Red Bull Maximum Signal World Tour; Senergy Live Festival; Rezonance; and have also produced and composed the lyrics of the 2012 Red Beat Battle South Africa also performing on the show on the 26 May 2012 alongside TK Zee, Big Nuz, Black Motion and Pro Kid.
The Ruffest songs are receiving air play at different radio stations like Rinse FM which is a London based, Mhlobo Wenene FM at Amagubu ka Amaza in a mix tape and recently had a collaboration with SFR, Mix n’ Blend and Crosby played on 5fm Euphonic Mix. Other collaborations with Richard the Third, Audiophile, Sibot, Thibo Tazz, X Hoza, and many more to bridge the gap and to create diverse music.
The Ruffest have also entered Red Bull Music Academy for the second year to be held in New York, waiting with anticipation for the results of that selection. The Ruffest will also be undergoing intensive producing training at the Oskido Legacy Foundation from 20 May 2012 till 25 May 2012, which they have entered and were selected as a few from the Western Cape.
Together with Ace V and Fly on the Wall they have produced the Red Bull Beat Battle 2012 TV Commercial, and it is one of the best achievements for Ruffest (sound and lyrics by Ruffest, beats by Ace V with the help on Richard Rumney from Red Bull and Video and editing by Fly on the Wall).
They have performed alongside (same stage) a lot of top South African musicians and international Dj’s, e.g. Oskido; Zakes Bantwini; Freshly Ground; Black Coffee; Big Nuzz; Sindo; Dj Sbu; Dj Bongs; SFR; SIBOT; Scratcha (UK); LV DVA (UK) also did five tracks with him due to be released in June under Code 9’s album; Dilinja (UK); and many more. We have also worked with former Jozi member Crazy Lu on a track called which is still in progress.
In the next five year Ruffest is looking at establishing a base for local upcoming musicians (Dj’s and artists) here in Cape Town because here in Cape Town there is no support base and it is hard for artists coming from the province to break it into the mainstream music industry therefore Ruffest together with others in the entertainment industry in Cape Town are working hard to ensure that there is proper studio and a record label here in Cape Town.
Now the group has put together their indepenent EP of ten tracks “Cape Town ses’ fikile”, working with producers Ace V and another prolific kwaito master-mind, Pyro. They have already carved out a space for themselves in the Cape Town scene as one of the hottest kwaito acts to watch for, now they are moving into a nationally recognised group.
“Joburg ivulindlela, Durban yalandela, Cape Town seyifikile, Ruffest Sey’ngenile”!!
(Joburg has opened the way, Durban have followed, now Cape Town has arrived and Ruffest is here)
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