Krukid(NEW FREE EP!!!)

KRUKID "AFR-I-CAN" WEST COST TOUR INFO COMING SOON!!!!!
Edwin “Krukid” Ruyonga, East African emcee residing in Champaign, Illinois, feels he has a lot to be thankful for this year. One of these reasons might be the upcoming international distribution of his latest album “African” to be released by Cash Hill in conjunction with the world famous Rawkus records. Krukid was officially selected to be part of the Rawkus 50, Rawkus’ new underground hip-hop campaign. Another reason might be winning the award for best Hip Hop at the 1071 CU Local Music Awards. For the most part though, Kruk’s just happy he’s still doing what he loves with a passion the way he always wanted to do it, music. Born and raised in Uganda, East Africa, Kruk has spent his young adult life fighting to validate his musical beliefs. Music is rarely looked upon as a profession worth pursuing in a country where many certified university graduates cannot get jobs, let alone HIP HOP music. Forming the Urban Thugz with a group of equally talented friends and winning a countrywide music competition in early 2000 did little to cast a more appealing light on his musical inclination in the eyes of friends and especially family. Be that as it may, from the second Edwin fell in love with hip hop at an early age, he recognized its power in giving voices to the unheard that did not just attract but demanded attention. From an early age, this was a voice he felt his country and continent so desperately needed. With this feeling at the core of his being, being sent to the birthplace of hip hop, if originally to pursue a higher education, felt like destiny and an opportunity he could not pass up. Honing his lyrical prowess long before he ever set foot on American soil, Krukid was hit with a grim realization upon arriving here in 2002. The music he’d come to know and love as a voice for the oppressed was fast becoming nothing but a cash cow conforming to popular entertainment dimensions, where a danceable club beat powering a song is more important than the message behind it. With this in mind, Krukid has progressively learned to weave substance in and out of music you can play at a party and still keep everyone moving. He also made sure to never have himself pigeonholed and stuck in the punch line or mixtape emcee cluster, regardless of his countless mixtape and on stage battle appearances. Opening for a wide array of diverse respected hip hop artists from Mystikal to AfroMan to Brother Ali and consistently rocking the shows every time, Krukid caught the attention of many respected Local Musical Talents. The first of these was Derek Linzy of DLNZ productions and eventually Garenne Sanyankanta of Cash Hill Records, with whom he would put out his Critically acclaimed Debut album “Raisin in the Sun” (4 out of 5 afros/questies on Okayplayer.com) and his much anticipated Sophomore release “African” in Conjunction with Rawkus records. Rawkus records is internationally accredited for bringing fame to many underground hip hop acts such as Sir Menelik, Company Flow, the High and Mighty, Mos Def and Talib Kweli (a duo known as Black Star), Common, Pharaoh Monch, Skillz, and DJs and producers such as Hi Tek, Dr. Luke, Marco Polo and DJ Evil Dee, as well as resurrecting hip hop legend Kool G Rap. It helped launch the conscious hip-hop movement through these artists and their influential compilations The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing each had worldwide tours. Rawkus Records just recently signed an exclusive distribution deal with RED/SONY/BMG Distribution Where he held his debut down on more or less his own, Krukid’s sophomore album features many of his talented friends. These include John Doe, Ryan Groff, Kayla Brown, Sanyankanta, Yes Yes, SMI, Larry Gates and Brandon T Washington. The beats also came from a more varied collective, including Mulatto Bastard, J Dub, Falynx, Sanyankanta and John Doe. This album is one Krukid describes as the one he always knew he had to make. “I just wanted a more accurate musical representation of where I’m from and who I am, as well as a musical ode to a continent of which I am so proud to be an ambassador” With songs on this album like “City Life” which is a trip through Kampala, Uganda, “Invisible” illuminating the plight of his country’s child soldiers, and “Calling” a song that reminds him that he’ll always be Ugandan no matter where he goes, Krukid does just that. He represents. Something hip-hop was originally all about“I’m a hundred percent African Pride/ Like the Ugandan flag on the side, the front and the back of the ride…” -Krukid, My Music My Country