staceyroyal
		[ HISTORY ]
	04/06/2009

mercylove	BabaRoots	nikkita
mskush	GoLdie	jahred1911
wildatheart	daweedakatlor

Knuttyruff, whose real names are Nicholas Telengech, was born in a small town called Thika in Kenya, in 1980. Well raised by loving parents and, at the same time, having to go through hardship throughout his life in his African community and background, Knuttyruff found consolation and strength in music. The love and protection that his parents showed in caring for him and his siblings during childhood, is the key factor that allows him to walk freely and independently today, he says. As a child, he remembers, Kenya was going through trifles of a dark time. Poverty, corruption, tribal collisions and the 'post colonial syndrome' (the after-effects of the colonial regime, which still haunted most) was the norm of the day. But still, Knuttyruff's parents went through all obstacles to ensure their kindlings' education, survival and their general well being. All this amounted to the development of Knuttyruff's development, morally, spiritually, physically and socially.

Knuttyruff's main inspiration towards music was his father's record player and LBs (records plates). Fascinated by the machine (which now sits disfunctional under a heap of old shoes somewhere in Kenya), he played each and every plate, and each time, getting the tiny, essential bit, that little bump, strum, click or scratch of musical composition that makes up the whole collection of rythms. It took a short time before he could, by ear, be able to separate all instrumental sounds, including the guitar, drums, vocals etc. from a recording. During his musical discovery adventure, Knuttyruff stumbled upon reggae and ska, from among his dad's collection. The musicians comprised of Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Alpha Blondy and many more. He immediately took a liking to the reggae style for its straightforwardness, message relayal, sound richness, rythmic tendency.

"Reggae is a genre where one can relay a message without loosing the appropriate feeling that the message should carry i.e. triamph, sadness, happiness, anger, affection etc. The reggae genre is elastic," he says.

After coming of age, and after completing both his high school and college Diploma in Kenya, Knuttyruff found himself in the USA, first in Texas and finally in Ohio. Arrival into the USA proved to be a blessing to his long nurtured dream - recording reggae tracks. In 2006, he started his album project, "The African Sundance - The Unheard Voices of Africa", which is now complete and ready for distribution. During the project period, Knuttyruff developed skills in the music industry, including learning how to play a few musical instruments. He is now a self-made, self-proved poetry and song writer, vocalist, sound engineer, and producer (not registered). Knuttyruff's love for music is not for the money it can make him or the fame he can get from it, but for the love of music appreciation and lyrical education it gives indiscriminately to the world.

The artist hopes to meet good-hearted musicians, producers, promoters and supporters that will work with him to help spread the richness of music to the rest of the world.