Rufftone’s untold story: From Sh300 pay to gospel’s biggest mover & shaker

Rufftone with his wife Krystal [Photo: Instagram @ rufftone_kenya]

A man who likes keeping the lucky cards close to his chest, Rufftone has always found a way in the maze that is showbiz. Starting out, still fresh from completing his studies at Kakamega High School and living with his father in Umoja, he was adamant that he would not do the Florida 2000 (F2) circuit, where all raw talent met and went toe-to-toe in trying to be discovered by among others prominent Kenyan music producer Tedd Josiah.

“People paid to win at F2. I won’t even lie to you. As much as some young artistes had genuine talents, like Ndarlin P, Gidi Gidi Maji maji, Kalamashaka among others, others paid the deejays and talent search organisers so they could be announced as winners,” says the Mwikulu singer, a song whose slow groove captured all your musical senses, whether you spoke its Luhya dialect or not.