Ascending to the summit of the music industry is never an easy task. However like cream, the best of the best always rises to the top. Indeed, that's what's forecast for David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan a/k/a Ruff Endz, Epic's soulful new Baltimore-based vocal duo. LOVE CRIMES, their diverse debut album (due out Spring, 2000) is ready to put all competition on lock down in the Y2K.
"Growing up we listened to r&b legends like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, but we're also into today's real r&b artists like K-Ci and JoJo, and Dru Hill," says Davinch. "Although we were influenced by those guys, we worked hard to develop our own sound, style and flavor," adds Chi, whose strong, gritty bari-tone blends perfectly with Davinch's smoothed-out higher register.
A collection of quintessential soul, LOVE CRIMES is brimming with great, 'hood-influenced love stories. A classic example is the Nathan Clemons-produced lead single "Phone Sex," a sensually charged slow-jam. Its mid-tempo beat and salacious "let's get naughty" lyrics have a titillating effect.
"We've all had those nights when we couldn't be with that special lady and had to get down with some 'long distance' sexual healing," Chi says, tongue slightly in cheek. "Seriously though, this song tells it like it is, which, on the real, is how me and Davinch always flow when we're writing songs."
The substantive flow of LOVE CRIMES rarely ebbs. Individual highlights include "Missing You," produced by Brian Cox (Noon Time Productions), and fueled by heartfelt lyrics and leads; "Bedtime," an expres-sive, boudoir-based love ballad; and "I Apologize," a mesmerizing effort amplified by Chi's penetrating lead. "Finally" is a vintage urban tale of passion and pleasure; "Messin' Around," a funky, body moving track; and "Maybe We," a ghetto love anthem produced by Dru Hill's Nokio, who also produced "Please Don't Forget About Me," originally featured on Epic's smash Blue Streak soundtrack.
The road to Ruff Endz' emerging success began on the crime-, drug- and thug-infested streets of Baltimore, Maryland. There Davinch, a preacher's son, started out singing gospel when he was just four years old. "I grew up in church, but by the time I got to high school I started hanging out and getting into trouble," Davinch confesses. "Still, because I could sing, I always felt that music would somehow save me. I hoped something big would happen with it before something bad happened to me."
"See, we lived on the same block, and have known each other since we were little, although we didn't hang out back then," recalls Chi, the son of a singer and also a survivor of the negative elements still per-vasive in Any Ghetto, USA. "When we got to high school," he continues, "we sang with different groups, until eventually we got together and later realized that just the two of us singing together was the best move to make."
The inspirational Ruff Endz story has a direct connection to another West Side Baltimore soul/r&b phe-nomenon, Dru Hill. Early on, both acts honed their voices at various local spots, most notably a popular young people's sweet shop called the Fudgery. Patrons were awed by the then-unsigned wonders. "Since then, singing live was what we loved most and did best," notes Chi, also known as Charlie Brown, once one of B-More's best-known street dancers.
Dru Hill would go on to stardom before them, but as Ruff Endz' reputation grew, doors began to open. Recommended by a writer acquaintance, they secured a pivotal production deal with Los Angeles-based industry veteran Oji, who later produced their album's title track. Through Oji, and Epic's Ron Gant, Ruff Endz signed with Epic Records in 1998.
LOVE CRIMES will put the duo on the fast track to unlimited success. In fact they recently sang on "Never Desert You" for the forthcoming solo gospel album by Woody (of Dru Hill). Nevertheless, the hard-working, down-to-earth Ruff Endz have no illusions about what lies ahead. Not exactly new to the game, they promise to stay focused on the bigger picture. "We've seen too many artists have it all one day and lose it all the next," Davinch wisely points out.
"Since we're in this for the long run," Chi chimes in, "we're making sure that our business and creative aspects are properly taken care of. The bottom line is, I'd hate to look back years from now and know we threw it all away because we didn't handle our business."
Of course the Ruff Endz business at hand is LOVE CRIMES. Delivering well-written, soulfully sung, pow-erfully produced r&b is not a felony, but the LOVE CRIMES of Ruff Endz will no doubt have Chi and Davinch on hit-making lockdown for life.
