The dancehall fraternity is praying for the speedy recovery of renowned musician Nigel Staff of the Ruff Kutt band. The acclaimed musician suffered a stroke last Saturday, August 7. He was eventually hospitalized, and according to members of the team, he is recovering well.
Sources told Urban Islandz on Wednesday that the veteran keyboardist is currently recovering but will likely miss Beenie Man’s upcoming performance in the UK since he might require weeks of rehab.
Ricardo ‘Drummy’ Davis of Ruff Kutt provided an update to fans with regards to Staff’s condition.
“It happened on Saturday, I had to rush around to his apartment to help him get into the ambulance so we were worried at first but he is now texting and communicating with band members so it looks like he is pulling through,” he shared.
Staff, who plays the keyboards for the band, is very well known in the industry. Ruff Kutt has been part of the fabric of dancehall for close to 30 years. They first stepped into the limelight when they played for veteran Shabba Ranks. Their talent would see them support various artists, including some of the biggest names in the genre.
The band is led by Donovan’ Benjy’ Belnavis and includes Davis on drums and guitarist Paul ‘Titus’ Green. The band was carded to play with Beenie Man at his upcoming performance in the United Kingdom. There’s been a lot of buzz about that performance, considering the fact that Beenie Man hasn’t performed in that country in 12 years.
According to Drummy, Staff may have to be replaced for Beenie’s performance at the Afrobeat festival, Yam Carnival in Clapham Common, London.
“We might have to get a replacement for Nigel because he needs his rest and we don’t want to run the risk of him getting worse or getting on a plane at this time, so we might need a replacement for him for that show at the end of this month,” he added.
Staff is a major contributor to reggae and dancehall and is known for his impressive contributions to the genre. He co-produced “Give It Up To Me” by Sean Paul, featuring Keyshia Cole, and won an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Award in 2007.
