Tuff Heart looks to make major impact

Once considered a hotspot for crime, Sherlock Crescent has, over the past two decades, become a haven for creativity, especially where music is concerned.

The latest artiste to emerge out of the Kingston 20 area is Tuff Heart, a multi-genre artiste who promotes peace and unity every time he holds a microphone. He said this will be his calling card as he seeks to spread that message far and wide. Just like Konshens and Baby Cham before him, Tuff Heart understands the reality of living in the concrete towers of Sherlock Crescent and, just like the artistes who paved the way for him, he intends to make a name for himself through music that listeners will not only find relevant, but positive. His new single, Oh Girl, has already been getting positive feedback, as he stated that it and his other songs are designed to make his audience think, feel and heal.

" Oh Girl was created by me and a friend in Miami named Young Lion, who sent me the rhythm and said, 'I want you to voice on it' and I said 'Yes I like the one-drop [beat] as it has a roots-reggae bounce about it'. So I created it, voiced it, sent him the file and he mixed it," he explained.

Raised by a single mother in a community not known for being nurturing, Tuff Heart, whose given name is Dowayne Morrison, stated that the vibration of the music that surrounded him from childhood captivated him and seemed the obvious choice for him careerwise. Added to this was the influence of deejays such as Baby Cham, a dancehall icon whom he greatly admired.

"He is a real entertainer out there honing his craft, so I have always been inspired by him," said Tuff Heart. He is also a big fan of Konshens and got an opportunity early in his musical career to collaborate with his team, voicing the track Time Will Tell under the name RP, which he initially used before adopting the 'Tuff Heart' persona.

Music, he said, is what he is meant to do. From the seventh grade at Edith Dalton James High School, he was beating the desks in class as he practised deejaying for anyone who would listen. With singles such as Ghetto Youth Time under the Shocking Vibes Records label, plus Burke Wild and Leprechaun, he has been steadily making a name for himself as a serious contender in the music industry. His music, he stated, is dedicated to the restoration of peace in Kingston and beyond.

Embracing his identity as a Rastafarian, Tuff Heart's image resonates well with his beliefs, values, family, community and fans.