Ruff Endz

Emerging from Baltimore during the mid-1990s, the hip-hop soul act Ruff Endz consisted of David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan. Their moniker stemmed from the difficulties they faced securing a recording contract, having grown up in the city's West side as members of an initial four-person group. By 1994, the pair had recognized the vocal synergy between them and decided to pursue a path independent of the larger ensemble. A demo they created alongside Troy Patterson failed to generate interest, yet a subsequent session under Oji Pierce's direction caught the attention of Epic Records' leadership. Their first full-length release, Love Crimes, arrived in August 2000 and incorporated work from Pierce along with Manuel Seal and Nokio. Nearly two years passed before the duo presented their next effort, Someone to Love You, during the spring of 2002.