So Ruff, So Tuff

It was recorded in 1981 in Detroit, Michigan for Roger Troutman’s debut solo album The Many Facets of Roger. Roger Troutman handled vocals, guitars, guitar synthesizer, keyboards, Fender Rhodes, and synthesizers, with Larry Troutman on congas and percussion, Zapp Troutman on bass and backing vocals, Lester Troutman on drums, and Carl Cowen on horns. The track helped drive the success of The Many Facets of Roger, which went gold on the strength of “So Ruff, So Tuff” and “I Heard It through the Grapevine.” It became one of Roger Troutman’s defining early solo statements and a key part of his 1981 breakthrough. “So Ruff, So Tuff” remained durable through later sampling and interpolation, especially in Ronnie Hudson’s “West Coast Poplock,” which in turn fed into 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s “California Love.” It is also still recognized as one of Roger’s signature records in later retrospectives and sample histories.