I passed him on the steps on the way to my office; his question to me unknowingly revealed his own aspirations. “You going in there to put your face in the paper?” he asked. “No”, I said, “I work here.”

Akeem “Ruff” Dopwell visited SEARCHLIGHT last Friday; the youngster wants to be a singer. He explained that he was on the steps because he was afraid at first to come in. “I was scared because I saw plenty people,” he said.{{more}}

However, when Ruff settled in, being afraid was the farthest thing from his mind. The ten-year-old Kingstown Government School (Stoney Ground) student from Paul’s Avenue explained with enthusiasm how singing is something he enjoys and loves. He wants to eventually become a hip-hop artiste but is contented for the time to sing in any genre including calypso and soca. He hopes to take part in the Junior Calypso and Soca Monarch competitions next year.

“I use to think that only the Americans like ‘50 Cents’ and ‘Mase’ can make the money,” said Ruff, “but when I look at Kevin Lyttle I realise that others can do it.

“Kevin Lyttle making money and I want to be like that too,” explained Ruff who revealed that besides hip-hop artiste Mase, he takes inspiration from the local superstar (Kevin Lyttle).

“I look at Usher too, because those guys grew up singing from small and I can do that too,” said Ruff who boasts of writing his own songs.

He currently has a song called “Foolish B”. Although the youngster has not yet recorded a single, he hopes to do so soon with the help of his father, restaurant owner Elliot “Ras Ital” Dopwell and his mom Virginia McKenzie. He says that he has written about eight songs.

“I don’t get stage fright, ‘cause I sing at home in front people,” explained Ruff, who said that his favourite subject in school is English.

The outspoken youngster also dictated the headline for this story, “Make it New Superstar Ruff,” he said.