CRGruve

One song and you're hooked. Craig and Ramone really know how to put you in the mood to groove... - Kathy Moore - Quigley Simpson

These guys are brilliant! Nowhere else have I found songs that fit perfectly with our audience at the Adult Entertainment Expo. Their music was the highlight of the event. - Dan Donati - Home Entertainment Events

CRgruve dishes up a collection of sharp R&B/Rap with a splash of Pop mixed in on their latest release, "Naughty and Nice." Not only are the songs smooth and silky as you will hear on "Lunar Dance" and "Water," but the vocals resonate with suave personality. CRgruve's witty character comes through with amusing lyrics on songs such as "Filfy (Father I'd Like to Freak)" and "Milf." With a driving beat and synth powered tones, "Trolling for Slop" hits the mark, but pay close attention to the lyrics as they are truly humorous and definitely one of a kind. Original and creative with dance floor abilities, these songs are groovin' to say the least. The musicality is excellent with a nice dynamic balance between vocals and instruments. Fans of R&B/Rap won't be disappointed when listening to CRgruve's entertaining album "Naughty and Nice."
-Diane and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team - RadioIndy.com

“Lunar Dance” is the first track on “Naughty and Nice”, and it will immediately show that CRGruve is attempting to do something
significantly different with the rap genre than has been present in the past. This means that there are hints of Spandau Ballet and New Order even as a rap flow brings current acts (The Dream, Drake) into the mix.

Where this initial track is challenging for those that may not be familiar with CRGruve, subsequent tracks do well to showcase exactly how large the task the act is attempting to accomplish. “Senorita” is a track that shines based on the absolute fire that is spat flow-wise, while a bit of further polish is given it by the inclusion of a more Caribbean type of sound.

“Water” adds a significant electronic backdrop to the sound brought forth during “Senorita”. Other bits and pieces of distinct genres (such as jazz) are brought in here to keep things popping, and it should be right about here on the album that listeners will realize that CRGruve’s album is miles away from anything else that is being released on the rap scene today. Essentially, the act is able to cut 8 distinct tracks that all possess the same sort of quality, where the modern rap enterprise is oriented on putting a ton of chaff in with one or two solid track.

This is why an album like “Naughty and Nice” will be touted as a revolutionary work where current artists’ albums will be in the discount bin by Christmas. “Frisky” is a track that works within the current confines of popular rap, but CRGruve does not sell themselves out with the track. This is due to the fact that the flow is intelligent (even approaching that of a Outkast), while the peppy backing beat will forever tattoo itself on the hearts of those listening in. Even the disc’s last track, “Bounce”, is solid as all get out. While it touches upon earlier rap schools, CRGruve is able to keep things fresh and sets up listeners for whatever the act may be coming out with in the years to come.
- James McQuistion - Editor, NeuFutur

CrGruve are a New England based duo consisting of Craig the singer, who sounds like he should be part of a sixties soul group, and Ramone the rapper, who sounds like the lost member of De La Soul. This might not sound look like a special pairing on paper, but the combination of the smooth, suave lyrics and perfectly-placed beat and both of their voices is really very alluring, even from first listen.
There's quite a bit to take in here beside the original vocals as well, little bits of synth, rock guitars and afrobeat abound and there are twangs of flamenco rhythm and even some jazzy flute - Ramone and Craig have obviously surrounded themselves with a lot of talented musicians in order to get the sound just how they want it.
The lyrics are also well-placed and witty and let go in perfect time and pitch. The songwriting, while not massively varied, allows the personalities of both halves shine through in their delivery and this works greatly in their favour. It's very danceable, and totally hip-hop - so long as they don't stick with the cliched and slightly jade view of the genre for too long.
 All in all? If you're any sort of hip-hop fan, you won't be disappointed by this. It's equally accessible and clever, and a very good foundation on which they can build. I'd love them to come over all Freddie Foxxx - to use their music to take the genre in a different direction.
- Emmy

Two men make up CRGruve and they are bringing you some Naughty and some Nice. This Portland, Maine-based duo offers up a fun & party-like atmosphere that everyone can jam to. They go by Craig Handley & Ramone Jones and they are set to take the world by storm with their infectious sounds.
It is worth noting that Handley and Jones are best of friends on and off the stage. Band chemistry is very important in which some either have it or don’t have it; CRGruve have got it and then some! Connecting as performing artists is one thing, but connecting with your listening audience is another. But guess what, Jones & Handley get this job done also by making it all easy-listening and fun-minded.
CRGruve’s style is freshly original with elements of rap/hip-hop, rock, pop, R&B and even some jazz. Craig handles the singing while Ramone spills the rhymes and it’s truly awesome to hear. Both members have very different musical tastes/backgrounds with Handley heavily influenced by alt-rock, rap and R&B and Jones on the other hand having a deep love for hip-hop and his hometown Chicago jazz & blues. Two completely different worlds collide together to make up one incredibly fly EP.
The record starts up with a very smooth swag and cool blend on “Lunar Dance” that makes everything all hot ‘n’ fresh. Next up is “Senorita” that has some beautifully-sounding Spanish impressions gelled with rap lines that makes for a great all-around-sound. Track three, “Water”, is exactly that as the flow is smooth as ice. Handley emphasizes this smoothness even further by singing “She moves her body like water” & “thirsty for a taste you see”. The next installment is a funny number about not a MILF, but a FILF. The song is “Filfy (Father I’d Like to Freak)” and offers a hot club dance beat that kicks in later on. I couldn’t help but think of 2 Live Crew’s famous and catchy line when I heard this hot beat: “Too Much Booty in the Pants!” “Dance!”—Hell yeah!!! Song 6, “MILF Song”, is now aimed at all you MILFs out there where CRGruve make it a funny-spirited love song with some R&B flavor. Next on the list is “Frisky”, which I was personally really feeling because of its jazzy, hop-pop sensations. And to end all things on a high note, the track, “Bounce”, is just crazy hype with a filthy & nasty beat that has some party hooks to die for! This final track is definitely a crowd-pleaser that will make you move and get down—Uh-Oh, Watch out Now!
CRGruve have referred to their music as Hip-Pop, but I’d like to call it Hop-Pop with a slice of Nice and a side of Naughty. It’s hoppin’ and it’s poppin’, so therefore Hop-Pop! With this being their debut EP and a new album in the works, watch out for these two cats from Maine. Buckle up and get ready to take an exciting ride with CRGruve and their diversified sounds. And it all comes back to simple as Handley comes up with a solid piano line in the studio and Jones then handles the beats set to a simple melody. It all starts with simple and ends with simple for this duo as they prove that simplicity can be a highly efficient tool. Even getting major attention/recognition from Virgin CEO Sir Richard Branson, CRGruve are about to hit it big with this one ladies and gents. For more on CRGruve and their on-fire debut release, Naughty and Nice, SKOPE out www.crgruve.com.
By Jimmy Rae - Skope Magazine

Two men make up CRGruve and they are bringing you some Naughty and some Nice. This Portland, Maine-based duo offers up a fun & party-like atmosphere that everyone can jam to. They go by Craig Handley & Ramone Jones and they are set to take the world by storm with their infectious sounds.
It is worth noting that Handley and Jones are best of friends on and off the stage. Band chemistry is very important in which some either have it or don’t have it; CRGruve have got it and then some! Connecting as performing artists is one thing, but connecting with your listening audience is another. But guess what, Jones & Handley get this job done also by making it all easy-listening and fun-minded.
CRGruve’s style is freshly original with elements of rap/hip-hop, rock, pop, R&B and even some jazz. Craig handles the singing while Ramone spills the rhymes and it’s truly awesome to hear. Both members have very different musical tastes/backgrounds with Handley heavily influenced by alt-rock, rap and R&B and Jones on the other hand having a deep love for hip-hop and his hometown Chicago jazz & blues. Two completely different worlds collide together to make up one incredibly fly EP.
The record starts up with a very smooth swag and cool blend on “Lunar Dance” that makes everything all hot ‘n’ fresh. Next up is “Senorita” that has some beautifully-sounding Spanish impressions gelled with rap lines that makes for a great all-around-sound. Track three, “Water”, is exactly that as the flow is smooth as ice. Handley emphasizes this smoothness even further by singing “She moves her body like water” & “thirsty for a taste you see”. The next installment is a funny number about not a MILF, but a FILF. The song is “Filfy (Father I’d Like to Freak)” and offers a hot club dance beat that kicks in later on. I couldn’t help but think of 2 Live Crew’s famous and catchy line when I heard this hot beat: “Too Much Booty in the Pants!” “Dance!”—Hell yeah!!! Song 6, “MILF Song”, is now aimed at all you MILFs out there where CRGruve make it a funny-spirited love song with some R&B flavor. Next on the list is “Frisky”, which I was personally really feeling because of its jazzy, hop-pop sensations. And to end all things on a high note, the track, “Bounce”, is just crazy hype with a filthy & nasty beat that has some party hooks to die for! This final track is definitely a crowd-pleaser that will make you move and get down—Uh-Oh, Watch out Now!
CRGruve have referred to their music as Hip-Pop, but I’d like to call it Hop-Pop with a slice of Nice and a side of Naughty. It’s hoppin’ and it’s poppin’, so therefore Hop-Pop! With this being their debut EP and a new album in the works, watch out for these two cats from Maine. Buckle up and get ready to take an exciting ride with CRGruve and their diversified sounds. And it all comes back to simple as Handley comes up with a solid piano line in the studio and Jones then handles the beats set to a simple melody. It all starts with simple and ends with simple for this duo as they prove that simplicity can be a highly efficient tool. Even getting major attention/recognition from Virgin CEO Sir Richard Branson, CRGruve are about to hit it big with this one ladies and gents. For more on CRGruve and their on-fire debut release, Naughty and Nice, SKOPE out www.crgruve.com.
By Jimmy Rae
- Skope Magazine

A divorced millionaire with a penchant for music and fella who used to open for SNOOP DOG and DIGABLE PLANETS join forces to create a hip-hop act that strikes the fancy of VIRGIN CEO SIR RICHARD BRANSON. It all sounds like the plot for an upcoming JUDD APATOW film starring SETH ROGAN, but in fact it is the real life story of CR GRUVE. Entrepreneur CRAIG HANDLEY’s marriage was coming to an end and found that the best way to not “go crazy” from the experience was to get lost in something that he had put aside in favor of a stable (and obviously lucrative) career in marketing – music. He found the perfect partner in RAMONE JONES – a former member of the neo-soul hip-hop act ILL NATURAL. Together, they spilled the trials and tribulations of their personal lives on top of some beats and the result is the dynamic duo’s debut EP ‘THE NAUGHTY & THE NICE’ – a collection of songs that speak to the ups and downs of adult relationships. “There are a lot of great rap artists out there and sometimes what they are talking about doesn’t necessarily make a ton of sense.” says CRAIG HANDLEY “There is so much out there where they’ve got the money and they’ve got the girls and they’ve got the car and everybody loves them and that is what the relationship is and that’s great, but that’s not always real.”

ROCKWIRED spoke with CRAIG HANDLEY and RAMONE JONES of CR GRUVE over the phone the morning after a shoe at the EXOTIC EROTIC BALL in San Francisco. Here is how it went.

How was the Exotic Erotic Ball?
CRAIG: It was good! You saw some things that you thought that you would never see. It’s not all pretty but it is certainly interesting. The group that put it together did a really good job. The main stage was awesome and they probably had about twelve thousand people there. It was fun.

The EP is great. How do you guys feel about the finished work.
CRAIG: We’re pleased with the work. We’re excited about what we’ve got out there. From a marketing perspective we think it’s smart. Some of the songs on there are very marketable and the titles scream at people to listen to them but we’re more excited about the second album that we’re working on because I think it takes what we are doing to the next level. I think the lyrics, the beats and the styles of the next album are going to be even more exciting. We’re really proud of THE NAUGHTY & THE NICE and what we’ve been able to do as far as varying the beats and the sounds.

RAMONE: I think we did a really good job of capturing a particular moment if you will. A lot of good music is based off of what people go through and I think we really captured something and are very excited about what we are going to be doing on the next album.

What got the two of you on the same page to want to do this project? How did that begin?
RAMONE: I was in a music group for about five years before this. We did pretty well. It was called ILL NATURAL and we did a lot of East Coast and North East events with big artists but eventually that group had disbanded and I was trying to figure what I was going to do next. At that time, I started working for CRAIG’s company and in doing so he and I started to talk about doing music. It was the right time for both of us. Both of us had been through break ups. He was going through a divorce and I had broken up with a band that I had been with for five years. We got the opportunity to make some songs and get out all of the things that we were feeling and it’s gotten us this far.

CRAIG: We were driving home from a business trip and we started talking about music. I write a lot of acoustic piano stuff and I had wondered if there was any way that we could add some rap. The new styles that you hear more and more on the radio is this rock rap crossover kind of thing - you hear it more and more of it but there are not a lot of people doing it. I wanted to merge my rock type sound with his rap sound and come up with something a little bit more original. RAMONE was doing his own beats for a long time and he had a CD of thirty or forty tracks that he had put together himself. He just popped a couple in and I think that we wrote two songs coming home from a business trip. I listened to what we had written and I was like “This might do something! This might be fun!” That was where it all got started and it was definitely inspired by the break up of my marriage. We started writing some stuff and it went from getting out and having some serious stuff and then getting into the more humorous stuff that you hear on the EP. I started dating women with children and I decided that I was going two write a song for MILFs.

CRAIG, how did music begin for you?
CRAIG: I’ve had a passion for music ever since I could remember. I had always loved music and I dreamed of going to college and being a Music major and I dreamed of being a musician. My family never had any money so I got accepted to the BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC long ago and didn’t have the money to go so I went into the Army Infantry. When I got out I studied music at a local college and it seemed like all they taught you was how to be a school teacher. What I needed to know I felt like I already knew and somebody said that I was a good salesperson and I started working in Marketing. I always had the hobby of writing and playing the piano but what really got me serious about it was going through a divorce. I saw a counselor because I didn’t want to be as messed up as most people are when they are going through a divorce. I wanted to handle the process as best I could because I have kids and the counselor said, “find a hobby that you love and sink yourself into it.” For me it was music. My heart has always pointed in that direction. It was really exciting to be onstage last night with about three, four, or five-thousand people in the audience and dancers on the stage. The sound was better than what you hear in the clubs. It was pretty great. I felt like I belonged there.

How about you RAMONE?
RAMONE: I’m originally from Chicago and I had a lot of friends with a lot of different musical backgrounds and different ethnicities. You name it, I’ve heard it. I actually grew up with one of the hottest DJ’s in Chicago SPINNIN WHEEL BILL. He lived in my building complex and I used to hear a lot of his stuff before it came out. I was learning a little bit at that time and as I kept going on I was writing more. I liked poetry and I liked being creative from that standpoint. It all kind of blossomed by the time I got into college and I just started doing it. . I was on a Basketball Scholarship for the UNIVERSITY OF MAINE and my roommate was from New York and he thought that I should do something with regard to my music. I didn’t really think anything of it. I just enjoyed doing it. After I got out of school and after playing ball, I kind of settled down and came back to MAINE, I hooked up with this other guy and that was the start of IL NATURAL. That was the point at which music became a profession. Up until then, it was always a hobby for me. I love all different types of music because I heard so much of it growing up from house music to techno to hip-hop to R&B and jazz. I heard it all. At this point, it’s easy for me and it just feels right. I was a Communications major and a Theater minor in college so it kind of fits. It’s a part of me. I enjoy what we do. I enjoy getting out on stage.

How does the songwriting process work between the two of you?
RAMONE: Either one of us will get an idea about a song and throw ‘em off each other and we decide what sticks and what doesn’t. If we agree on something that sounds pretty cool, we’ll start writing it. We’ll each do our own parts and we’ll probably overwrite it just like any first draft. You go as far as you can go and you pull back from there and decide what stays in and what stays out. Normally, we get things out there pretty fast.

CRAIG: Sometimes it starts with something that I wrote on the piano or it’s a track that RAMONE has come up with. We do a lot of work with BOOMBAT PRODUCTIONS. They just helped NELLY with is BRASS KNUCKLES album. They’ve also done some tracks for TONI BRAXTON. They actually missed our show last night because DR. DRE hired them to do some tracks. They are a very good group. They create their own beats and everything is made from real instrumentation. There is no garage band stuff going on. Sometimes, I’ll come up with something and I’ll drag RAMONE into it or RAMONE will come up with something and he’ll drag me into it. For the track FILFY - the beat was completely different when we started it. I had written it to one track and RAMONE had written it to another and we both had about four verses each. Eventually we peeled it back into what would fit into the song and we took my track and his track, changed the tempo of the song and voila, we had a cool song about fathers with kids who are still hot.

What tracks from the EP stand out for you the most and why?
CRAIG: MILF SONG is the song that stands out the most. It comes from the real life experience of finding out that there are a lot of single women out there with kids that are absolutely beautiful people. FILFY stands out because it is very persona. After the divorce, I was dating and anytime you go start dating again after a divorce you’re looking to build up your confidence again and hoping that there is still something there. It was a personal song and it was a challenge to throw it out there and say ‘I am still what I used to be- maybe just a little bit different.’ LUNAR DANCE was an interesting concept. It’s like asking who your favorite child is. You love them all for different reasons because everything we do is based on life experience. We’ve got a song on this new album called HOME LATE. In the first verse, it is a man who is concerned that his partner –his wife or his girlfriend - isn’t home. It’s late, he’s made dinner and he’s waiting up. In the second verse he’s going ‘What’s going on?’ He’s plays the role of knowing that something’s up and is asking her to come clean. In the third verse, he’s throwing the gloves off because he knows what’s going on and knows that she’s been running around. That song is a real great emotional song for me. The next album is going to be fantastic.

RAMONE: MILF SONG really stands out to me because it’s got a good R&B feel and it’s something that people can really get into. It’s really marketable. The whole track felt really good. To talk about a subject like that – I really feel like we made it classy rather than turn it into raunchy-type situation. I’m proud of how we captured that moment. They all stand out for me. LUNAR DANCE stands out for me because it was kind of written as a MICHAEL JACKSON tribute if you will. It sets a visual for me-

CRAIG: Kind of like EYES WIDE SHUT with TOM CRUISE.

RAMONE: Yeah, there is that THRILLER element to it. I enjoy performing that because I can see that in this track very vividly. Those two stand out for me.

In listening to this EP, I think you guys really talk about relationships in a very adult way in a way that a lot hip-hop or any modern music does.
CRAIG: There are a lot of great rap artists out there and sometimes what they are talking about doesn’t necessarily make a ton of sense. There is so much out there where they’ve got the money and they’ve got the girls and they’ve got the car and everybody loves them and that is what the relationship is and that’s great, but that’s not always real.

You guys have a fan in RICHARD BRANSON, how did you guys come to know that?
CRAIG: Since the time I got out college and started going down the marketing path, the business that we own has grown substantially and RICHARD BRANSON – through a few other business relationships – invited about forty marketers to his island. The first twenty to respond were able to spend an entire week with RICHARD and talk about VIRGIN UNITE and teaching entrepreneurs about social responsibility. I was invited there with my business partner. When I was there, I took his cell phone and I put FILFY on his ringtone. That whole week he and I talked about music and of course RICHARD BRANSON’s background in music is unparalleled. As a result of that visit, he has really enjoyed the CD. It’s been great. I’m actually going to be seeing RICHARD tomorrow. I saw him three weeks ago in Calgary at an event. Were going to ROCK THE CASBAH tomorrow to support his mother’s charity. We’ve developed a nice friendship with him and he has offered to help. My goal was never to get him to try to sign us. I’m a good marketer and RAMONE knows a lot about marketing as well. The business deal that is offered by a major label isn’t always the best deal. We’re driving this thing on our own and hoping we can make the best of it.

What would you like someone to come away with after they’ve heard this EP?
RAMONE: That’s a good question! I hope that they enjoy the tracks and can see some real life experience behind them but also see some humor and some personality throughout our tracks. With the next album, things are going to be different. As I’ve said before, we captured a moment with these tracks and I also hope people are able to get the lightness of the work but also the seriousness of it.

CRAIG: I’d like for people to come away thinking that life is fun. No matter what you’re coming up against, life should be fun. Anything you do in your life, you can look at the bright side of it. This first album is about making sure that people look at the funny side of life but some of the other is about helping people through some of the emotional stuff that they are dealing with too. I’m hoping that it talks to people.
- RockWired Magazine