Duwap Kaine

Biography

Donald George Ruffin, known professionally as Duwap Kaine, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his projects Underdog and Bad Kid from the 4, as well as his early collaborations with record producer Pi'erre Bourne.

Career

Ruffin began making chopped and screwed remixes of songs at age 6. He started producing music using Mixcraft. He released "Elmo freestyle", which later became a viral hit, at age 9. As a teenager, he began releasing music under the alias "Dolphin God". He released his debut mixtape Diffrent [sic] in 2013 under the DolphinGod alias.
One of his first singles to gain attention was the song "A Stove Is a Stove", which he released in 2016, with the song since reaching over a million plays. In 2017, he released the Pi'erre Bourne-produced song "Santa". In September 2017, he was co-signed by American rapper Lil Yachty as one of his favorite rappers. Ruffin has worked with artists including Trippie Redd, K$upreme, Lil Wop, and Lil Tracy. He released two mixtapes that year, Friends Till The End & Forever Kaine.
In 2018, he released the notable mixtape Underdog. Most of the tape's instrumentals were made by Duwap's frequent collaborator Nine9. Ruffin released the single "Playin Wit Da Autotune" on August 11, 2021. Ruffin released his album Faith Like Esther on June 26, 2022. In December 2024, he released A Kid From Savannah, a short autobiography. He released his mixtape The Godfather in March 2026.

Musical style

His music is known for its "melodic, autotune-soaked raps". Pigeons and Planes has described him as a "godfather of internet rap". He has cited Chief Keef, Soulja Boy, and Lil B as influences on his music.

Personal life

As of 2026, Ruffin lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. He has a daughter.