Popular musician Michael Adebayo Olayinka, widely recognized as Ruger, has voiced his concerns regarding the rise of untalented artists in the Nigerian music scene, attributing their success to substantial promotional efforts.
He expressed that this trend has been disheartening for him, as artists lacking genuine talent can achieve fame if they possess the financial means for promotion.
On his X account, Ruger remarked: “The music scene has been hurting me coz no matter how shit an artist is, once there’s money for hype, Otilo.”
He also criticized the reliance on autotune by certain performers, particularly during live shows.
“Now, let’s talk about the gaddamn autotunes on the mic when y’all perform. Next time, tell your engineer to shut it down when you’re about to speak coz you be speaking in Tunez wahalaaaaaa. Well, Ruger don’t need that shit. thank you,” he wrote.
In a recent interview with Cool FM in Lagos, Ruger asserted that there are currently fewer than five genuinely talented musicians in Nigeria, suggesting that many artists are merely creating music for entertainment purposes.
He did not specify which artists he considers talented or his own position within that group.
“I’m not the biggest artiste in Nigeria but talent-wise, I’m standing somewhere there. We are not up to 5,” he said.
“I won’t say where I am on the list but I’m there. It’s not up to five. Most people are just singing for cruise but we [the talented artists], we make music.”
In January, Ruger announced the launch of his new record label, ‘Blown Boy Entertainment,’ and updated his social media profiles to reflect this change.
In an Instagram update, he expressed gratitude to Jonzing World and D’Prince, indicating that it was time for him to invest in his own future.
Ruger gained prominence in 2021 under Jonzing World, a label founded by Nigerian artist D’Prince, which is associated with Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records.
He has received numerous accolades for his work.