Nigerian singer Michael Olayinka, popularly known as Ruger, has revealed that he was blacklisted by some fans and industry insiders following his controversial departure from former record label, Jonzing World.
Speaking in a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, the Asiwaju crooner disclosed that the fallout led to a period of isolation and criticism, with many writing off his career.
“After leaving the label, there were a lot of comments about it,” Ruger said. “Some people were saying, ‘This is the last year you’re going to tour’, ‘This is the end’, ‘You’re finished’. Not everybody was willing to help me.”
The artist highlighted the perception that artists who exit record labels in Nigeria are often viewed as ungrateful, which, according to him, affected his relationships within the industry. “Many people don’t want to associate with that person, even those in the same industry. It happens,” he added.
Ruger officially parted ways with Jonzing World in early 2024 after a fallout with label boss D’Prince. He has since launched his own music imprint, Blown Boy Entertainment.
On how he bounced back, Ruger described the process as daunting. “I was battling cancel culture. I had to meet a lot of people and reintroduce myself. I was doing a lot of things from scratch. It’s stressful. It’s not easy to leave a label. You have to build your own system. It was just like starting everything over again.”
Despite the setbacks, Ruger said inner strength and resilience helped him push through. “I was also down, but I was still strong. I triumphed.”
The singer has continued to push forward under his new label, aiming to reestablish his place in the industry on his own terms.
