Music
Ruger Is Back With “R.U (Raw and Unfiltered Vol. 1)” and He’s Done Listening to Other People’s Opinions
Nigerian Afrobeats artist Ruger releases his six-track EP, R.U (Raw and Unfiltered Vol. 1), featuring cross-border collaborations with Musa Keys, Young Stunna, and MC Morena alongside an candid statement on artistic independence.
Official cover artwork for Nigerian Afrobeats star Ruger’s six-track EP, RU (Raw and Unfiltered Vol. 1), featuring tracks like Do Nothing with Musa Keys and Young Stunna. Photo Credit: Ruger/Instagram
Ruger is back, and he came back on his own terms. The Nigerian Afrobeats and Afro-dancehall star has released his new EP, R.U (Raw and Unfiltered Vol. 1), and the title alone tells you everything about where his head is right now. Raw. Unfiltered. No apologies.
In a statement accompanying the release, Ruger opened up about the personal journey behind the project:
To know me, is to know that I am RAW. To know me, is to know that I am UNFILTERED,” he wrote. “This project was made with perseverance. I went back and forth with my spirit and I’m so sorry that you had to wait till now to get this project. I had let people’s opinions about my music get to me that I became scared of singing what truly wanted to come out of my heart. Never again. RUGER IS BACK.”
Born Michael Adebayo Olayinka, Ruger broke into the scene in 2021 with his debut EP Pandemic and its follow-up The Second Wave, quickly establishing a reputation for dancehall-infused Afrobeats and unforgettable hooks. Following his 2023 debut album RU The World and a joint project with BNXN in 2024, R.U (Raw and Unfiltered) marks his most personal chapter yet.
Listen below
