Ruggedman

In 2002, Ruggedman caused some stir in the music scene when he took artistes such as Rasqie, Maintain, Eedris Abdulkareem and others to the cleaners for their seeming lack of style and songs riddled with incoherent lyrics. Even the duo of Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye were not spared of the venomous lyrics of the Abia State – born rapper who was christened Michael Ugochukwu Stephens at birth.

In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, the Political Science graduate of the Lagos State University who recently returned from a trip to London, where he attended Tony Tetuila’s 10th anniversary in the music industry, speaks about his trip, how he reconciled with Eedris Abdulkareem, his recent war of lyrics with Mode 9 and his thoughts on the rising army of rappers on the music scene. Excerpts:

HOW was your trip to London?
This trip is like my 7th or so to London; so you can say I have lost that first timer excitement but the trip like many others was a time out to rest because in Nigeria it’s all work.

What exactly were you in London for?
I went to London to support Tony Tetuila’s 10th year anniversary celebration show.

How’s Nigerian music faring in London and Europe?
Nigerian music is big in London, which is especially obvious from the way Nigerian artistes are brought in to perform in London. There are also a lot of Nigerian artistes in London.

You were recently involved in a video shoot with Eedris Abdulkareem and considering the war of lyrics you had in the past

with him, Nigerians would like to know how you guys eventually buried the hatchet?
The hatchet was buried a long time ago, that was in 2005 to be exact. It happened at the Murtala Mohammed Airport on our way to the 2005 KORA All Africa Music Awards.

I saw a lady standing with a baby and I started playing with the baby’s cheek. I noticed the surprise on the mother’s face when she turned and saw it was me, but I did not understand it then. I just said hello to her and continued playing with the baby. It was when the two men in front of her turned, that I realised it was Edris, and the lady and the baby were his wife and child. I was a bit surprised. We just stared at each other for a few seconds and then we both said hi and started talking like nothing ever happened.

So, I guess it was not hard for him to ask me to feature on a track of his and what a track it turned out to be. That was how the song Koleyewon was born and it surprised a lot of people too. We have shot part of the video but Eedris had to go on a tour of Europe and we are yet to finish the video shoot.

The music industry also recently witnessed another war of lyrics between you and Mode 9. Tell us your own side of the whole fiasco?
All I can say about the Mode 9 saga is that I have no beef with him or anybody and that’s why you will never hear me dissing him or anybody on a track. The ones I did in the past were for serious reasons. Every move I make is for a reason. I don’t make aimless and fruitless moves. So if anybody is dissing me on a track ask him or her why because I don’t have time for that.

Is it true that Mode 9 invited you to his last album launch?
I never got any invitation from him and I will not attend an event uninvited. I had my birthday show at Oniru private beach, ask every artiste that was on the bill. They got text messages, mails and calls directly from me. That’s the respect you accord fellow artistes.

Do you think such rivalry is healthy for the industry?
Healthy rivalry is good for anything but when unnecessary jealousy and envy come into it, that changes everything.

What’s your take on P-Square’s reaction at the recently held Guinness 250 concert in Nigeria?
It would not have happened if equal respect was accorded to all the artistes, be you indigenous or international. I support it fully. Since the Nigerian music body does not want to fight for the way promoters treat artistes, I think they took it upon themselves (unfortunately) to do so. Nigerian promoters always seem to lose respect for Nigerian artistes especially when there is a foreign artiste involved.

How’s your clothing line doing?
The clothing line is not an easy thing at all which is why I am still working on it. Once in a while I get samples and always give them out to fans at events.

When should we expect a new album from you?
I am working on the new album and once I am set, I will announce a release date. I am working with different producers such as SARS, So Sick, Tyrone, OJB Jezreel, Kas Beats to mention a few.

Recently your other colleagues in the music industry embarked on a hunger strike in protest against piracy. How did you see it?
I was in London at the time and so did not take part in it and if I had been in Nigeria, I still will not have taken part because, I do not see how starving myself will help stop pirates from stealing my music. The music body should get its acts together and come up with a way to fight piracy. I have a suggestion for them. They should approach the government and get them to sign a bill to imprison anyone caught dealing in pirated CD’s. They should be sentenced to two-month jail without bail. By the time a dealer gets to go to jail once or twice he or she won’t be too eager to deal in pirating intellectual property.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on my album, my clothing line, a 20-state tour and my TV show. I also plan to promote the album in London, Manchester, Belfast, Dublin town and Babrigan.

Most music critics feel that your lyrics are filled with so much venom and aggression. What do you have to say about this?
Anyone that says my lyrics are filled with aggression and venom has obviously not listened to my album and is not a critic but a rumour monger. Take my Ruggedy Baba album alone I have an AIDS awareness track entitled Flesh to Flesh to Death, an inspirational track entitled If I Could Do It All. I also dedicated the song, Broken Promise, to my dead cousin to mention a few; so tell me what’s aggressive and venomous about that.

How do you get inspired in doing what you do?
Inspiration comes from everything around me and also what I am feeling at that very moment.

Your trips abroad must have opened your eyes to so many things. What do you think we can learn from the music industry in Europe?
Nigerian musicians have all it takes, what we need is a well structured musical body that will distribute our music worldwide, protect the rights of the musician and also getting them paid what is due them from radio and TV.

What’s your impression about the new generation of rap artistes?
The new generation of rap artistes are good, bad and rubbish like it has always been. What I am happy about now is that only the good ones are getting heard.

Do you feel threatened by the meteoric rise of MI?
I do not feel threatened by anybody. Be you a rapper, Fuji artiste or reggae artiste, new acts will always come up. What you need to do is pray you have made a good enough impact to be relevant in the industry so you will be looked up to by new acts. Nigerian’s love wahala if I can put it that way. They love saying things and comparing one artiste with the other.

You have in recent times been seen in public without your trade mark head warmer; is it your new way of re-branding?
Yes it is me re- branding. If you notice I wear more of shirts and wearing a head warmer does not go with shirts and jackets.

You recently got patronage from Nigerian Breweries PLC and MTN. Tell us what did it for you?
It is because I have shown them that apart from being a rapper, I can also anchor events as well. That started manifesting when I was contracted to host this year’s edition of the Star Quest music talent hunt show. I have also anchored the MTN Project Fame official Press launch for two years in a row. That’s why it is good to have good PR and also projecting a brand that corporate bodies would want to associate with.

Source: The Nation

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