Ruggedy Baba
The marriage of popular Afro hip-hop musician, Abolore Akande aka 9ice and his wife, Toni hit the rocks recently. Coming less than two years it was consummated, the unfortunate crash of the marriage had created a rude shock in the entertainment industry. But one man had witnessed it all.
He was there when 9ice met US-based Toni Payne. In fact, he had introduced one to the other and watched as their relationship developed into marriage. The “intermediary” is no other person than hip hop star, Michael Stephens popularly known as Ruggedman.
In this encounter with Blockbuster, the musician opens up on Toni Payne, the kind of woman she is, his role in her marriage to 9ice and how he had brought D’banj, Don Jazzy and 9ice to stardom. It is unputdownable! Enjoy:
Growing up
My growing up was not too rosy. My parents split when I was six years-old. That is why I am not too fluent in Igbo because I was brought up in Lagos. When I speak Yoruba, you mistake me for a Yoruba guy, because I grew up with my mum and other siblings in Lagos. I also attended schools in Lagos. But I wasn’t born into a rich family that is why I know where I’m coming from and where I’m going. I will never do anything that will tarnish the image of my family.
Motivation into music
I like music and believed I can actually become an artiste. As time went on, I realized I could actually make something out of music. First of all, I checked myself if I really have the talent and realized I did. I believe I have the drive because I love rap music.
The stage name, Ruggedman
I just wanted the name. There is nothing behind it because I gave myself the name when I was in secondary school a long time ago. I just wanted the name. I thought I was going into rap game proper. I thought of MC but I realized that there are too many MCs. I read lots of comic books like Superman, Spiderman and so on that is how I came about the name. Incidentally, you need to be a rugged man to survive in Nigeria and even in the world.
My latest album
I’m still recording. Right now the album is not fully complete but I have recorded so many songs with a lot of collaborations with my friends. I’m looking at the next two months for the album release. It is titled Me and my Swagger and it is right now on every music site on the Internet. And I have been receiving wonderful responses. It is going to be on radio stations as from next week. I hosted Stars Quest last year and I’m also hosting it this year.
Challenges
The challenges are bigger than piracy. For me, it’s the problem of royalty payment. Those are the main challenges. It is not producing or recording a song alone. Piracy has deprived us from getting what we are supposed to get, and also royalties are not paid as at when due.
I brought D’banj, 9ice to stardom
The same way I did stuff for 9ice, I did stuff for Durella, D’banj and so many other people. Like D’banj, there was a show in Abuja, when he just came back from London. After the show, I called D’banj and Don Jazzy, saying we are doing Star Trek, a big show. So, when I am performing, after two or three songs, I would tell the audience that my friends from London would like to perform. I would bring D’banj and Don Jazzy on stage and will start singing Tongolo. The following year, they came to stardom because they were on Star Trek. That’s what I did to some reigning artistes of today. For almost three years, every show I went to I gave 9ice some time to perform with me. I also took my CDs and his CDs along to all my shows.
On marriage
I will marry when it’s time. I can’t say anything about marriage for now.
On 9ice and Toni Payne’s marriage
No, I never dated Toni Payne before she married 9ice. I think I have read about this in some magazines but it is not true. I only introduced 9ice to Toni and vice versa. I don’t call her Toni Payne because I know her, her mother and her grand mother. When I dropped my first album, it was Kunle Ajayi that introduced me to Toni. He said he has a friend in America that has an online magazine who can help me promote my album, and the person turned out to be Toni. That’s how I met her. We hooked up online where she interviewed me. Later, when Toni was coming to Nigeria, she said she wanted to meet some artistes. My studio and her family house are located at Surulere so, we just kept on exchanging ideas.
Why their marriage crashed
The thing was between both of them. Unless they decide to say why their marriage crashed, people will continue to assume. I wish I could go deeper to find out but I think there is a limit one can go in such things because you are only seeing what’s happening outside but not inside. But I pray they sort it out.
On crashed marriages in entertainment industry
Get me right, I’m not talking about 9ice or anybody. But I think when two popular people get married, it is a problem. You might think you can handle it but when it happens that the wife travels all the time, I don’t think any man can take that. The same thing goes for the woman whose husband keeps jumping all over the place. Most artistes whose marriages are okay get married to people who are not in the limelight. Look at Sunny Nneji and Paul Play, their wives are not into entertainment. The women do other jobs and cope well with their marriages.
My style
I like casual wears because I’m a simple person. I can put on nice shirt and jeans so long as they match, I’m cool. My style is simple, no gragra. Since I’m an artiste, a public figure and role model, I have to be careful about my image. I have to be clean all the time.
I’m not fulfilled
I’m not fulfilled. I’m not rich enough. I’m still working until my records become the biggest not even in Nigeria but in Africa. Now I have some artistes I want to push.
I’ll retire soon
Yes, I will retire after releasing my next album. I’m slowing down because I want to push out my artistes.
loading...
Loading ...