Fast-rising Nigerian artiste Ruger, who has been consistently rolling out chart-topping hits, has finally released his debut album, “RU The World”. Ruger, who is currently signed to the record label Jonzing World, has made significant progress since his inception into the music business in 2021 with the release of his debut EP, “Ruger.”
Ruger is popularly known for his catchy tunes and he has garnered immense love and admiration from fans not only in Nigeria but also from across the globe. His distinctive fusion of modern/contemporary music and Afrobeat has resonated with audiences far and wide.
Before the release of this debut album, Ruger released the hit single ‘Asiwaju’ which he followed up with the captivating records ‘Jonzing Boy’ and ‘Kristy’.
“RU The World” album is a 17-track masterpiece that boasts collaborations with some of the industry’s brightest stars, including the likes of Sauti Sol, Govanna, Juggler, and Stefflon Don.
This star-studded project immediately offers listeners a diverse and engrossing musical trip upon first glimpse at the tracklist and guest performers.
The intro “Tour” might just be one of the best album intros we have heard in 2023 so far. Ruger proves that his artistry knows no bounds, where he projects himself as a maestro of drill music.
With “Tour,” Ruger takes listeners on a relentless journey through the gritty, uncompromising world of drill, where the beat itself becomes the narrative.
The beat relentlessly propels the song forward with its rapid-fire percussion. Clocking in at a blistering BPM rate, the tempo is a
declaration of intent, setting the stage for an adrenaline-fueled sonic experience.
While the focus here is squarely on the drill beat and production, it is also important to acknowledge the lyrical component. Ruger’s lyrical prowess shines through as he navigates the sonic tumult, offering incisive commentary on life in general, the hustle, touring big countries, and making money while at it. His flow matches the beat’s intensity, creating a symbiotic relationship between words and rhythm.
Many would agree that this is quite unexpected, but at the same time, it is a clear test of versatility. Considering how he has been on tour for most part of the year, the song gives a good
representation on meeting new people, new experiences, and spreading the gospel about his art.
On track 2 “Ashana”, Ruger establishes the mood for the album, he explores a life of sexual desire that transcends his music and now plays out on stage where ladies are ready to emulate the
obscene images he creates.
Ashana was produced by Legendary Beatz , and it has a very minimalist, simplistic beat that could have resulted in a monotonous moment with another artist but thankfully Ruger’s prowess at delivery is so good that he elevated the beat, when it should be
the other way round. He made hedonism sound appealing and attractive.
On track 3 “I Want Peace”, Ruger projects a spiraling love interest throwing temper tantrums because he isn’t the man she wished he was. On this song, Ruger displayed the common trait of
bad boys’ unwillingness to compromise and conform to inconveniences.
It is a core part of the album where he gets more personal and relatable, and stays within the boundaries of his pursuit
of hedonism. We see this display and trend in some other tracks on the album such as “Dear Ex” and “Red Flag”.
As much as the album sounds good and exploratory, many would agree that only about 7 out of 17 songs stood out on the album. And most of these 7 songs do not seem exactly like they will
grow to become a continental hit (a global hit would be a fetch). It also seem as though the songs were not properly curated and well put together as regards the flow and overall storytelling the
album should project.
It is clear that Ruger offered different shades of himself on “Ru The World”, as it goes on to redefine his hit-maker status on Track X “Nine”, where he gives a proper Amapiano delivery. On
Nine, Ruger infuses drums and exciting beats for a party themed flow.
On the note of projecting different shades of his creativity, he explores different variants of Dancehall on strategic collaborations while adding musicality and depth at the same time through exploration of Folk with Sauti Sol, and sensually charged R&B records.
As much as most listeners will choose to count the album as a project that was made just to demonstrate how pleasure driven the artiste is, I think it is also very critical to mention that Hedonism is an art and it can be considered as the face of Ru The World album.
The album is a proper example of harmony and great sequencing, making for fluid listening, even with its unceasing sexual frankness, often vulgar, often genuinely innovative.
Most artistes with broad sonic palettes and versatility usually come across the challenge of fusing all multiple spheres of their musicality into a single body of work, that sufficiently showcases them without
one facet outshining the other. Ruger on the other hand, triumphs over this challenge and it results in one of the best debut albums of recent times.
