Key Points:
- Ruger says he was cancelled after parting ways with Jonzing World.
- He faced rejection from industry peers and had to restart his career.
- Despite the pressure, he rebuilt his brand with Blown Boy Entertainment.
Ruger Felt Shut Out After Quitting Jonzing World
Nigerian music star, Ruger, has revealed how he was left to face harsh backlash after he split from his former label, Jonzing World.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Ruger said many fans and industry people turned their backs on him. He explained that his exit sparked strong criticism and led to serious rejection.
According to him, people online made hurtful predictions about his career. Ruger shared, “After leaving the label, there were a lot of comments. Some were saying, ‘This is the last year you’re going to tour,’ ‘This is the end,’ ‘You’re finished.’”
Industry Cold Shoulder and Cancel Culture
Ruger didn’t just face hate from fans. He also felt the heat from fellow artists and industry players.
He explained that leaving a label in Nigeria often makes people see you as ungrateful. He said even some of his music colleagues didn’t want to associate with him. “Not everybody was willing to help. The public sentiment once you leave a label is that you’re ungrateful,” he said. “Even those in the same industry won’t want to link up. It happens.”
The singer pointed out how the culture of ‘cancelling’ affected his efforts to grow his career. He said he had to start all over again and build a new system from scratch.
Ruger Rebuilds from Ground Up
Despite all the challenges, Ruger didn’t give up.
He recalled how hard it was to stand on his own after leaving Jonzing World. But he also praised his inner strength. “I was battling cancel culture. I had to meet people and reintroduce myself,” he said.
He continued, “It was just like starting everything over again. But because I was strong inside — I was also down, but I was still strong — I triumphed.”
Ruger left Jonzing World in 2024 following a fallout with label boss D’Prince. He then launched his own record label, Blown Boy Entertainment, and began working on fresh projects independently.
