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I was tagged as ungrateful for leaving Jonzing World – Ruger recounts
Nigerian Afrobeats star Michael Adebayo, popularly known as Ruger, has opened up about the difficult aftermath of his departure from Jonzing World, the label that helped launch his career.
In a candid interview with Afrobeats Intelligence, the 25-year-old singer spoke about the backlash he faced after going independent and founding his record label, Blown Boy Entertainment, in 2024.
Ruger revealed that he was quickly blacklisted by sections of the Nigerian music industry and labelled “ungrateful” for parting ways with his former label.
“After leaving the label, there were lots of comments about it. Some people were saying, ‘This is the last year you’re going to tour.’ This is the end. You are finished. Not everybody was willing to help in any way,” he said. “Once you leave a label in Nigeria, they call you ungrateful already.”
Ruger had previously accused Jonzing World of sidelining him while prioritizing new signees, claiming that his hard-earned money was used to promote others without his knowledge.
He also criticised what he called the “godfather system” in the industry, stating it was one of the major reasons he chose not to renew his contract.
According to Ruger, going independent meant starting over—building a team, rekindling industry relationships, and proving his worth all over again.
“Many people do not want to associate with that person. Because you left a label. So, I was battling that. I had to meet a lot of people. Just like reintroducing myself, doing a lot of things from scratch. It was stressful. It is not easy to leave your label,” he said.
Despite the obstacles, Ruger noted that inner strength kept him going.
“Yeah, because you have to build your own system, it was starting everything over and over again. But because I was strong, I was strong inside. I was also down. But I was still strong.”
Ruger says people wrote him off after he left Jonzing World 🌎 pic.twitter.com/z0EgXKN7N0
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) July 10, 2025
Since launching Blown Boy Entertainment, Ruger has maintained an active presence in the industry, continuing to tour and release music, defying those who predicted his decline.
His story highlights the challenges many Nigerian artists face when choosing independence over the traditional label system, especially in an industry where loyalty is often demanded, sometimes at the expense of growth.