Someone put this on facebook. What do you think?

I miss Ruggedman, the real Ruggedman
Yes I do. Really!
I met Ruggedman circa 1999. I had just joined Hip Hop World and I was impressing with my knowledge of both local and foreign Hip-Hop. Needless to say, I was the MVP in those days. So, even though I was still a fresher in Allen back then, I had already decided I was gonna be selective in my choice of friends amongst the many entertainers that flocked to the office.
One day, there was a knock on the door and guess who it was? It was Paul Play with some long-necked guy in tow. Paul was a big boy even back then having dropped his first album which included Bus Stop and Mosorire. Now, he had apparently produced a record for ‘Long Neck’ and he was at the office to help his homie out. I had the enviable job of listening to the records and deciding if any CD was worth anything. Boy, was I blown out of my shoes? And that was how I met Ruggedman. He had recorded two singles ‘Gwo Gwo’ and ‘What If?’, which, in my opinion, not that my opinion means much these days, are two of the best tracks the boy has recorded EVER! I was enamoured, to say the least.
Then I had to go off to Abuja to serve the nation in the Central Bank Of Nigeria. The highlight of my year was when, while listening to Rhythm 94.7, a certain OAP by the name of Dr. Ninestein (also known as Modenine) played brand new music from Rugged. It was the highly controversial ‘Ehen’ and it was about to take the whole nation by storm. By the time I returned to Lagos in 2003, the Cold War was well on its way. Rugged and his ‘enemies’ had started to form alliances. Rugged had a BIG fan in me cos I used to rap back in the days and I had my 16 bars for Eedris and my subliminals for Maintain. But I was never gonna go into a studio to record it. Not that I was scared or anything. I just wasn’t built for this, I guess. But here was someone with the time, the money, the support and the balls to go against the establishment. I was only one of the many people across the country who’d just about had enough of the nonsense the Kennis Music machine was churning out at the time and applauded change the same America, and indeed the rest of the world, embraced the Obama candidature.
The Ruggedman of 2002 named names and laid blames. He flogged Eedris, Maintain, Rasqie and advised (Big) Bamo not to run away so he could get some on ‘Ehen Pt. 1’. A lot of people, of course, felt Rugged was chancing these artistes and no one expected a reprisal attack any time soon. He went on to justify his actions on ‘Peace or War’. At this point, Rugged had just signed on to Little Fish Records and he shot the biggest video of that time with DJ Tee, making him one of the first artistes to work with the revered director. And when Kennis Music CEO Keke Ogungbe decided to take matters into his own hands asking deejays not to play Rugged’s music, the rapper rose up to the occasion and recorded ‘Big Bros’ just before leaving the shores of Nigeria for the first time to Ireland. Ruggedman had become an integral part of Nigerian music history. And he was telling us at every turn how to tell his story.
Perhaps, that fact also accounted for his failure to stay long at the top. By virtue of the fact that he had fought the biggest dawgs in the game to a standstill, he became complacent and started to feel invisible. While his first album, the highly anticipated Thy Album Come, belied his hunger, his second album, Ruggeddy Baba, did not do so well. By this time, the beef with arch-rival Modenine was brewing. Even though neither artiste would mention the name of the other, it was clear that all was not well with the former friends. Ruggedman would go on to record an album which showed how confused he was getting. First off, half the album was dedicated to some foe that could only have been Modenine. But wasn’t this Ruggedman the Fearless? Ordinarily, this would have been his opportunity to get rid of the opposition. But he kept skirting. In his defence, he hadn’t heard anyone mention his name. Upstart A-Q did mention his name a few years ago. But Rugged didn’t wanna give the kid free promo.
In my estimation, this is where Ruggedman got it all wrong. For some reason, he seems to think he ‘arrived’ as a result of ‘Baraje’. He is right and wrong. True, he probably started getting more important shows because of the said song. But the majority of his fans, if truth be told, became his fans because of his ‘Ehen’, ‘Peace Or War’ and ‘Big Bros’ exploits. Ruggedman fans are Ruggedman fans because they believe Ruggedman can cut anybody down to size regardless of who you are. The moment Ruggedman ceases to do that, he loses core Ruggedman fans. Unfortunately, Ruggedman neither agrees with this assessment nor listens to criticism these days. After all, he’s still the highest selling rap artiste in Nigeria, according to him. So, instead, he plays god and records ‘Hip-Hop 101’, instructing upcoming artistes on what to do to make it into the big leagues; “the way it’s worked for me, you know what I’m saying!”
Now, rather unfortunately, he seeks to convince these newcomers to do it his way so as to make the kind of money he has made. But no one is fooled, really! Every new artiste, make that every artiste, wants to make D’banj money (multiple endorsements, shows and government/ political/ business affiliations), P-Square money (shows and record sales from all over Africa), or, at the least, some of that 9ice money (affiliation with Zain). Rugged’s money was good for 2004; certainly not 2009. And the rapper seems not to realise that it’s no longer 2004. His last really good video was ‘Peace Or War’. He hasn’t promoted any of his material the Ruggedman way for sometime now. Then, like Jay Z did with Nas in 2001 with the sneak attack called ‘Takeover’, Modenine attacked on the last track of his ‘Paradigm Shift’ album. And every Ruggedman fan has been expecting the response from their hero. Alas, it seems like they will wait forever. For Mr. ‘double edged sword that will not hesitate to slice you’ has suddenly become deaf and dumb and is suing for peace.
So where did Ruggedman go wrong? How did he go from being Knight on a horse to being a pawn in a game whose rules he practically re-wrote? How the heck did he misfire and become cronies with the same people he had called wack back in the day? Why is he finding it difficult to respond now that the opposition seems to be a bit more formidable than he’s been used to all-career long? Sigh. I miss Ruggedman. The real Ruggedman.

Questions dat av no answers!
Its kinda funny cos i neva used to listen to music til like 04!
Neva liked foreign songs and nigerian songs were crap til i hrd a certain ehen by ruggedman and i was like ok,the revolution is finally here!
Then he went further with bigbros where he attackd keke and d1.
And trust me ever since then the quality of naija songs went up!
The prob i av with rugged man is,he is content wit the whole industry revolutioniser thing that he has remained stagnant even til now while other peeps are going forward!
Its high time ruggedman retraced his steps and comes to reality that ure only as good as ur current status and nt ur previous

@poster

good points.

i dont miss him cos i v neva liked him.

i dont like peepe who step on peeps to get on top, its hiphop tho, maybe a part of the game i hate.

ruggedman cant do berra than he's doing.

he was never better in my opinion.

i dont know whats going on in his mind now pertaining to what the lyrics of his reply to modenine wud be

but,

he can't do berra than talking to you, talkless of deathblow,

and if he raises a finger to reply modo,

u know death blow pt 2 wont take modo 5 mins to compose

to finish the wack muafuker

indepth analysis there man.you did it well.rugged man faded so fast.i hear that he had alot of pull from friends whom he has now lost.

maybe this is the end of the real,2004 and the 2009 ruggedman.

Lets wait for his album now, slow and steady wins the race, u don't expect him to jump into replying him when he's got an album comin already.
Like 50 said 'i've been patiently waiting for this track for so long' just wait, he is not Deaf, and i kno he wouldn't disappoint we fan of his,
The only aspect i don't like about him is dat he doesn't promote his good tracks with good videos e.g if i were him i would make a splendid video for We won't battle, and watch me.

darequam:

Lets wait for his album now, slow and steady wins the race, u don't expect him to jump into replying him when he's got an album comin already.
Like 50 said 'i've been patiently waiting for this track for so long' just wait, he is not Deaf, and i kno he wouldn't disappoint we fan of his,
The only aspect i don't like about him is dat he doesn't promote his good tracks with good videos e.g if i were him i would make a splendid video for We won't battle, and watch me.

I am not expecting any track from Ruggedman to diss Modenine.
There's no point replying Modenine. . . . .Modey is just an attention seeker, lemme diss the best in the game to get some recognition.
Biggie never replied when 2Pac was making a nuisance of himself talking about fucking someone's wife(which he never did).
Has that reduced Biggie's legendary status?? Nope. Biggie coulda replied 2Pac in Life After Death album but he did not and still sold more albums.
If i were Ruggedman, i would just concentrate on pleasing my die hard fans and strive for the best.
Mode9 can never ever be as rich n famous as Rugged. . . . . . .That ALONE is enough proof to tell who is the GREATEST.

He started well but has since slowed down he is pretty much commercial now and if you compare Thy Album come to Ruggedy Baba the drop in standard is very glaring

@sauron or sharon
did u started listening to nigeria hiphop?ruggedman actually started all this dissing and he later backed turn to do songs with this so called wack rappers,dats to me is double standard and shows that ruggedman just dissed them in the first place to go to the top.so he must be the real attention seeker and mind you he is known to be guy that name names.so untill he name names here then he is loosing fans and there is something yu guys dont even know about this beef thingy.ruggedman actually started it,wont give you more clues to it maybe as time goes on you will hear the full story maybe in death blow part 2, meanwhile he has made a call to modenine but modenine aint finished yet.

this is what modenine had to say,
Ruggedman is ! hes just madly insecure and paranoid. all he had to do was give a brother a call, but he let alot of hangers on get into his head (no warmer) , the whole subliminal thing was started by him. everybody knows i dont really care about whut the next man is doing, i just do me. i didnt start it, but ill continue blazin the fool!! till he quits the game!!

Deji u neva cease to amaze me with the way u judge things!

RUgged will be back like a thief in the Nite

if he comes in d night and i see am, i go shoot am die!!!

let som1 pass d message of my hatred to him. i hate d dude!!

dejiariyo:

@sauron or sharon
                          did u started listening to nigeria hiphop?

Shut the[b] f[/b]uck up!!!!
Did u started?? How are u any different to the shoemakers Ruggedman drops knowledge for??
What has the time i started listening to Naija hip-hop gotta do with this??

Deji no get sense na,the dude knows notn abt music!
I no blame him myopic analysis!
U cnt say more than wut u know

@rosin

time nefa reach for u to change ur signature ni. abi u want make dem ban u again?

No be new thing!

tosinaded@:

No be new thing!

huh?
wierd.!

Still rugged,d guy is stll keepin it real,thy album come n ruggedy baba ar good album.
Javalove go n die cos dats d only option 4 u cos rugged will keepin bangin on ur head.

~Sauron~:

I am not expecting any track from Ruggedman to diss Modenine.
There's no point replying Modenine. . . . .Modey is just an attention seeker, lemme diss the best in the game to get some recognition.
Biggie never replied when 2Pac was making a nuisance of himself talking about fucking someone's wife(which he never did).
Has that reduced Biggie's legendary status?? Nope. Biggie coulda replied 2Pac in Life After Death album but he did not and still sold more albums.
If i were Ruggedman, i would just concentrate on pleasing my die hard fans and strive for the best.
Mode9 can never ever be as rich n famous as Rugged. . . . . . .That ALONE is enough proof to tell who is the GREATEST.

Ma man Saurone,
1- Ruggedy can decide to reply or not to.
2- M-9 dissin Ruggedy for recognition? Dude is well recognized. I kno u only say that as a diss tho.
3- The way Ruggedy can pls his DHFans is to do wat he's known for way back, go hard.
The only problem is when/if he does that he'ld have justified the reason M-9 been throwin subs at him.
Which is rugged dumbed down. He went from "for those who say i dont have a dance track" to being
the king of the dance track and that is not wat his DHfans want.
4- Rakim aint as rich as Weezy, Nas aint as rich as Jay either. So dont think that ALONE is how to tell who the GREATEST is.

Now personally, like i said b4, u r a brilliant writer, ur last battle wit Ibeme again attested to ur lyrical prowess, and when i read ur stuff i cant understand y u rate Ruggedy over M-9 cos u write more like him(M-9), yea yea i know u say u betta but really dude,wats up?
oNe

DBR:

i read ur stuff i cant understand y u rate Ruggedy over M-9 cos u write more like him(M-9), yea yea i know u say u betta but really dude,wats up?
oNe

hmmm . . . . . .

what you sow is what you`ll reap. He started all these beefing thang and he is reaping what he sow now so no argument about that

DBR:

Ma man Saurone,
1- Ruggedy can decide to reply or not to.

I don't want him to REPLY. . . . . .Modenine is not worth the STRESS.

2- M-9 dissin Ruggedy for recognition? Dude is well recognized. I kno u only say that as a diss tho.

Who knows Modenine?? Ruggedman has been topping the Apple/i-tunes charts since early 2006.
I only saw Modenine's video late LAST YEAR when Hi-TV copped a channel on SKY.
Before then, he was non-existent.

3- The way Ruggedy can pls his DHFans is to do wat he's known for way back, go hard.
The only problem is when/if he does that he'ld have justified the reason M-9 been throwin subs at him.
Which is rugged dumbed down. He went from "for those who say i dont have a dance track" to being
the king of the dance track and that is not wat his DHfans want.

Are u really saying if Ruggedman does not reply his street credibility has been decimated??
How can?? U don't reply every cat n dog that blabs their mouth.
Did 50 cent reply Eedris??

4- Rakim aint as rich as Weezy, Nas aint as rich as Jay either. So dont think that ALONE is how to tell who the GREATEST is.

Rakim and Nas are in the USA. In em countries, no one gives a Bleep about the dough u hold.
In Naija, money is the name of the game.
Don't even compare both worlds. They differ by miles.

Now personally, like i said b4, u r a brilliant writer, ur last battle wit Ibeme again attested to ur lyrical prowess, and when i read ur stuff i cant understand y u rate Ruggedy over M-9 cos u write more like him(M-9), yea yea i know u say u betta but really dude,wats up?
oNe

Write more like M-9 with when i DISS-A-BABA, i am not talking Ethiopia??
U have just insulted me.

Y is dis sorry ass everywhere?.
r u tired of life.Amma def suggest for u dis time oloshi.
Reply flowshow first.U just like yappin ur mouth anyhow.

olayokun:

Y is dis sorry ass everywhere?.
r u tired of life.Amma def suggest for u dis time oloshi.
Reply flowshow first.U just like yappin ur mouth anyhow.

Na who u dey talk to Ola

Khayne.Na dat so pa si Konga guy.(Sauron).
I no gbadun im steezz at all.Oloshi too dey player 8

No mind the guy jare, NL dey piss me off. I wonder who made that guy MOD self. E too dey abuse.

@Sauron
Guy ure d man,any time u re around those things called java n khanye dey run go enter
their papa pocket.
When I diss a baba,
I,m not talking ethopia.(this line is wack)

I no get beef wiv u since u gbadun PB.But sometimes,i dey wonder oh!!.Y u dey always do thins d opposite way?.

~Sauron~:

I don't want him to REPLY. . . . . .Modenine is not worth the STRESS.

Well ur opinion, but i think M-9 is a worthy adversary

Who knows Modenine?? Ruggedman has been topping the Apple/i-tunes charts since early 2006.
I only saw Modenine's video late LAST YEAR when Hi-TV copped a channel on SKY.
Before then, he was non-existent.

Saurone, u still talkin sales as benchmark, which doesnt really show u r more talented.

Are u really saying if Ruggedman does not reply his street credibility has been decimated??
How can?? U don't reply every cat n dog that blabs their mouth.
Did 50 cent reply Eedris??

HAHHAAA, D emoticon u used here tells me alot, lol

Rakim and Nas are in the USA. In em countries, no one gives a Bleep about the dough u hold.
In Naija, money is the name of the game.
Don't even compare both worlds. They differ by miles.

Well Saurone, there are loads of pple in same 9ja who r not fallin for the Jacobs u wear, ur dubs,
and the size of ur account.Those who still believe in u doin u and reppin for the love of the game.

Write more like M-9 with when i DISS-A-BABA, i am not talking Ethiopia??
U have just insulted me.

Hahaaaa, i knew u'l say that , again!, lol  
But really that line Baba this baba that was like the rap quote for 2008.

I monitored hiphop on different threads and that line Baba this baba that,  is rated tight.
U and dammiecool are the only 2 i'v seen so far with different opinion.
But man saurone i will like to know what the issue is with M-9, lets put his beef with ur guy Rugged aside.ok?

oNe

olayokun:

I no get beef wiv u since u gbadun PB.But sometimes,i dey wonder oh!!.Y u dey always do thins d opposite way?.

who now

dammiecool:

@Sauron
Guy ure d man,any time u re around those things called java n khanye dey run go enter
their papa pocket.
When I diss a baba,
I,m not talking ethopia.(this line is wack)

@ Dammiefool

I dont blame you. You're wack like rugged! Keep living in Wackness.

@Sauron


U dont have a life.

Now tell me,

All the awards modo has got, he got them with his skills and not dissing.

U say peeps dont know mode?

U must be kidding.

Modenine won awards, got shows, toured without ruggedy being in picture

u no get point at all.

Rugged came to limelight by dissing people. He stepped on Eedris who was already in the mainstream to get on top.

Modo didnt do that, heads just dey feel d bob tracks, and dats d reason for his popularity.

Ruggedman is wack!!!

@Olayokun
I love efficient PB im still kkeep it real.
@khanya
If rugged is wack mode is wakkaa.oloshi  (olayokun no vex 4 usin ur word)
@java
java lo ku danu.

javalove:

@Sauron
U dont have a life.

Look at this goat saying someone doesn't have a life. . . . . .
Jave, you are not living, you are only existing.

Now tell me,
All the awards modo has got, he got them with his skills and not dissing.
U say peeps dont know mode?
U must be kidding.

Where i reside, no one knows Mode.
I am not talking about ur abule-ijesha area so stop mixing issues.

Modenine won awards, got shows, toured without ruggedy being in picture
u no get point at all.
Rugged came to limelight by dissing people. He stepped on Eedris  who was already in the mainstream to get on top.

That is not what made Ruggedman GREAT in Nigeria.
I have heard a lot of twisted rapheads harping about this moronic point but u fail to look at the bigger picture.
Ruggedman came out in a ground-breaking fashion a la Eminem, Biggie, 2pac, DMX etc.

Before Rugged. . . . . .the general conception in Nigeria was. . . .U have to be under Kennis music to excel as a rapper.
Ruggedman proved that theory wrong by staying away from Kenny Ogungbe and hitting the mainstream.
Besides that, Eedris was feeding y'all herbs with garbage and people were buying Oko Omoge---One Leg Up.

Ruggedman gave value to Nigerian hiphop by being the first mainstream rapper who any ordinary music listener can RELATE to.
There was no figidimigidichecheche in his lyrics. . . . .He came out clear n concise and gave twats like Mode9 the hope to press his career
If Ruggedman had failed in his quest, there wouldn't have been fake asses like Mode9 or fuckever his moronic name he calls himself.

Modo didnt do that, heads just dey feel d bob tracks, and dats d reason for his popularity.

Ruggedman is wack!!!

Popularity is rubbish. . . . . . . .Nigerians are just infected with anything NEW and FRESH.

Once something new comes out. . . . . The other stuffs are WACK regardless of the quality.
U hear em saying Silverbird is the best in one year. . . . .once anutha schitzo comes out, Silverbird is wack and the new one is the best.
It's so silly when educated Nigerians reason like lobotomised apes.

I'm done. . . . . .***sigh***


@ DBR,

I will reply u later. I need a shot of Henney.