Two of Nigeria’s frontline hip musicians – 9ice and Ruggedman – over the weekend came out with a new song titled Religion.
Rich with lyrical delivery style of Yoruba proverbs by 9ice (Abolore Akande) and rap by Ruggedman (Michael Stevens), the duo sing about how they charted the face of hip hop by infusing indigenous languages and slangs.
“Street ti take over, Yeah, we know we would” rapped Ruggedman on the song. And in what seems like a prophesy, Ruggedman said the Nigerian music industry has blossomed beyond continental imagination.
“Ruggedman and 9ice making history. You never saw this coming but it is here.”
The song which has been enjoying massive downloads via the internet and airplay on radio was produced by KrizBeatz and mastered by Marqi.
The two artistes had first collaborated on Ruggedman’s track, RuggedyBaba in 2009 in which Ruggedman rapped passionately on the essence of rapping and singing in pidgin English as well as in the various mother tongues.
“From Nigeria, the world only know juju, fuji and afrobeats but we all know hip hop is running the streets,” Ruggedman had rapped on the track.
“Wetin go make them know where your music dey come from in the long run na the fusion of music, grammar, slang and your mother tongue.”
9ice, who had rocked the Nigerian hip hop scene with Gongo Aso had referred to Ruggedman as Opomulero which translated from Yoruba means ‘mainframe’ in English.
And in 2010, Ruggedman and 9ice were engaged in a public feud when it was reported that 9ice accused Ruggedman of sleeping with 9ice’s ex-wife Toni Payne while they were still married.
However, six years later, 9ice apologised to Ruggedman. And the two frontline Nigerian hip hop musicians with the release of the joint single seemed to have effectively put the past behind them.
