“I Don’t See Myself as No.1 Rapper"

Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, a.k.a. Ruggedman

– Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, a.k.a. Ruggedman
By Osas Ogbonmwan
He is a household name in the music industry, especially among lovers of hip-hop and rap music.
Having carved a huge niche for himself in rap music, many easily refer to him as King of the music genre in the country.
Ruggedman had wanted to be a footballer, but the natural talent he saw in Austin 'Jay Jay’ Okocha, which he knew he lacked, made him think otherwise. He then decided to put in his all in an area where he reckoned he had comparative advantage: music.
His romance with rap music began around 1989/90, while hanging out with an uncle, Jonathan Okeke, an automobile dealer who loved rap music intensely and brought back videos of rap artistes from his many travels. It was Okeke who gave Ruggedman the first N250,000 cheque with which he used to make his first hit single.
A graduate of Political Science from the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, he has received many awards from organisations and institutions, but the title he loves most is the one conferred on him by 9ice –Opomulero Duro (Pillar that holds the House).
Ruggedman contends that he is not at loggerheads with anybody, and does not need to use foul language to communicate his message, or advance his cause. Relax and enjoy this interview with one of Nigeria’s top rap artistes.
Aside music and what you are generally known for, what other area are you interested in?
Yes, I’m a play station addict and a freak.
Really?
Yeah, and I love soccer
Are you saying you would have loved to be a footballer?
I wouldn’t have minded. Actually, I had dreams of being a footballer until I saw Jay Jay Okocha play.
So?
And I knew there was no hope for me.
You knew there was no hope for you because you are not as good as he?
No way. To me, he was a naturally talented footballer.
So you then took the decision to go into music. You prefer that?
That’s what I’m doing
About your lovely hair, why do you always cover it?
I don’t cover it all the time. It was something I stumbled into when I shot my second video in 2004.
Are you saying before then you were not known with this hair?
No, I wasn’t. It was when I came into the mainstream, because when I was shooting my Peace for World video with DGT, and a friend of mine walked in and said Nutty Pin is very tall. Nutty Pin walked in warring a hair warmer. And when I was shooting, she had to sit on the floor. And I now put it on and looked at myself on the monitor, and with the whole lights, obviously it looked very good. And I now used it to shoot the video, but we didn’t finish it that day so we had to shoot a week later. And by then I had liked the way it looked, I went and bought like three more, so I used it for different scenes in the video. Even in the video, I was wearing one Mallam cap. So by the time the videos came out, you know and that’s when I just came out. So a lot of people knew when that happened.
When I am on the road, a few times I hear people argue, 'it’s him, it’s not him.' They want to confirm it’s me. They go like, Ah, we didn’t recognise you in that attire or hair-do'. And as a new artiste, as a smart artiste, you ought to have an image that people recognise you with and you hold onto it. So that’s how I started wearing the hair do. I suffer it.
Are you saying it is a punishment?
No, it’s not punishment. But there are some instances, really I wouldn’t want to wear it. Like when I’m in a hall that is very hot. I was in Calabar for Star Trek and I stepped on stage without the head warmer and they didn’t agree.
Really?
Yeah, the fans said no, no, and when they introduced Ruggedman and I came on stage, some clapped while others only stared. And when I started talking, some said, 'okay, its him' and they asked: “where’s your head warmer?' I said E dey, make I wear am? And they said yes. Immediately I put it on, the whole crowd went wild.
I just heard that you won a contract with Nokia; what is it all about?
Yeah, a ring tone deal with Nokia.
You are a rapper and rappers like to use raw and foul words. Now that you are anchoring shows, how would you manage?
It just goes to show that I don’t need to use foul language to communicate, and at the same time it indicates that if you are talented in different things wherein you can express yourself, you can actually let people know that.
The bottomline is that I was just showing the other angle of Ruggedman. I speak well, thank God for that. Even the MTN thing I anchored was not the first time of my doing it. Even when they were introducing Extracool (MTN), I was the MC, that was like two years ago, for them to still come back this year to ask for me speaks volumes.
Talking about foul language, for a while now you have been involved in a battle with one of your colleagues...
Let’s put it this way. It is only a battle when two people are at loggerheads. As far as I’m concerned, I am not at loggerheads with anybody. I’m not competing with anybody. I am on my own level, I’ve done my things my way (and) I’m achieving a lot from it, which is obvious from the beginning of this year. I can’t say that about anybody else, and trust me, right now I have decided I don’t have time for it. That’s why you’ve not heard me sing any song.
Are you saying you’ve never replied him in any of your songs?
I actually wanted to. I started but I stopped. I said a few things, but I had already recorded it, so I just felt it wasn’t me really directly. Bottomline, let's put it this way: its nothing to talk about,’cos I don’t have time to talk about it. It’s obvious I know where they are and I know where I’m coming from, I know where I’m going to. So I don’t allow anybody’s childish side-talks to distract me from what I’m doing. So next time we talk about it.
But do you see yourself as the country's number one Rapper?
I don’t see myself as the number one Rapper, but as a Rapper. I can't say that I am number one Rapper, but people will decide that. For me, I remain me and I do my music how I want to do my music, and my fans appreciate, love it and show it. You know what? I thank God that I have contributed a lot to the industry and I still intend to. That’s just it, but I’m not a man of titles. The only one I’m okay with is Opomulero duro, the one 9ice gave me–that is the Pillar that holds up the House or Building.
That was when you featured 9ice?
Yeah, and I’m cool with that. Best Rapper, worst Rapper, is none of my business. Number one, number two, number 74, is none of my business. All I want is when you talk about rap music in Nigeria, you call Ruggedman. I can show you text messages I receive everyday from people who say they’ve seen what I’ve done for the industry; you’ve been there for a while, we need some advice, we’ve seen what you’ve done for other artistes and they’ve blown up and like you to take us along, introduce us and give us connections. That’s what I’m after: relevance. Not that I am better than you, bigger than you, that’s for children. When I was in secondary school, all these happened, that doesn’t feed your family. You don’t even record full albums on freestyles. That’s not me, really. So I am honoured and greatful for people calling on me for advice. For instance, I was invited to University of Ibadan for Michael Ugochukwu Stevens Award for the Most Talented Students. I attended and donated N50,000 to support them after the show was won by a Gospel group, Bridges. And they now gave me the award for King of Rap in Naija. It is not my award, but these are the kind of things I like.
Can you remember how many awards you’ve gotten so far?
I can’t, but I know from 2003 till date, I know that when I came out I got the Best New Artiste, MTN Awards for Best Rap Artiste, Best Album, Best Solo performance, Artiste of the Year, nominated for CORA Best Male Artiste (West Africa), although Sonny Nneji won it (2005). And 2009 as I’m speaking to you, I was nominated for CORA Best Hip Hop that’s in December. I have the Nigerian Entertainment Award (London), for Best Rap Artiste. You know I can’t count. I have gotten from school’s like St. Saviours High School, Universities. I can’t count, but I’m happy, with so many of us doing the same thing.
When did you start Rap music?
I can’t remember exactly, but I know I fell in love with rap music in 1989/90, but when I put up my first song was in 1999, then 2002 was when Ruggedman came out mainstream.
Can you give us a run-down of your albums?
Two albums. My first album came out in 2004 entitled “Thy Album Come–that’s the album that had a CORA nomination that brought me all the awards, Nigerian Entertainment Award, Fame Award, EMN a- wards, both London and Nigeria. And the second album came up in 2007, that’s Ruggedi Baba, which won me Best Rap Album, Best Rap Artist, Hip Hop Artiste, also second CORA nomination for Best Hip Hop Artiste (West Africa).
Which one is your favourite and how do you get your motivation?
Some come when you hear the instrumentals, when you hear the beats, you just pick your walkman. When you hear a solemn beat, you use it to tell a story. There is a song in Ruggedi Baba called “Flesh to Flesh to Death.” It was slow show and I used it to do an aids song. There was this Indian beat, all that came into my head was whine your waist. So it comes from what you hear, the beats or anything around you, or you might have an idea in your head already, and right now I want to do a song with a number.
Why?
I don’t know, I just want to be different. I wanted to do a song using a number. I think like that sometimes. I try one, two, three, try four, try five, try six and the track called Six Talk. So there’s a track called Six Talk. It’s coming out with the album.
I heard that you’ve got a soft spot for women and can die for them?
It’s a rumour. I cannot die for women, but I came here to hide from women. I just got a new place at Amuwo Estate, not Amuwo Odofin but a new estate called Crystal Estate. Where I moved out, I left everything I put up there, except my personal effect.
Why?
I just gave it out to people. I gave it out to people. I am making new things, chairs, bar, et cetera. Right now, I crash in 2 Shotz's place or Just So, Jimmy Jatt, Basket Mouth. I want to put up home theatre and the like, just want to be comfortable. Everything is hand made and almost ready.
Where are you from?
I’m from Abia State, Ebem Ohafia.
When did you come into Lagos?
I came into Lagos when I was six- years-old, started liking rap music about 1989/90. My uncle, Jonathan Okeke who deals in automobiles used to travel a lot and bring back video tapes of rap musicians. He was actually the person that gave me the first N250,000 used to make my first hit singles. So I thank him very much and I am very proud of him.
He taught me something in life after he had refused to fulfill his promise of giving me money. I have not told anyone this before. I usually stop by his shop and he will tell me to wait and afterwards the money will not come and he will ask me to repeat the next day. This continued until I wisened up and instead of asking for money, I asked him what I could do for him to earn some money. Bottomline, I started helping him bring cars from the Ports to his showroom. This made him realise that I was serious to help myself and at the end of the day, he gave me a cheque of N250,000 which I ‘m sure he does not give his boys.
Which schools did you attend?
St. Joseph’s Primary School, Surulere, Aturashe Boys High School (Public School), Surulere, and I studied Political Science at Lagos State University, Ojo, 2000.
Are you saying 2-Shotz is your best friend in the industry after the clash?
He is my very good friend. I could crash and he could crash in my house. I don’t see that as a big deal. If I prefer a person, I don’t mind.
What about 9ice, he says you brought him out?
I didn’t bring him out; 9ice was out already. He was just waiting for God’s time to blow up. What I can say is that he featured in my songs and my taking him to every show I went to contributed to his blowing up. Even before I blew up, I met people along the way, like Paul Play, Mr. Cool, who played some studio sessions for me, but I won’t say they brought me out. I liked 9ice and what he was doing, so I took him along to Star Trek, Star Mega Jam, even to Aso Rock and I paid him for his services.