Showbiz Extravaganza

RuggedMan needs little or no introduction in the highly competitive Nigerian music scene. Aside from being one of the music heavy weights that redefined the Nigerian sounds better known as Afropop, the acid-tongued rapper born Micheal Ugochukwu Stephens contributed to the growth of the Nigerian entertainment industry. While his mates might have taken a back seat, Ruggedybaba as he’s fondly called remains a frontrunner, doing shows, creating contents, hosting radio programmes and releasing singles when necessary. However, on June 7th, 2024, RuggedMan’s highly anticipated new EP titled, ‘T.M.S.E” (The Michael Stephens Experiment) will be released. The four-track T.M.S.E’ marks another milestone in RuggedMan’s illustrious career, showcasing his evolution as an artiste and his continued commitment to delivering high-quality music. “T.M.S.E” features collaborations with some of the industry’s brightest talents like Jesse Jagz, Eva Alordiah and Mista Styles (formerly Freestyle of Trybesmen). The four tracks include ‘Og’, ‘One man’ ft MCdow, ‘Gara’ and ‘Found Love’. The track “OG,” a standout single is expected to be a fan favorite, blending powerful lyrics with captivating beats that reflect RuggedMan’s unique style and versatility. A graduate of Political Science from Lagos State University (LASU), Ọ̀jọ́, RuggedMan began his journey in music in 1999. He quickly made a name for himself by producing his own songs and releasing two well-received tracks that year. Over the years, RuggedMan has solidified his position as a leading figure in the Nigerian music scene, becoming the most featured rapper in Nigeria. His albums, all released under his personal label, Rugged Records, have consistently topped charts and won numerous accolades. Beyond his music career, RuggedMan is also known for his role as the host of the prestigious NB Plc sponsored Star Quest Reality TV Talent Show, which he hosted from 2009 to 2011. ‘T.M.S.E’ will be available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. For those seeking exclusive content, there will be special releases available via email. Fans are encouraged to subscribe to RuggedMan’s mailing list for these exclusive updates at www.iamruggedman.com Pre-save the EP today at https://empire.ffm.to/themichaelstephensexperiment and be the first to experience RuggedMan’s groundbreaking new work. 334 Views

The AfroPop music star, D’banj has survived the troubled waters as report has it that the Koko Master born Dapo Oyebanjo has been cleared of rape and fraud allegations by the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The police and the anti-graft agency gave ‘Banga Lee’ as he’s also fondly called a clean slate in separate clearance reports upon completion of investigations with incontrovertible outcomes on the innocence of D’banj. If you may recall, in 2020, the singer was accused of rape and the Inspector General of Police ordered an investigation into the allegation. In a report dated November 14, 2023, with case number CR:3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/SEB/T.1/VOL 18/284, and signed by ACP YY Abubakar of the Special Enquiry Bureau at the Force Criminal Investigations Department at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the police said the matter was investigated but there was no evidence to substantiate the claim. “The allegation was investigated,” the report partly read. “The complainant, witnesses and suspects made their statements. The investigation was expanded across board but there was no prima-facie evidence, adduced facts or corroborative evidence to establish the offence of rape and sexual assault against the singer.” Also, sometime in late 2022, D’banj was wrongly accused of diversion of funds associated with the N-Power Programme of the Federal Government. However, in a separate outcome after its investigation, the ICPC said that D’banj was not guilty of any fraud allegation. 197 Views

A Manhattan jury found Ed Sheeran’s hit “Thinking Out Loud” did not infringe on the copyright of the classic Marvin Gaye song “Let’s Get It On.” The jury determined that Sheeran did not wrongfully copy compositional elements or melodies from the song. The plaintiffs had alleged similarities between the chord progression, harmonic rhythm, and certain melodies in the two songs. Sheeran’s legal team had argued that the melodies are different and the elements used in both songs are common in pop music. ( Source: CNN) 492 Views

The Lagos State governorship election has come and gone with the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared winner.  Unfortunately, PDP the supposed strong opposition party came third having pulled 62,442 votes.  While it’s been bandied about on social media that the star actress, Funke Akindele, who ran as deputy governor has deleted all the political materials on her Instagram page, Jennifer as she’s fondly called has responded. The message posted on her Twitter page reads “It has been an amazing and insightful experience on my journey to the ballot and I must say, it was an absolute learning curve for me. A lot of things have been learned and unlearned. I sincerely do not regret taking this huge step of running for office. I therefore want to thank the people of Lagos state for believing in me and supporting my decision to run for office. I saw every message of support online and offline, I heard of all the places where people supported me and challenged those who tried to discredit me. I remember every warm welcome during our campaign tour and the faith you all showed in me. The elections might not have panned out in the way we hoped, but it was an honourable run for us. We fought a good fight indeed as a matter of fact. I also want to encourage all who mean well for the Nation and the state of Lagos not to give up. I understand that some of us are beginning to develop some sort of apathy towards the system, however, if we do not speak, we would never be heard. I’m glad that we could at least speak up. Thank you once again Lagos, for showing your daughter support. As I consider my next moves in life, I will continue prioritizing the good of the people and the integrity of my position as an advocate for the people. Eko oni baje! 265 Views