Blessed with an unbeatable knack for staying on top of culture’s pulse, Ruger has always known how to make an introduction and get his audience on their feet. His debut project, 2021’s PANDEMIC EP, was a Gen Z-propelled response to the lonesome effects of COVID-19 lockdowns, while 2022’s incendiary EP The Second Wave paired the rising star’s hitmaking gravitas with a subtle wink to the social media lingo and quirks that have worked their way into wider Afropop culture—while referencing sexcapades and the perks of his burgeoning public profile.
On Ruger’s first full-length project, 2023’s RU the World, the singer subverts the braggadocio and chest-thumping angst that has largely defined his work for a textured and revealing reimmersion into his world. “I feel like people will understand me more,” the singer tells Apple Music. “Most of the time, I’ve not been able to talk about a lot of things because I didn’t want to speak about it yet. So, I feel like I was misunderstood at some point. People will know me more and just get the storyline behind everything I’ve done and what I’m doing right now. There are lots of things I couldn’t say that I just said in this album.”
Across 17 tracks, Ruger is engaging while candidly addressing his come-up, love life and place in the game over midtempo instrumentals that take influences from Afropop, drill, amapiano and house. Still, he is committed to making music to soundtrack different phases of people’s lives.
Kindly appreciate the stunning body of work below.
