Nigerian Afrobeats star Michael Adebayo Olayinka, popularly known as Ruger, has opened up about the harsh realities of the country’s music industry.
In a recent interview with media personality Stanley, the Asiwaju crooner revealed that genuine friendships among artists are rare, as most relationships are driven by business interests.
Ruger shared that one of the biggest lessons he’s learned in his career is that trust is a luxury in the music industry. According to him, at best, an artist might have one or two genuine friends who truly want to see them succeed and stand by them through tough times.
“One thing I wished I had known earlier is that no one is your friend in the industry. The most you can have is maybe two genuine friends that stand by you and want to see you grow. Even when things are bad, they are with you and making sure that you are good,” he said.
The singer further advised fellow artists not to get too comfortable with fame or assume that popularity comes with loyalty. Ruger stressed that most people stay close for what they can gain at the moment and won’t hesitate to disappear when the benefits dry up.
“Everything is business. Nobody cares. Just know that everything is business. They are moving around with you because you can offer at that time. The moment you might not be able to offer anything, a lot of people will switch,” he added.
“No one is your friend in the industry.”
– Ruger pic.twitter.com/zPMmuqPDga
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) June 20, 2025
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