Ruggedman, one of the most respected artistes in the Nigerian music industry, recently spoke out on the defamation scandal he faced following the release of 9ice’s song, ‘Once Beaten Twice Shy’ . In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Ruggedman shared his experience of the injustice he experienced when his name was associated with false and unfounded accusations.
The affair began when 9ice’s song was released and the media and public quickly made a connection between the lyrics of the song and Ruggedman. In the lyrics, 9ice sang: “I saw my girlfriend nod to my friend, she was showing him her tattoos, you shouldn’t have treated me like that…”. Even though Ruggedman’s name was never mentioned in the song, people immediately jumped to conclusions and assumed the song was about him.
Ruggedman, surprised by this sudden accusation, decided to investigate and purchased the song to listen to for himself. To his surprise, he found no direct mention of his name in the lyrics. Confused, he contacted 9ice to ask for an explanation about the misunderstanding. Unfortunately, 9ice refused to clarify the situation publicly and reveal that the song was not about Ruggedman.
Faced with this unfair situation, Ruggedman tried to protect his reputation by posting the recording of his telephone conversation with 9ice online. He wanted to show that the accusations were false and unfounded. Unfortunately, this was not enough to repair the damage caused by rumors and hasty public judgments.
Ruggedman was deeply hurt by these events and felt great betrayal from his former friend 9ice. He shared how he felt ostracized by people, who looked at him askance and judged him without even knowing the real facts. He also mentioned that his public image and career suffered immensely due to this defamatory scandal.
What particularly hurt Ruggedman was that 9ice’s song, “Once Beaten Twice Shy,” saw unprecedented success after Ruggedman’s supposed involvement in the lyrics. People bought the album hoping to hear the mention of “Ruggedman and his wife”, but were disappointed to find that line didn’t exist. Ruggedman felt betrayed by 9ice who had used this controversy to increase the sales of his album, to the detriment of his reputation.
Despite everything, Ruggedman managed to overcome this difficult ordeal and bounce back. He remained strong in his belief of not letting rumors and smear define him. Today, he is an example of strength and resilience to his fans and peers in the industry.
This defamation scandal highlights the importance of caution and verifying information before jumping to conclusions. It also highlights the need to respect the reputation and integrity of others, avoiding spreading unfounded and damaging rumors.