9ICE AND RUGGEDMAN BEEF OVER

After six years of bad blood, singer 9ice and rapper, Ruggedman have buried the hatchet. The pair were recently spotted together at a music video shoot. In 2007, they collaborated on the award-winning single “Ruggedy Baba.’

                                                                            9ice and Ruggedman before the beef

“What 9ice and I did for the industry with the song Ruggedy Baba is huge and more important than any alleged beef.

That’s why I decided to make the new song about our positive contribution to our industry and not about beef.

I decided not to add anything about the past in the new song “Religion” cos that’s one negative, misinterpreted aspect of our lives I want buried with the past” wrote Ruggedman on Instagram.

The legendary rapper has every reason to be cautious even though there is peace between him and 9ice. A lot has transpired and lives have been changed since he and 9ice became enemies.

                                  9ice reportedly accused Ruggedman of having an affair with his ex-wife, Toni Payne.

In 2010 9ice released a song titled ‘Once Bitten, Twice Shy‘ off his Tradition album. In the track, he sings about a lover of his who cheated on him with his friend. Many people believed 9ice was singing about Toni Payne and Ruggedman.

It was a turbulent time for Ruggedman as many people pointed the finger at him for crashing the marriage of his former collaborator. To make matter’s worse 9ice’s refusal to clear the air about the misconception increased the rumours that Ruggedman was guilty.

In an infamous phone call leaked online on May 11, 2011, Ruggedman can be heard telling 9ice to come out and clear his name but the Alapomeji singer dismissed the rapper’s plea. Who leaked the phone call? Your guess is as good as ours.

Naturally, this led to bad blood between 9ice and Ruggedman and the two started taking shots at themselves on several tracks which lasted till 2012. Even at the end of the name calling on tracks they were still some sort of cold war between the two.

In 2015 the cold war had started to thaw. On October 23, 2015, Ruggedman revealed that he had ended his beef with 9ice.

The official cease-fire came on January 25, 2016. Three days after apologizing to his former wife, 9ice in an interview offered an olive branch to Ruggedman.

“I’m talking in terms of peace and in terms of settling grudges. I’m talking about Ruggedman, I’m talking about Toni Payne and I’m talking about my saga with the press. Whatever has happened as from today I’m putting behind me and setting new standards; I’m living a new life.”

9ice went on to speak on what caused the six-year-old rift with Rugged Man.

“I think what brought about the issue with the press is due to a song I released entitled, Once Beaten Twice Shy. That song came out at a time I was having marital problems. Some people picked up stuff in the song and said ‘okay, he must be talking about Ruggedman.’ And before you could say, Jackie Robinson, it was everywhere! That was the only problem I had with Ruggedman. Let me state that Ruggedman and Tony Payne issue never arose; it was never an issue. I’m mature now. I have a family now. To err is human but to forgive is divine. I’m using this platform to apologise to my friend from another mother, Stephens Ugochukwu aka Ruggedman. And to the press I’m saying I’m very sorry, you guys should just forgive me. If I have offended you in any way, I’m very sorry.”

With the wave of the white flag, the hostilities stemming from the rumoured love triangle has come to an end. It’s all fair in love and past beef now.