RnB (EP)
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''RnB'' is a collaborative
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
by Nigerian singers
Ruger Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., better known by the shortened name Ruger, is an American firearm manufacturing company based in Southport, Connecticut, with production facilities also in Newport, New Hampshire; Mayodan, North Carolina; and ...
and
Bnxn Daniel Etiese Benson (born 14 May 1997), known professionally as Bnxn (pronounced as Benson) and formerly known as Buju, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. Early life Daniel Etiese Benson was born in Lagos. He hails from Ak ...
. It was released on 18 April 2024, by Blown Boy Entertainment, TYE Entertainment, and
Empire Distribution Empire Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (stylized as EMPIRE) is an independent American record label, distribution and publishing company founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami. Based in San Francisco, EMPIRE has offices in New York, London, ...
. No other artists were featured on the project, and the project features production from Blaisebeatz,
Sarz Osabuohien Osaretin (born 17 March 1989), better known by his stage name Sarz, is a Nigerian record producer, mixing engineer and musician. Born in Benin City, Edo State, he is popularly known for the tag "Sarz on the beat" or "Really", at the b ...
and Kukbeatz.


Background

In August 2022, Ruger and Bnxn (formerly Buju) were involved in an online altercation, primarily fueled by their fans' rivalry. Bnxn explained in a
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
interview that the fan-driven "excessive stanship" in Nigeria contributed to their clash, as fans of one artist would often attack the other. Ruger and Bnxn both acknowledged that their fans' actions, both online and at live events, intensified their feud. However, the artists eventually reconciled when they unexpectedly met on a flight to London. Ruger explained that much of their conflict stemmed from a lack of face-to-face interaction, and once they met, they realized they were more focused on music than any personal issues. This reconciliation led to the creation of their joint album RnB, which they completed in just three days.


Singles

''RnB'' housed two singles. The lead single, "Romeo Must Die (RMD)" was released on 29 February 2024, alongside its music video. The track was produced by Kukbeatz and serves as their debut single together. The second single, "Poe", was released on 11 April 2024 and was produced by Blaisebeatz.


Critical reception

''RnB'' received mixed reviews from critics. In Abioye Damilare Samson's review for ''
Afrocritik Afrocritik is a digital media platform that focuses on African art, entertainment, fashion, music, movies, and culture. It was established in 2021 by Samson Jikeme and Owanate Max-Harry. History Afrocritik was established by Nigerian lawyers ...
'', he described ''RnB'' as "a thoroughly enjoyable listen," but notes that "fans hoping for glimpses into Ruger and BNXN’s reconciliation will be disappointed," as the EP focuses more on feel-good, love, and party themes than their past conflict. He rated the EP a 7/10. Adeayo Adebiyi of ''Pulse Nigeria'' stated that ''RnB'' is an "enjoyable listen" and described it as "an anticlimactic end" to Ruger and Bnxn's much-publicized rift. He notes that the EP, while offering some catchy melodies, ultimately feels "unsuitable and unexciting for the moment it's meant to mark." Adebiyi gave the project a rating of 7.2/10. Patrick Ezema of ''The Lagos Review'' noted that while ''RnB'' showcases the talents of Ruger and Bnxn, it fails to live up to the monumental occasion it signifies. He criticized the project for not reflecting the story behind their highly publicized feud, stating that "the EP gives nothing away about all of the lore behind its release." Ezema also highlighted the imbalance in themes, noting Ruger's problematic view of women in tracks like "Ilashe". Despite these flaws, he found that their "superb talents and decent chemistry" make the project a solid addition to their discographies.


Track listing


Personnel

* Michael "Ruger" Olayinka – vocals, writer * Daniel "Bnxn" Benson – vocals, writer * Marcel "Blaisebeatz" Akunwata – producer, writer, recording engineer * Osabuohien Osaretin – producer, writer, recording engineer * Uche "Kukbeatz" Chukwudi – producer, writer, recording engineer * Michael "Syn X" Nwachukwu – mixing engineer, mastering engineer * Eduek "Milla Mix" Jonah – mixing engineer, mastering engineer * Luke Argilla – spatial audio engineer


Release history


References

{{reflist 2024 collaborative albums Afrobeats albums Yoruba-language albums 2024 EPs Albums produced by Sarz Albums produced by Blaisebeatz Empire Distribution albums Albums produced by Kukbeatz Ruger (musician) albums