Jonzing World’s signee, Ruger, has dropped his debut album, Ru The World, a much-anticipated follow-up to a trilogy of EPs that garnered acclaim over the past two years.

The album kicks off with “Tour,” a dancehall/drill hybrid track that revs up your excitement, opens your mind and prepares you for the album. Ruger’s opening croon is a declaration of his dedication to his craft. Before anything, he wants you to know that he’s “all about his money,” first and foremost.

As the album unfolds, Ruger leads us through a 17-track labyrinth of soundscapes with appearances from Stefflon Don, Projexx, Sauti Sol, Govana, and Jugglerz. Familiar chart-toppers such as “Asiwaju,” and “Jonzing Boy” are also nestled in this vast tent. 

On this album, Ruger’s beats are more diverse and poppier than ever, but anchored in dancehall and Afrobeats staples. Even as Ruger experiments with sounds that appeal to a wider audience, his dancehall traditionalism remains undeniable. His lyrics are still razor sharp, littered with punchlines so explicit and daring they make your eyes pop and jaw drop. Whether he’s sweet-talking and seducing a potential lover on a sultry dancehall song with Govana (“Likely”) or reaffirming his commitment to his work (“All My Days”), his wit and delivery is nonpareil.

Similar to Pandemic, Ruger’s debut EP, Ru The World doesn’t stick strictly to the dancefloor. On mellow slow-whine records like “Blue,” “Ashana”, and “Addiction” featuring UK rapper, Stefflon Don, there are lustful paeans underpinned with a libidinous frankness. On these tracks, he offers sensual serenades steeped in unapologetic carnal desire.

Ruger manages to reveal his multifaceted persona, casting aside the shallow veneer to expose a deeper, more nuanced artist.

According to the Jonzing Boy, “I believe people will finally grasp a deeper understanding of who I am. Most of the time, I’ve refrained from discussing certain aspects of my life because I wasn’t ready to speak about them. Consequently, I felt misunderstood to some extent. This album allows me to share my thoughts and experiences, offering a comprehensive narrative behind everything I’ve done and what I’m currently engaged in.”

Yes, Ru The World is about bodies undulating in the dark. The artist presents himself as the typical toxic Lothario with glaring red flags, one who promises to “tear dem limb” but send you back home right after so another “baddie” can come “warm him up” (“Ashana”) — don’t worry, though, he uses protection as he tells on “Bun Bun” featuring Jugglerz.

However, it is more. Ru The World serves as a reinvention of Ruger himself. With this album, he rises to the occasion, silencing doubters and securing his place among his contemporaries. He has prepared this to prove that he has a right to a seat at the large table.

Listen to Ru The World  here: