Afrobeats sensation Michael Adebayo Olayinka, professionally known as Ruger, has shared how he donated his first music industry earnings to a church before achieving millionaire status within a year.
The “Bounce” crooner made these revelations during a candid interview with VJ Adams, reflecting on his rapid rise to fame and fortune.
“My first earnings from music was N500,000 when I first came out. I can remember I gave everything to the church. I didn’t used it. The next payment was N1 million. I was feeling like I had arrive. I went on a shopping spree. More millions came in a space of one year,” Ruger recounted of his early career windfall.
The Jonzing World signee openly discussed how financial success transformed his lifestyle and mindset.
“Money changed me in some ways. Money changes everybody. No one can say money didn’t change them. When you make more money a lot of things change; the way you address things, the way you even approach things is different. Some people don’t stress when they have a lot of money,” he explained.
Ruger expressed aspirations to emulate the composed demeanor of global icons like Jay-Z, stating: “I want to get to a point where I no longer stress myself over anything. Look at Jay-Z for instance, he doesn’t respond when people insult him knowing he is very successful. I’m looking forward to that level of success.”
The 24-year-old singer’s journey from donating his inaugural N500,000 paycheck to becoming one of Afrobeats’ fastest-rising stars underscores the dramatic trajectory of his career since his 2021 breakout hit “Ruger.”
