Afrobeats star Ruger reveals he gave his first N500,000 music earnings to a church and made millions within a year, describing how wealth changed his outlook and ambitions

Rising Afrobeats sensation Michael Adebayo Olayinka, popularly known as Ruger, has shared the remarkable story of how he donated his first earnings from music to a church  a gesture he believes marked the beginning of a wave of financial blessings.

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In a candid interview with media personality VJ Adams, Ruger disclosed that he received N500,000 as his first payment when he entered the music industry. Rather than spending it, he gave the entire amount to a church.

“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 use it. The next payment was N1 million.

I was feeling like I had arrived. I went on a shopping spree. More millions came in a space of one year,” Ruger said.

The singer, who quickly rose to prominence with hits like Bounce and Asiwaju, reflected on how sudden wealth has affected his perspective on life. He admitted that money has inevitably changed him, just as it would anyone in his position.

“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 added.

Ruger also expressed his desire to attain a level of success and composure similar to that of global music mogul Jay-Z. “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,” he said.

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The revelation offers fans a rare glimpse into Ruger’s values and mindset, highlighting how gratitude and spiritual conviction played a role in his early career choices.