Even if you’re only a casual follower of Nigerian music, there’s every chance that you’ve come across the music of Ruger and Bnxn. Long regarded as fundamental parts of Afropop, both have steadily evolved into indisputable hitmakers and unavoidable presences on the scene. That’s thanks to their two distinctive yet addictive takes on the genre that subsumes influences from rap, dancehall, soul and pop into an irresistible conception of the sound. Between them, the supremely talented and self-confident acts have released record-breaking singles, projects and collaborations while earning the respect of their peers and the generation of stars ahead of them. It was, perhaps, only natural that things would reach a boiling point between Ruger and Bnxn. In 2023, online comparisons between them threatened to derail a blossoming personal and professional relationship hinged on mutual respect and admiration. A bitter spat online seemingly put paid to any hopes of reconciliation between them. So, it came as something of a surprise when images and videos of them together emerged late in February 2024, tantalisingly hinting at working together. Putting beef behind them, the former opps are easing into a new era in their career marked by camaraderie and collaboration, as confirmed by their Kukbeatz-produced joint single, “Romeo Must Die (RMD)”, released in March. To celebrate finding common ground, the duo has taken things a step further with the release of a collaborative project. Aptly titled RnB, the seven-track heat check glistens with the synthesis of Bnxn’s sweet and soulful flow and Ruger’s luminously suggestive delivery as they cheerily consider the thrills of being young, financially liquid and constantly on the go. Midtempo jams “Bae Bae” and “Not Done” channel these thematic references with pointed specificity and self-effusing gusto, while the Sarz-produced “Ilashe” brings things back home for an extended study on their celebrity and the attention it affords them. In the spirit of collaboration, they yield the floor to each other in turns: Bnxn calls for a good time on “POE” and Ruger makes a case for the club on “Party Monster”. At the moment, the two are at the pinnacle of their careers—and who needs more enemies when alliances can be built?