Ruger, born Michael Adebayo Olayinka, developed a passion for music early on, growing up in a music-loving household. Exposed to a variety of genres such as
Fuji,
reggae,
R&B, and
dancehall, his influences ranged from
King Wasiu Ayinde and
Bob Marley to
Sean Paul and
Popcaan. While in secondary school, he composed songs that gained popularity among his peers, solidifying his aspirations to pursue music professionally. In 2019, Ruger began posting song covers on
Instagram, which caught the attention of
D'Prince, a Nigerian singer, music executive, and founder of
Jonzing World. D'Prince reached out to Ruger and eventually signed him after recognizing his potential during recording sessions. It was during this period that D'Prince gave him the moniker "Ruger", inspired by
the gun brand and Ruger’s energetic and focused recording style.
Pandemic was largely created during the
COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, a period of uncertainty that Ruger channeled into his music. He described the project as an "isolation wonder", blending Afro-dancehall with his signature style of patois and pidgin. While some tracks like "Mona Lisa" and "Yekpa" were completed before the lockdown, the rest of the EP was conceived during this time. Ruger explained that the project’s title reflects the circumstances of its creation and his desire to turn a challenging period into something positive. == Singles ==