Nigerian singers Ruger and Joeboy appeared to be caught in a subtle rivalry on social media ahead of their album releases on March 28. On Thursday, March 27, both artists shared cryptic posts on X that seemed to be aimed at each other.

Ruger kicked things off by bragging that his sophomore album, Blown Boy Ru, would force some of his peers to rethink their work, while others wouldn’t even get the chance since they were releasing their albums on the same day.

He wrote, “Some people will have to go back to the studio after they hear this album. Some won’t even have the chance because they’re dropping on the same day as me. Sad!”

Fans quickly speculated that Ruger was throwing shade at Joeboy, whose album Viva Lavida is also set to drop on March 28. Not long after, Joeboy responded with a cryptic post of his own, suggesting that some artists were trying to compete with him.

He wrote, “The sky is big enough for everyone to fly, but some people are choosing to fly right beside me. Lol. I get it — I inspire you.” Fans were quick to link Joeboy’s post to Ruger’s earlier statement.

This isn’t the first time Nigerian stars have clashed over release dates. In May 2022, fans of Burna Boy and Davido went head-to-head online after both artists dropped their hit singles Last Last and Stand Strong on the same day. Davido initially celebrated when Stand Strong topped the Apple Music chart, but Burna Boy later took the lead with Last Last.