“Football and my love for music led me to DJing,” Rukky begins, his eyes lighting up as he recounts his journey. “I’m from a small city in Nigeria famously known as Warri and moved to Cardiff in my teen years. This rich and vibrant city exposed me to a variety of interesting characters, and one of them, which I befriended through our shared love for football, was DJ Denny Hus.”
That chance encounter would set Rukky on a path he never expected. “Being present at a few of his performances inspired me to get into DJing, which I recently started to explore.” From those early days of watching his friend perform, Rukky has now landed a spot at KLAT Magazine’s second official “What’s The Motive?” party. The excitement in Rukky’s voice is palpable as he talks about this opportunity. “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to play at KLAT’s party and put my skills to the test for the first time,
“This performance would be a milestone in my journey as a DJ, as it’s my first ever performance in front of an audience not familiar with me.”
For Rukky, his set on Friday would be about creating an experience. “As an opening set before the main event, I’ve curated a playlist that comprises of feel-good calm Afrobeat jams which I think the audience can vibe to, and will be a good introduction to Monique B’s set,” he explains, confirming that there’s more in store for the lucky attendees. “Although I specialise in playing Afrobeats, I’m also a huge fan of Amapiano, so I plan on throwing in a few Amapiano bangers in the mix.”
When discussing his preparation for the big night, Rukky’s dedication shines through “I’ve sieved through my playlists and listened to all the selected songs to ensure that the audience can sing/dance along to them, I think the selected songs will set the tone for the evening and prepare the audience for the main set.”
Beyond his craft, Rukky holds his inspirations in high regard. He cites DJ Denny Hus and DJames as significant influences. “My biggest inspiration is DJ Denny Hus, especially when it comes to playing Afrobeats. His streamlined and highly effective style is something I deeply admire,” Rukky shares. He also looks up to DJames, whom he affectionately calls the ‘King of Blends,’ acknowledging this title with sincere respect.
As for engaging with the crowd, Rukky has a clear strategy. “I hope my song selections and seamless transitions will make my set memorable, But in terms of engaging with the crowd, I think I’ll have some dependency on the Host to collaborate with the songs I plan to play to get an engagement with the crowd.”
The anticipation for sharing the stage with DJ Monique B is also evident in Rukky’s voice. “I’ve been present at a lot of events where DJ Monique B has performed and she’s always shelling it, so I’m excited to be sharing the stage with such talent.”
Looking towards the future, Rukky’s ambitions are clear. “My overall career goal in DJing is to perform seamless Afrobeat sets for crowds at events across the country, Having to perform at KLAT’s party would be the biggest stepping stone that’ll allow me to achieve that, after this performance, I aim to put myself out there more and expose myself to more opportunities so I can be involved in a lot more events/parties as a DJ as opposed to only being part of an audience.”
Watch the full KLAT Magazine official party, What’s The Motive 2, featuring DJ Rukky and DJ Monique B
Read more Music articles from KLATMAG
Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
Photography by Taiye Omokore