The Bae Bae (Live Session) on Vevo ctrl , released in June 2024, captures the essence of the song's intimate yet upbeat vibe. Unlike the studio version, this live rendition stripped away the heavy production, allowing the artists to emphasize the lyrical melody and their unique vocal textures.

The collaboration was born from a highly publicized "beef" that began in 2022 after a fan compared the two artists’ hit counts on Twitter. This rivalry was fueled largely by fan commentary rather than personal animosity. By choosing to release a full project rather than a single track, Ruger and BNXN aimed to send a message to the industry: that collaboration is more powerful than competition for pushing the global Afrobeats sound. The entire seven-track EP was recorded in just three days. Ruger, Bnxn - Bae Bae (Live Session) | Vevo ctrl

He scrolled past the studio tracks he’d heard a thousand times and landed on something that sparked his curiosity:

The live session's visual style mirrors its sonic direction. Recorded for the series, the performance uses minimalist staging, sharp lighting, and focused camera work.

The live session strips back the synthesized digital layers of the original track. In their place, a live band provides a rich, organic foundation. The arrangement relies heavily on:

At the heart of the "Bae Bae" live session is the effortless "dovetailing" of two contrasting musical personas.

For years, Afrobeats fans were divided into two camps: those who favored Ruger’s gritty, dancehall-tinged, high-energy club anthems (like "Asiwaju" and "Dior" ), and those who championed BNXN’s smooth, mid-tempo, hook-heavy melodies (pioneered in tracks like "Finesse" and "Pidgin & English" ). Their public back-and-forth about who was the superior artist routinely trended across West Africa.

If you would like to explore this topic further, tell me if you want to look at: A track-by-track breakdown of the full The history and resolution of the Ruger and BNXN rivalry

The live session featured a mix of solo and collaborative performances, showcasing each artist's unique talents. Some of the standout moments included:

The live session of "Bae Bae" was a high-energy performance that featured Ruger and Bnxn trading verses and showcasing their vocal chemistry. The song's catchy beat and infectious melody made it a perfect fit for a live performance.