Original Dru Hill member Tamir “Nokio” Ruffin has announced he has parted ways with the legendary group.
Ruffin confirmed the news in an interview Magic 95.9’s Steph Lova. While Ruffin didn’t go into much detail, he hinted at an issue with the group’s longtime manager Kevin Peck as the driver behind his decision.
Ruffin made it clear that he has nothing personal against Peck but is no longer interested in doing business with him.
“I don’t want to not be on the road but I’m not going nowhere where Kevin Peck is — and I love him as my brother but we can’t do business,” he said. “If I said it twenty years ago and you ain’t learned nothing, you got us in the same positions. If I go in the street, if it really came down to it, and make more money than I make out here.”
Ruffin’s decision to step away was also for the sake of his mental health. “It took me four months to stop being upset every day and it took me four months to stop wanting to hurt somebody…it’s like you’re making me walk away from what I created because you don’t want to go home and you ain’t in the group and you don’t sing.”
He continued, “When the decision came down to it, Kevin was more important than me being on the road, so I went home. I hope he knows my notes and I hope he up there dancing. As long as he up there, I ain’t never coming back unless I got everybody with me — Woody, Scola, Jazz and everybody else.”
The news comes just days after the season premiere of TV One’s hit series Unsung, which spotlighted the group. Ruffin participated in the docuseries.
Although Ruffin is moving on from the group, he still plans to finish off some projects they were working on, including a book and a biopic that is reportedly in the works with BET.
Working with BET on biopic as we speak. https://t.co/5zKC7QFygs
— Dru Hill (@DruHill4Real) February 25, 2020
Earlier this month, Dru Hill returned with their infectious single “What You Need.”
At this time, Dru Hill consists of founding member Sisqo and former Playa members Smoke and Black.
In other news, Dru Hill is set to perform at the Lovers and Friends Festival in Los Angeles on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9.
Watch Nokio’s full interview with Magic 95.9 above.
