Much to the dismay of his fans, R.A. The Rugged Man is not necessarily a household name in the world of hip hop (and usually bullshit). After doing a little journalistic research myself, I actually just learned that he signed a deal with Jive records back in the early '90s at the age of 18. A few years later he moved to Priority Records and then later, during the current decade, this so-called "white trash rapper" went independent. The majority of his career consisted primarily of guest feature work collaborating with the likes of Biggie, Mobb Deep, Kool G. Rap, Chuck D, Sadat X, Jedi Mind Tricks, Masta Killa, Killah Priest, and Hell Razah, to name a few. When asked about Rugged Man, Biggie Smalls was quoted as saying "I used to think I was the illest!!!" In 2004, the Rugged Man finally released a full length LP titled "Die Rugged Man, Die."
R.A. The Rugged Man is not your typical rapper. He's also not your typical human being, period. He's quite eccentric and, how should I put this, out of his mutha fuckin' mind!!! His lyrical content is off the wall and riddled with some of the most outlandish shit to ever be implanted on vinyl. Some may say, hmm, sounds like the same formula as Eminem: white, crazy, over-the-top lyrics. Let me stop you right there in mid-thought. Rugged Man ain't no Eminem duplicate. If anything, Eminem is a Rugged Man duplicate, seeing that he's been in the game for far longer. What's very different between these emcees is that R.A.'s flow simply might be better. He's harder and can spit entire verses on one breath alone. Don't believe me? Go listen to his verse on the Jedi Mind Tricks track "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story." The verse is in my top ten of all time. The verse was awarded the "Quotable of the Month" in the Source Magazine and was the verse of the year on HipHopDX.com.
On October 27, the Rugged Man released a new album titled "Legendary Classics Volume 1" which is a compilation of unreleased and brand new tracks that he has recorded over the years. Most of the songs have never been heard before and this makes for a true album feel as opposed to just a "Lost Tapes" vibe. The album features Hell Razah, Tragedy Khadafi, Timbo King, Havoc, Ayatollah, Notorious B.I.G., Jedi Mind Tricks, Kool G. Rap, Jo Jo Pellegrino, Blaq Poet, Akinyele, and Sadat X. With all of these talented featured artists, you'd figure the Rugged Man might get out-shined somewhere on this album. Trust me, it never happens. This guy's lyrical ability and impeccable flow go unmatched from start to finish.
I highly recommend this album for any heads who haven't fucked with R.A. the Rugged Man yet. He's a beast - figuratively and literally.
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