R.A. the Rugged Man - Die, Rugged Man, Die

[Bazooka Joe]

pareri ..opinii? ...hmm eu asteptam albumul asta de f f f mult timp ...si nu mi-a inselat asteptarile..este super tare...omul este nebun....dar tare...are niste versuri tari rau

[Zodiak]

imi pace... are o bagare de bip de zile mari.... nu-i mai pasa de nimic... caterinca gen

ps: e alb

[kif]

albumu e super...mi-a zis kombat ca e tare..mi l-a tras pe un cd ..cdu nu a mers si am stat 2 zile sa-l iau...de pe soul seek.. ...yeah it`s worth the waiting...omu o arde raw,Raw,RAW!!!...versurile sunt super desi o arde cam pe aceleasi subiecte poate sa fie putin monoton..da nu realizezi in timp ce asculti
"Yo aiiyo people wonderin' where the fuck I been
At the VIP section they ain't lettin' me in
They say; maybe if you had Dr. Dre or Timbaland
They say; a white boy need a black boy to win
Uhh Bubba Sparxx did it and so did Slim
Just Blaze is hot now why don't you get with him..." omu e nebun rau de tot e pe zona de vreo 10 ani si ... a fost semnat pe la toate casele mari da abia acum a scos la o casa obscura
intrumentalele sunt ca la carte featurile nu sunt asa sa mai umple pe album.....
my pics : midnight thud , chains , lessons , dumb si de fapt cam toate imi plac .
tare

[arigo]

Videoclip Lessons

"....i don't want fans that don't know who g rap is..."

[Chill Will]

Donez pe messanger piesa "Lessons" !



p.s.:arigo da-mi linku cu c-rayz walz!

[Deena]

First off congratulations on finally putting out an album, how does it feel ?
It feels like every other day! Ain't shit different. I do my mo'fuckin' music every Goddamn day of my life regardless of where it's getting circulated. It'll feel a lot better after you mo'fuckas go out and by the mo'fuckin' album and put some money in my fuckin' pocket.

Did the album come out the way you wanted it to?
People really like it. It's getting a great response. As an artist there's always shit that you wish you did differently but as far as destroying other rappers and ripping damn near every mo'fucka alive to pieces I did my job and as far as putting together solid-ass songs I did my job, so am I happy with it, yeah I guess so, but you still ain't heard my best shit, that's still comin'!

What made you want to work with Nature Sounds?
They offered me the best deal out of any label. I get half the money and I get to keep my masters and 100% creative control. It's everything an artist would want in a deal. Mad majors wanna do shit with me but it ain't worth selling your soul and destroying your music to have record label people trying to tell you how to do it. Record label mo'fuckas don't know shit about music.

Back in the day there was a huge bidding war for your services, what are some of the things labels did to try and get you to sign with them?I talk about all that on the album. I was broke out of my ass with not a nickel to my name sleepin' on the streets and shit and they did me up fancy, ya know The Limos, the fancy hotels, the beautiful women, the expensive dinners, the plane rides. They was all suckin me off, throwin' money at me, Bangin' out model-ass bitches in limousines and shit, that's some good shit for a broke-no job havin' 18 year old!

You signed with Jive in '93, got a lot of money, what happened when you got that money?
I bought a car and a vcr and I was straight. I didn't go nuts on the spending tip cause I wasn't used to havin' money, I was kinda afraid to spend the shit. But then I got sued, and lawsuits and debts and taxes and I ended up broke again and wished I had spent the God damn money while I had it. That's why any time I get money now, I don't care how much it is I spend the fuck out of it. I don't keep money, I get rid of that shit. Quick.

How did you end up getting banned from the Jive offices?
I had a bad rep, you should interview mo'fucka's that was in the game at that time cause I'll keep my side of the story nice and subtle, other mo'fuckas that was there will go deep into that shit. I ain't the guy to ask about being banned cause I don't think I did shit. I think every God damn thing I do is for a reason. So I don't think I did shit. They just banned my ass.

What about being banned from doing shows, how did that happen?Well that came from some CMJ showcase I did for JIVE and we went a little fuckin' nuts. It was great cause it was supposed to be a mainstream showcase with Flex djing and Tribe called Quest hosting and Hot 97 and Mtv was there and me and my crew was throwing the speakers off the stage at the crowd, my boy Black Spratt ripped his ass out and put it in the crowd's face and we tied up some hooker and handcuffed her and we started a 700 man riot, there was fighting everywhere. We was pissin on the couches and shit. Mad dudes was wating outside for us with pistols and we had no guns or nothing so we was making weapons out of stools and the wooden legs of the couches. Shit was mad funny but word got out all over the world and no one would book me in the US for mad years.

You said you didn't want fans who don't know who Kool G Rap is, do you think a lot of kids today know the history of Hip Hop?
Yes. A lot of hip-hop lovers know the history of hip-hop. True to the heart hip-hop heads know the deal. On the flipside of that there's a lot of ignorant ass kids who don't but fuck them. And the sad thing is a lot of them kids wanna be rappers and don't care about the roots but I ain't making music for them. I'm making it for the first bunch of kids I was talking about.

What can be done to teach the slow ones and bring them up to speed?
I don't know. Buy my record and listen to it. I try to educate them on the past greats and the Rap artists that were far greater then we are today. That's a tiny step in the right direction. If one kid that didn't know Super Lover Cee is or Chill Rob Gee listens to my shit and then wants to go back and check them dudes then that makes me happy.

What happened with the Alchemist and Royce?
It's just a funny lyric. 'Stanley Kubrick' was the song and it's such an un-important song, It don't really make no difference to either one of us. I just thought that was a funny-ass line while I was writing it. Me and my man Cap made a beat, Al liked it and remade the same beat but it's not like it changed his career or my career. I just wanted to give him a little shout. He's a nice little Jewish boy, we like Al.

What are some of the grimy games producers play?
I don't know. The same shit rappers play. Rappers steal flows and styles and shit like that and certain producers steal sample ideas and drum patterns. Most of the world is snakes so it ain't just producers, A God damn plummer fixing your toilet is a snake, overcharging you and shit. So producers play the same games everybody else in the world play.

You said you've seen an A&R get fired for taking a piss, is that true?Man, that line isn't meant to be takein so literal. A guy leaves the room, takes a piss, gets some fresh air, maybe smokes a cigarette, who knows what the fuck he was doing but when he comes back he ain't got no job. All it meant was, Record execs ain't shit and I seen them come and go.

Can you talk about the first time you saw the Neptunes?
Neptunes came through the studio to check me out. Pharell was dressed all cowboy'd out with a cowboy hat and an AC/DC shirt. And I had Wormsers brother from REVENGE OF THE NERDS with me so the Neptunes was all buggin' out and telling us how they had a rock group called N.E.R.D., it was a funny night.

What's the craziest thing you ever did?
Went to a library and read a book.

You've been down with Nilez for awhile, how do you two work together and how long have you been recording tracks?
Me and Nilez have a love hate relationship, I've been working with him since I was 16. Right now he don't talk to me and we ain't working together and after the JIVE deal we wasn't working together for mad years. But he's a dope producer and he needs to get his shit together cause he makes dope shit.

What was it like recording with Biggie?
When me and Biggie was doing shit I didn't know he was gonna be a hip-hop immortal or nothing, he was just another ill rapper, so it wasn't no big deal, ya know? A rapper is just rapper to me, I thought he was a dope m.c. but I could've never predicted how God damn large he would be. I remember I heard him on Michael Jackson's album, I was like damn, my man really, really blew!

You're doing a rock album now, how's that going?
No I'm not.

Did you start the crazy-white rapper stereotype?
Everybody got their own opinion on shit. You tell me.

You had a tough time growing up, what helped you get through everything?
You know what's funny? I never really knew my childhood was any different then the other kids until I grew up. I thought everybody was like me. I thought kids are supposed to shit and piss blood and have bleedin ulcers at 10 years old like I did. But the more bullshit you go through as a kid, if you get past it, it makes your adult life easier. While other folks are getting hit hard and seeing ugly shit for the first time, you already seen it all. So when fucked up shit happens you're ready for it and able to deal with it better then someone who never been through nothing.

You're writing a book on boxing, how did that come about and what does R.A. the Rugged Man know about boxing?
I know how to throw an uppercut into your fuckin' windpipe and cut off your breathing if any of you writers get smart with me. I got a book deal with Testify books, I ain't no professional fighter but my pops had gloves on me since I was born. We got photographs of me when I was 20 months old in the baby crib with boxing gloves on fighting my 4 year old sister. My dad loved the fights and now I know more about them then he does.

When people hear the name "R.A. the Rugged Man," what do you want them to think?
It depends who the person is. I really don't care what most people think about me.

What projects should we be on the lookout for?
I got future shit coming. But right now the main thing is to go out and support my ass and buy my album Die, Rugged Man, Die!!! It's in stores right the fuck now.

Interview by Brian Kayser


the man it's mad crazyyyyyyyyyyy ---> am "cules" interviul" asta (special) pt fani!Hope y'all enjoy

[eNTeCeKappa]

am citit interviu....tare rau......sunt fan rugged de cand l-am ascultat prima oara pe funcrasharu lu co flow.....ce-i cel mai interesant e ca omu chiar a ars-o ca boschetarii......albumu nu l-am ascultat inca....dar cred ca n-o sa ma dezamageasca.....chiar e pe bune faza cu cartea lui?

[Deena]

Just Don't Give A F**k

We all know R.A. The Rugged Man as that crazy white guy who just doesn't give a fuck. But beyond the crazed persona is a man who has been a student of Hip Hop for years. R.A. is not your average emcee with no understanding of the Hip Hop culture. Low-Key and R.A. kicked it and talked some real Hip Hop for the fans. This is how interviews should be, just some real people talking about some music.
MVRemix: I would just like to speak on the recent passing of ODB for a second. What was your reaction when you heard ODB passed?

R.A.: It was crazy! Any time anybody passes away, its fucked up. But he was such a wild motherfucker! He just lived that life??€¦robbing houses, making noise, being rowdy, he lived that life. And I think he lived a very good life. And when its your time, its your time. But he got his shine, he did his thing, and a lot of people love him. That's the way it was written by God and ODB was the man while he was here.

MVRemix: What do you think about the media's coverage of his death? Cause it seems that even the Hip Hop media doesn't even care. They gave him a little coverage, but now its like old news.

R.A.: You know what, if something negative comes up out of this, like if he gets tested positive for drugs or something, then the coverage will probably be more. But when its something like, he fell asleep and died, the mainstream media doesn't feel like that is a interesting enough story. They want to hear about somebody getting shot and killed, and then they will say, 'Because of rap violence, this person is dead'. It reads better to the mainstream bullshit writer. Whether he is famous or not, dying in your sleep is not a good story to these fuckers. And that is the bottom line.

MVRemix: Now let's talk about your album. So have you been pleased with how the album has been received so far?

R.A.: I don't give a shit what people say about my music. It has been getting a good response, but I make music for me and the people who understand my shit. And if that is only two people or a hundred thousand, its whatever. As long as I am happy with my music. But yeah it has gotten a good response. Now everybody is acting like I am a good rapper all of the sudden, so its all good. But whether they say I am the worst or the best, none of it affects me. Half of these motherfuckers who write don??€�t know shit anyway. So if a wack writer is saying I suck or I'm great, what difference does it make. Once in a while you get a writer who knows what they are talking about in Hip Hop, but there are so few out there that it really doesn't matter.

MVRemix: A lot of fans have been waiting along time for this album, so does it feel good to finally provide them with an album?

R.A.: I don't know (laughter). If I wanted to provide them with an album so bad I could have done it a bunch of times. I think the fans cared more about the persona. Waiting for someone to put out a record, or not putting out a record. What the fuck is wrong with him? Where the fuck is he? Who is he? I think that is the more interesting thing about me than the album itself. Cause everybody is putting out records, so who gives a fuck. There are a million records a year. But if they go buy the fucking thing, enjoy it and put some money in my pocket, than good, we did our job.

Oh, and I apologize, I didn't know we were doing this interview today, so I am taking a fucking dump right now.

MVRemix: [Laughter]

R.A.: That is probably more information than you need, right? But right before I do an interview I go on the toilet, handle my business, and come out with washed hands. Then I'm straight. But right now I'm kind of wiping my shit off. So we can continue this interview, but I just wanted to let you know in case I sound kind of lazy.

MVRemix: [Laughter] It's all good man. (Editors Note: For the record, R.A. was joking??€¦.or at least we hope haha)

R.A.:

MVRemix: On "Lessons" you state that you have seen a lot of emcees steal your style. Which emcees do you think have jacked your shit?

R.A.: Well, I will let the public decide that. If they do their research and look at the records I did each year, then they look at other peoples records a couple of years later, they will be able to figure it out themselves. If the young kids wanna play a little game, and do some fact checking, then they will be able to find out a lot of names. But name calling just sounds like you are whining. So I let the public decide, because are too too many to name.

MVRemix: You're a big boxing fan right?

R.A.: Yeah, I'm a good fight fan.

MVRemix: What do you think about the deterioration of the heavy weight division, cause right now its fucking boring?

R.A.: Well, an exciting fighter that people don't like is this dude Chris Byrd. They don't like him because he is too technical. He is a "Sweet-Pee", Pernell Whitaker type, but with no power. Well, Pernell didn't have too much power, but Byrd is in the heavyweight division and people want power. They want Mike Tyson type of stuff. But the heavyweight division could be more interesting if everybody fought each other. If Klitko fought Byrd again and Ruiz fought Byrd, then the winner of that fought this and that. So its interesting, but this is not one of its better eras. But I don't think its deteriorating, I just think a new dude needs to step in. This happens every time. After Mike Tyson went to prison, Hollyfied was light in the ass at the time and you had Bowe, and everyone complained. They were waiting for Tyson. And back in the day after Joe Lewis, they had Jersey Joe, and nobody was excited about him until Marciano came about. After Marciano, there was Floyd Paterson, after Dempsey they hated Gene Tunny, it always happens. Throughout the history of boxing when there is not one big superstar everybody says the division sucks. But it always happens, it will get better.

MVRemix: Should Roy Jones retire for good?

R.A.: Yeah, he should, no question. He is over with! I hate doing after the fact, but after the second Tarver fight, I said get out Roy. Get out of there. I told everybody he was done then. Roy was inhuman, and to get knocked the fuck out with one punch? Just get out the game! You are 35 years old, your heart isn't in it anymore. Why keep boxing and making yourself look stupid? I didn't think he would loose the second fight, with him getting knocked out cold. But he needs to retire. He ain't gonna come back and if he does he's out of his mind. He used to never get touched, and now he is getting knocked out cold. Roy was never even hurt in the ring??€¦ever! Now Glen Johnson is knocking him out cold. And Johnson has been beat by mediocre boxers, plus he's not even a knockout artist.

MVRemix: Is anybody fucking with Bernard Hopkins right now?

R.A.: Well, I think the only thing fucking with Bernard Hopkins is gonna be his age. It hasn't yet, but it will. He is 40 years old in January, so I can see it happening. But I think he is the greatest fighter of our era. I'm blessed because I have a relationship with him, I know the dude. Its not a close relationship, but I have had the privilege of being around him a few times and doing a couple photo shoots with him. I ate Sushi with him, even though I don't eat Sushi, but he is a great champion. He is a great success story, from the streets to the jailhouse to the championship of the world. He turned his life around. And the only thing that will KO Hopkins is age. Eventually it catches up to everybody, and he is a freak of nature because it hasn't caught up to him yet.

MVRemix: Obviously you have a great understanding of the history of Hip Hop. So why is Hip Hop the only culture that labels their legends as old school. Because in Rock you'll never heard someone say, 'oh the rolling stones are old school'. But in Hip Hop it seems the younger generation really does not know and care about the Melle Mel's, Krs-One's, Rakim's, etc.

R.A.: Because the world doesn't mind being ignorant. They just like going, 'Oh that is old school, its stupid, its nothing'. The Rolling Stones keep making records and touring, so they stay in your face and you have to know about them. Plus, rock music doesn't change at the same pace as rap music. Rap music changes so rapidly, every two or four months it sounds differently. A rock group can make the same style album for six years and everyone will think its great. They can make one album, and do the same exact sound six years later and it will be genius. Imagine a rapper come out with the same exact style six years after he did it? People would be like, 'get the fuck outta here, you are old'. Because it??€�s a stylish thing. Its about changing times and being ahead of yourself. Plus, the rock fans are a little easier on the rock n roll dudes. We got it a little tougher. We have to be in there face every second and continue to change the way we do shit. Young kids like being ignorant, they like not knowing shit. They just don't feel like doing research or knowing their history. They'll say shit like, 'well I don't know about it, so it must not be good'. They don't mind being spoon fed shit, which is the one sad thing about all cultures. Plus, its sad that Hip Hop has become a pop culture, because now you have knuckleheads claiming that they are hip hoppers.

MVRemix: In your CD booklet, you state that G Rap is the greatest ever, and if anyone says different they are mistaken. So in your opinion, what does G Rap have that puts him over lets say Rakim or Krs?

R.A.: Longevity! That is exactly what he has. Krs-one was great when he was great, but he is not great anymore. He stopped being great about '94 or '95. Rakim, when he was great, he was the best fucking rapper on the planet earth. But how long did that last? Rakim rapped with Mobb Deep and Big Noyd about what? Six years ago?

MVRemix: Yeah, on Hoodlum.

R.A.: Yeah, and Big Noyd was doing better than him. If you put G. Rap together with Mobb Deep and look what happened. You remember that song with The Alchemist beat?

MVRemix: Yeah, The Realest, that shit was crazy.

R.A.: Oh, he destroyed them kids man! It made you not wanna listen to Mobb Deep. So longevity is what makes G. Rap better than every other rapper that existed. But who do you consider the greatest rapper alive at this moment?

MVRemix: Well, I would still say Rakim. But it depends on what you mean. Do you mean who has the most skills right now, or who is the greatest of all time that is still alive? I still think Rakim has talent. He killed "The Watcher 2" with Jay-z.

R.A.: I mean, who destroys tracks right now, at this minute. If you put G. Rap on a track with any rapper alive right now, and five years, and ten years ago, he would have ripped any rapper. And he does it every year on every track. From Big Pun, to Nas, to Big Daddy Kane??€¦in history, anyone he ever stepped on a record with, he roasted. So Krs-One isn't great anymore, he is good but now he sounds old school. If you throw G. Rap on a record with a hot producer and a brand new rapper, like Jadakiss, who is supposed to be the brand new kid in the streets on some King of New York type shit, he'll destroy him. I can't say the same thing about Krs-One.

MVRemix: Ok I'm just gonna name two emcees, groups or producers, and you tell me which one you think is better and why?

R.A.: ...

MVRemix: First up - Jay-z or Nas??

R.A.: Jay-z. He is more versatile. He has more styles and is more consistent. Plus Jay has more charisma and a better stage show. Jay has better presence, whether its on stage, on a track or in videos. Nas is one personality. He is just an ill book of rhymes. That's what Nas is. He is an ill book of rhymes with one vocal pattern, one sound to his voice and one style of doing things. And it's dope! But Jay has more.

MVRemix: I have been trying to say the same thing for the longest, but that??€�s me. Next up, A Tribe Called Quest or Outkast.

R.A.: Wow, that is an interesting one.

MVRemix: Because you hear a lot of comparisons between the two.

R.A.: Why, people compare them?

MVRemix: Not style wise, but people compare their longevity and their amount of classic albums. They are both dope groups that were and have been consistent for a long time. Plus, they both arguably have three classic albums a piece

R.A.: This is an interesting one. I'm more of a New York type of guy, but I didn't love the Tribe's Instinctive Travels album, the first one. But I loved their second and third albums. I'll give this one a draw, but with my particular tastes and my childhood, personally I'll give it to the Tribe. But overall it??€�s a draw, and they both have done the same amount of stuff, but in different ways.

MVRemix: 2pac or Biggie?

R.A.: Biggie! Without question, that isn't even a comparison! Not at all! Biggie was one of the top 5 greatest rappers of the last 15 years. 2pac was a great personality, nice smile, the girls loved him, had a lot to say, but Biggie was an authentic emcee. He was an authentic, murderous, lyrical emcee. He had one of the great, ill voices of the last 15 years. So its not even close.

MVRemix: More underrated Tragedy Khadafi or Heavy D?

R.A.: Wow! That is funny. I think Heavy D is, because Tragedy is critically acclaimed. Everybody understands that Tragedy is a dope rapper. Heavy D, people look at him like he sucks at rapping and he was just some commercial, fat rapper. I love Trag to death, I love all his albums. But people sleep on Heavy D as an emcee just because they think he was commercial. The way he rode a track, his lyrical content, the way he bounced on his beats, the way he took advantage of shit??€¦Heavy D is actually slept on and underrated as an emcee. They think he is wack. In history, if you look in these books, you will never see Heavy D in the top 50 greatest emcees of all time. But they will have Lauren Hill, and I don't think she is better than Heavy D. And I'm not saying I think Heavy D is better than Trag, I just think he is more underrated.

MVRemix: Which emcee never lived up to his potential more - Canibus or Ras Kass?

R.A.: Canibus. Because I think Ras is a strong solid emcee, but Canibus could have been that lyrical murder. See, Canibus can still kill a track, he is a dope rapper. You put Canibus on stage with a mic and he will just fucking decapitate rappers. But everyone hates on the kid. If fact, Canibus was the most overrated rapper of the year when he was coming out, when he was saying he was the second coming of Christ. Then a year later, he was the most underrated rapper, because everybody was saying he was wack, when he really was a good emcee. So I think if Canibus would have learned to make songs he could have been great. But I think they both had the same problems. Neither of them had songs or ill records. But I think Canibus could have really been one of the tightest motherfuckers. Ras kind of did this thing, but Bis had potential to go there and he just disappointed the world.

MVRemix: Better producer - Premier or Marley Marl?

R.A.: Marley, without question! Premier has a reputation of having mad dope records, but if you really go into what his arsenal was, his best records are "DWYCK"??€¦.

MVRemix: Mass Appeal.

R.A.: Yeah, "Mass Appeal", and "Ten Crack Commandments". But Marley has all the greatest rap records of all time that people are still sampling now. From "The Symphony" to "Road To The Riches", "Make The Music With Your Mouth, Biz", to "Down By Law", "Jane Stop This Crazy Thing"??€¦.Marley had all the greatest hits ever. "The Bridge", that beat is still sampled every fucking second of the day. So its Marley without question. Now that is no disrespect to Premier, at all. I think Marley is better than Dre, and probably the greatest top two or three of all time.

MVRemix: He even had the stuff he did with Lords Of The Underground. Some people don't even remember that, cause he did his thing on there.

R.A.: Yeah, the beats on that were sick. "Mama Said Knock You Out" was another dope album from that era. He also produced some Bell Biv Divo shit, that was ridiculous. So he was still doing his thing in the early 90's and killing it. But we are looking at Marley when he was just killing everybody and nobody could fuck with his beats. That was the '87/'88 era.

MVRemix: What else do you have going on in the future? Another album?

R.A.: Right now, its all about Die, Rugged Man Die. That is the future for the next six or seven months. We are going to be busting our asses to make the world hear this record.

[kif]

What's the craziest thing you ever did?
Went to a library and read a book.


omu e tare...nebun

[sunrah]

Another way to get Dirty With R.A. The Rugged Man!

By Darin Gloe

RA the Rugged Man is one of the most famous unknowns in the rap game, from being signed at an early age to dropping classic records with hip-hop legends, the man has been there and done that. We got a chance to sit down with him and really find out what goes on in the head of the dirty rotten rhymer.

What's up man, nice to see you back in the saddle so to speak, what's been going on?

Back in the saddle man, I have just been working on this album, promoting this album "Die Rugged Man Die", one of the best albums you could ever pick up. "Die Rugged Man Die" in stores now, ill ass hip-hop, real hip-hop. I know everybody says that but I'm one of the only real motherfuckers left.

Before we get into the album I want to give some of the new heads a little history on RA. Where you from? How long have you been rhyming and who got you started?

I started rhyming in 1986 when I was 12 years old. I met this kid Bob and he was a beat-boxer. He was blowing up windows in shopping centers with M-80s. We just linked up because he had all these rap tapes, he would be beat box and I started spittin. We just kept at it at 13, 14,15 years old going to the house parties ripping everybody, getting nice. I turned pro, got a couple record deals. I had a 9 record deal bidding war with Def Jam, Jive, MCA, Tommy Boy, Priority, Capitol pretty much every label that existed at that time. I made the deadly move of signing to Jive, which ended up instead of doing KRS-One type shit they wanted to do like Britney Spears type shit (laughing), so it was a bad move, but hey that's life. But, I continued through it and signed to Priority records and do some song for them, I have done a lot of underground stuff. Just destroying rappers, I have spent my whole career being one of the best??€¦so whatever.

Now, you were signed very early in your career, to Jive I believe like around 94 when majors were signing dope hip-hop, how did that come about?

Yeah, I signed to Jive in '93 and they started releasing singles in '94, but I actually got a deal with Jive in '92 and that was when the bidding war was popping off in '92 but I signed the papers in '93. I came out in '93 with "Every Record Label Sucks Dick" and the joint with Biggie came out in '94 and I got my little underground following.

There is so much speculation on how you got dropped, let's hear the real story.

Let me tell you the truth though, something that nobody knows and I always say it but people can't seem to get through their heads is I didn't get dropped, I LEFT! That's what happened, they had their hands full, they were still putting out my records and wanted to put out my records. Man, the label hated my guts, 80% of the people hated my guts but the President and the A&R wanted to keep me. I demanded to leave, if 80% of the label hates me and we can't fix it. If 80% of the machine is against me we are going to fail, so I demanded my release. I did a lot of fucked up things, I did some things in my god damn career. I threw some temper tantrums, little going nuts here and there, some scaring people. I mean, but the rumors started spreading like "oh he shit on this person, and put raped the President's wife behind the rolling rink" (Laughing). I was like really I did this now, people saying I ripped a bloody cat apart and put the blood on my dick and I was like "really did this happen". But, for real I was 19 and I had a lot of money compared to the rest of my life, I was broke and now all of sudden they are throwing record label money so all of sudden I'm a little silly in the head. I mean I was silly in the head before hand, so give a couple dollars to a young kid and he's going to get a little sillier.

Would you ever sign with a major label again?

I like what I'm doing right now, because I own the masters of my music. It's a 50/50 split and it's less fame, which is fine with me (laughs) and its decent money and I'm eating off of it. I'm kind of very comfortable right now, so at this time in my life I don't think I would. I might if they wanted to give me 100% of freedom to do whatever I want and throw ridiculous amounts of money on the table and not sign me for 6 albums but just for 3. I mean if it was a contract they wouldn't give an underground artist and it was something that wasn't selling your soul to them, then there is a possibility. It would have to be where I could buy my father a house, buy myself a house and maybe throw some kids in the world and be able to afford them (laughing). You know?

You have a song called "Cunt Renaissance" with the late Notorious B.I.G. ??€� What was it like working with BIG?

BIG, you know this is a question I'm asked a lot and when we were coming up, we were coming up at the same time. I mean I had my deals and he has "Party and Bullshit" on the street on the "Who's the Man" soundtrack, and we both had all this huge hype. We just respected each other as emcees, but I didn't think it was some hip-hop legend, I was just like this is my man BIG, he's dope; he's a dope rapper (laughing). So it was like if I went in the studio with members of Screwball tomorrow it was the same feeling you know. If I got in the studio with Masta Killa, it wasn't like "wow, I'm with a legend" you just didn't realize what was about to happen. It was just making music with a dope rapper, it was dope BIG was a dope emcee. It wasn't like "Yo, your going to be a legend, let's take pictures" (laughing). It was just like yo, your dope let's rap.

Around '98-'99 you drop the now classic "What the F*ck" with Akinyele, were you actually signed to Rawkus?

I wasn't signed to Rawkus, I was signed to Priority and I used to sell Rawkus songs. The problem with Rawkus is they acted like a major label but didn't have major label money. The would like give you a 6 album deal for a couple hundred grand to make the album, and you were like I should be going to Sony or god damn Interscope for that kind of deal. So I was like yeah give me 5 grand and I'll give you my DATS and you can make some money off of it. So I was like give me another $5600 and I'll give you another song, I was just selling them songs and that was actually my only relationship with Rawkus.

That kind of leads me into the next question, what do you think was the ultimate downfall of Rawkus as a major/indie label.

They didn't put out any records; they sat there and took four years to put out the next album. You can't spend millions of dollars promoting Pharoahe Monch and Mos Def and everybody knows them now and you don't drop another album. Say sit there and Pharoahe is on the side and there saying "oh the album isn't done". But, you look at Def Jam; they put out a Jay or Luda album every 10-15 months. They build their artists and then keep putting out records. I mean Rawkus; you can't make any money if you don't put out any records. The last 3 or 4 years of Rawkus they didn't put out any damn records. That's what happened, they didn't know what the hell they were doing, they kept second guessing the artists, they kept second guessing themselves, and got caught up and lost. They tried to go commercial with that "Soundbombing 3" bullshit and they aren't a fucking commercial label and didn't know how to do it. They should have just stuck to what the hell they knew how to do and do it.

Let's talk about the album "Die Rugged Man Die" is out on Nature Sounds, how did you get together with that label?

The dude who owns the label started off as a writer and was writing all these articles on all these rappers for like 10 years, so he made hella connections. So he wrote up this like 8 page article about me and we did some pics with all these naked girls and shit (laughs). He was like yo, do a record we me sometime, not at that time because he didn't have the label, but he was doing shit with High Times records. So, when he started this, he said "I'll throw you this much money, and this contract", and I was like yo, that's a good contract, let's fuck around you know.

You show your somewhat sarcastic emcee side with songs like "Da Girlz They Love Me" and "Casanova (Fly Guy), do you feel that comedy and humor is missing in today's hip-hop?

It depends on who the artist is, you know you like an artist like Nas, he's not a funny guy (laughing). I don't think I have ever even seen Nas crack a smile in a photo, so if Nas came out and was trying to be funny, nah I don't want him to be funny. But, a guy like Ludacris, he is funny and I like to see some silly shit. If you hang out with me in person, people think I'm a funny guy and I think that a person's personality and humor will show in their rhymes. If they have humor, I think you should be able to hear it in their music, if they are more dramatic then you should hear that in their music. I don't think people should act like something they're not on their songs. I think there is humor in hip-hop. I mean, look at Snoop??€¦I think everything he does is humorous, even if he is trying to play it serious he knows he's doing it with humor. I think even a guy like 50 who talks some straight up shit; he still does his own type of funny shit. I mean these dudes are humorous and are funny people.

On a serious note, you talk about how you don't care about the money and you don't care about the fame, is that true or just a gimmick to sell records?

I won't say that, I mean when it comes to money I care about eating, I care about paying the bills. I care about survival money, but when I'm talking about not caring about being a superstar or selling records. That straight up I don't care about none of that shit, I don't care about being a superstar. I don't want to be that guy that can't walk around and have my own privacy; I don't want none of that shit. Everything I say on that record is 100% the accurate truth. I want to sell enough records where I can eat and get back in the studio. I don't want to be Ashley Simpson or fucking Ja-Rule where their whole like is like being in a fucking music video (laughing). I want to kind of keep it where I'm at, as long as there is enough of "Die, Rugged Man Die" supporters to pay my god damn rent and get us back in the studio, I'm happy.

Now that you are back in the minds of hip-hoppers in 2005, what is the future of RA, will there be another album soon or do you have a prot?©g?© waiting in the wings?

Its 2005 man, how many artists can stay as dope as I am for that many god damn years? People sleep how hard it is not to fall the fuck off. People talk about how easy it is to rap and shit, but why is it that all our favorite rappers fall the fuck off? From the best on the planet they all fall the fuck off, but I'm still fucking here, so I'm working hard to stay on top. My future is the same shit, surviving and being dope at what I do and hoping that I never fall off, but everybody falls off??€¦except for Kool G Rap.

(Laughing) You mentioned that a lot on the album about how G Rap is the greatest rapper of all time??€¦

He is??€¦He is man??€¦undisputable; anybody that disputes it is mistaken. (laughs) G Rap is the longest reigning champion who can still wax everybody's favorite rapper today. Whether his records are selling or that he is a big presence put G Rap on a song with Game and see what happens, put G Rap on a song with Nas again and see what happens. Whether you're the best or considered the new motherfucker ripping shit, G Rap is always better. I don't know how he does that, I mean Rakim as great as he was, he can't do that anymore.

Since you have worked with so many people and been in the game for quite a long time, is there anybody out there that you would like to work with?

I want to work with a lot of dudes, I love music man, I love music. I would like to work with these dudes that got a little name for themselves so I can fucking rip them on their own shit

(Laughs)

Anybody that is supposed to be the best rapper, who ever the public is talking about being the king of whatever put me with them and watch them get fucking annihilated, that's who I want to work with. I will annihilate any emcee on record, it don't matter.

Shout Outs?

Everybody, I mean fucking everybody support! I guarantee you that anybody that knows something about flows and lyrics that will not go fucking nuts when they hear this record. "Die, Rugged Man Die" is in stores right now, don't download the motherfucker, go buy it bitch!

[GunG]

mad man rapping - the music i love lissaning to


(sry de posibilele greseli gramaticale )

[zosteru]

foarte tare r.a the rugged man-die,rugged man,die!
omu' e chiar tare!!!

[GunG]

"Coming from a broken Long Island home, R.A.'s father was a gun toting Vietnam veteran/mental patient affected by Agent Orange. His family was forever changed by the potent chemical - his brother Maxx was born handicapped and blind, eventually dying at the age of 10, while his sister Dee Ann couldn't walk or speak. R.A. took refuge in hip hop, beginning his rap career at the age of 12, developing a style that killed all competitors citywide."

[dumbinos]

mie mi-a placut bucata aia produsa de j-zone... BRAWL... in rest almost acceptabil.
j-zone is a fuckin genius

[GunG]

primul om pe care il vad sa spuna k albumul nu e mega tare