Released: November 16, 2004

Songwriter: Marc “Nigga” Nilez R.A. The Rugged Man

Producer: Marc “Nigga” Nilez

[Intro]
Radio host: Yeah baby, it's Phil Cassese live on Night Talk
We're talking about musical genius R.A. The Rugged Man
Let's take some calls, find out what you guys think...
Caller #1: Yo, R's definitly one of the illest lyricist I've ever heard, that's real
Caller #2: R.A. man, he's coming out, guns blazing baby, boom! Watch out!
Caller #3: He's very intelligent, he's a positive role model in rap
Caller #4: I went to a show last week, he was the bomb, he was better than Michael Jackson
Caller #5: He's so sexy, my girl said he had an eleven-inch cock, couldn't walk for weeks after...
Caller #6: Yo R.A. is worldwide man, he's going platinum, quadruple, and big time
Caller #7: First time I saw him, I knew he had a star quality...
He's a superstar...

[Verse 1]
Ayo, here's the whole story, the whole truth (It's retarded)
Here's how my whole bullshit career started
Back in '88 it was about battle rapping
And shooting guns off at house parties, say "HO!"
On the streets before rhyming
No complaining, no money, no fame, we still maintaining
1991, now my whole career started buzzing
You seen on stage shows, guess the crowd jump in it
Let the kids come on
Tommy Boy, Mercury, Priority wanted me
Russell Simmons, and nine other record companies
Sending limousines out to pick up my broke ass
Feeding me steaks, buying me hookers, I hope this shit last
I was used to have no cash, I got gassed
White trash, why they wanna sign my ass?
'92 the whole industry was on my dick
I signed to Jive Records and fucked up the whole shit

[Hook]
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Large star)
(But you gonna be large)
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Yeah, right)

[Verse 2]
Now I'm stuck on a wack label
They say, "See the way you behave
Now wonder why the label hate you!"
They said "He's a beast, he's a creature
Keep him in the other room, don't let him see Aaliyah"
"Ban him from the building, I don't wanna see him either"
"He just don't know how to play the game right!"
"He could be larger than life!"
They try to turn the label Caucasian
They signed me, Whitey Don and the Insane Clown Posse
And then they signed the Backstreet Boys and Britney
It's a pop label, what the fuck they want with me?
Forget R. Kelly, I'mma do that ripping out your cunt shit
I flipped the fuck out and did some dumb shit
On some "Look at me, I got a gun" shit
I ain't gonna give you that commercial run hit
Instead I gave you "Every Record Label Suck Dick"
Try to press charges against me
Sued me, blackballed me
My lawyer wouldn't even call me

[Hook]
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Large star)
(But you gonna be large)
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Large star)
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Large star)
(But you gonna be large)
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Yeah, right)

[Verse 3]
'95, I'm broke out the ass, no dough
Watching everybody else around me blow
Trackmasters, Mobb Deep, Keith Murray
Biggie and Puff, I will admit it, I was jealous as fuck
I was so pathetic
No dough, found an ugly chick
With a no dough fetish, all my old hoes jetted
Went from hearing "You gonna be a star, kid!"
To hearing "He ain't talented, he's garbage"
Now for shitty kicks there's no market
'96, I got a gun now
I remember I was plotting to kill Jeff Fenster
Moved back in with pop duke
And my handicapped brothers and sisters, and we had no loot
That's when the Feds came by
And surrounded the house
They had automatic weapons, and was pulling 'em out
And the moral of the story is
All that glamour and glitz shit
Fuck that shit, I don't need it

[Hook]
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Large star)
(But you gonna be large)
You're a shining star
You're a superstar
(Ooohhh)
(Yeah, right)

[Outro]
Radio host: Yeah baby, it's Phil Cassese, we're back live on Night Talk. The subject: R.A. the Rugged Man
What happened to that guy? We're taking calls
Caller #1: Yo, R's the true definition...
Of a wack-ass, punk-ass, bitch-ass MC, 'na mean?
Caller #2: R.A., You're going down boy like a piece of shit, BOOM!
Caller #3: I see him at the mall, he grab my ass and spit on my tits
Caller #4: I went to a show last week, it sucked so bad
He was in his underwear, spitting everywhere, he's so disgusting
Caller #5: Yeah, my girl fucked him
She said he had a little two-inch dick, and couldn't keep it hard
Caller #6: R.A.? He’s hurting, man. Heard his label drop him, guy's a loser
Caller #7: Yo anybody seen that guy R.A. around? Heard he's fucking broke
Caller #8: Yeah, I don't think R.A. is that bad guy and everything
Just cause he's losing and shit, and I, before...
Radio speaker: I think we might have R.A. the Rugged Man on the line now. R.A., is that you?
Caller #8: Uhhh... NO!

R.A. The Rugged Man

R.A. Thorburn better known by his stage name R.A. the Rugged Man, is an American rapper, screenwriter, film director and film producer. He began his music career at age 12, building a reputation locally for his lyrical skills. R.A. signed to major label Jive Records at age 18, but his debut album, Night of the Bloody Apes, was never released.

Since then, he has worked with the likes of Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang Clan, Kool G Rap, and Notorious B.I.G., as well as producers Erick Sermon, Trackmasters, DJ Quik, The Alchemist, J-Zone, and Ayatollah.[citation needed] He was featured on all three of Rawkus’s Soundbombing albums, as well as the platinum-selling WWF Aggression album. After a brief stint on Capitol Records (during which he recorded another unreleased album, American Lowlife), R.A. signed with independent label Nature Sounds and released his official debut, Die, Rugged Man, Die.[4] In 2013, R.A. released his second album, Legends Never Die on Nature Sounds