R.A. The Rugged Man

Released: January 1, 2004

Songwriter: R.A. The Rugged Man

Producer: Koran The L.T.D.

[Intro]
(R-A what's the lesson for today Rugged Man
I am the legendary... R-A)

[Verse 1]
Yo, ayo people wondering where the fuck I been
At the VIP section they ain't letting 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"
I watch mad rappers bite my shit and blow up
And make millions of what I created, that's tough luck
I first started getting coverage around the same time
Steve Stoute used to carry Kid n Play's luggage
I seen rappers turned from sex symbols and heartthrobs
To being forgotten now they out looking for jobs
I seen EPMD break up
I seen my little brother Max fall asleep and he ain't never wake up
So when I rhyme listen, seriously
When I spit I'm giving you the truth clearly who I really be
It's an audio version of reality TV
I had deals from Russell Simmonds to Master P
Even five year old white girls be rapping today
On the playground like "go shorty it's ya birthday" (Go, go, go)

[Hook]
(Here's a little story I got to tell)
(I am the legendary
R-A Rugged Man)

[Verse 2]
Yo yo I seen good days, sun rays, church sundays
Made love, made war, been rich, been poor
Lost friends, lost lawsuits, lost my dough
Seen beef between Bad Boy and Death Row
I seen disease take the life for my sister's kid
Six months on the Earth is what he had to live
I seen Biggie, Big L, Big Pun pass away
Buffy from the Fat Boys, Jam Master Jay
A month before they blew up with Mystikal and Jay Z
The Neptunes came to see me at D&D
I knew this chick named Norah, a lounge singer
A year later she a six Grammy award winner
I seen Flatlinerz, I seen cannabisses
I seen Lil Zane, yo I seen mad misses
You Antoinette-ass bitches get ten percent disses
I seen A&R's get fired for taking pisses
Stop whining and bitching, nobody listens
Who else risking they career sticking to be indifferent
Switching the tradition sticking to this shit they really living?
I don't care what's hitting
Listen this is my mothafucking life that I'm spitting

[Hook]

[Verse 3]
I'm at peace with myself now how 'bout that?
I hated life, I wanted to die a few years back
I was mentally ill it's hard to come back from that
But I got through it now, I got my sanity back
Y'all are like H-B-O fighters, get the money and fame
Get beat up like Klitschko and Sugar Shane
Or get beat like Vernon Forrest or Prince Naseem
And you all turn pussy once you get that green
I got love for Havoc from Mobb Deep
When I was broke sleeping in the street
He hooked me up with a free beat
Alchemist you still my little buddy
Even though you stole that Royce Da 5'9" "The King" beat from me
I ain't down to sign autographs and shake ya hands
I don't want trendy ass followers for fans
I don't wanna sell records, I don't wanna be big
I don't want MTV running up in my crib
I don't wanna be liked in the music biz
I don't want fans that don't know who G Rap is

[Hook x2]

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

more tracks from the album

Die, Rugged Man, Die

From the album

Die, Rugged Man, Die (2004)

R.A. The Rugged Man popular songs

LessonsR.A. The Rugged Man

R.A. The Rugged Man

Die, Rugged Man, Die