Seeing as how it’s been nearly a decade since Long Island resident R.A. The Rugged Man’s debut Die, Rugged Man, Die, he more than makes up for the wait by bringing in guests Talib Kweli, Masta Ace, Brother Ali, Tech N9ne, Hopsin, Vinnie Paz, Sadat X, and Eamon to name a few. Additionally, Buckwild, Marco Polo, Mr. Green and C-Lance held down production, among others. Sure, there are plenty of heavy hitters on board for this sophomore disc, but it only really matters if the songs deliver, right?
The lead off instrumental “Still Diggin Wit Buck (Legends Intro)” is a bit misleading considering the rap and rhyming acrobatics that R.A. is known for. This is quickly covered with the first single “The People’s Champ” where he illustrates his ability to mesh several different types of rap and hip-hop into one cohesive track. Later on, he gets more political with the nearly diatribe like “Shoot Me In The Head,” which includes opera samples. When it comes to flowing, interesting rap, it rarely gets any better than this, as evident on “Still Get Through The Day” where he keeps it personal by discussing his own familial losses. And musically, with the barrage of contributors, there’s much to enjoy as well. “Definition Of A Rap Flow (Albee 3000)” illustrates that hip-hop can have hooks, too, and Amile Bruun’s pipes complement the already solid tune well.
At 17 tracks, there is much to offer for fans of the genre: infectious beats, well done production, memorable verses, and nods to hip-hop’s past, as well as forging a new path of his own. R.A. The Rugged Man’s inimitable skill is on point throughout this disc, and the large amount of hands and voices helping out makes it a constantly evolving and engaging listen.
