R.A. the Rugged Man

One of rap's more elusive figures, East Coast emcee R.A. the Rugged Man worked with multiple legends as he was coming up, guesting on tracks by Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, and even Notorious B.I.G. before quietly releasing records of his own. His high-speed delivery, juvenile lyrical mean streak, and self-depreciating humor were all factors that put R.A. ahead of his time. His career was held up by legal issues with major labels, so after over a decade of delays, he formed the Nature Sounds label as an outlet for his music, independently releasing everything from his 2004 debut, Die, ...