Method Man Discusses The Blackballing Of R.A. The Rugged Man

Long Island hip hop legends Method Man and R.A. The Rugged Man discuss their history together, including the era when R.A. was blackballed from the industry. Today, both emcees are traveling the world performing sold-out shows.
Order R.A.'s latest album "Legends Never Die" here: itunes.apple.c....

[@matthewstevenhunt]

I like the way RA can laugh at himself when it comes to the shoes.

[@ComeOnYouBoyzInBlue]

Nice pic

[@sharkdeepwater8]

MSH Actually them shoes was fresh. But you don't wear them to a get together on grass.

[@tordatfalviciprian5775]

MSH fucking shoes 😂😂😂😂😂

[@DalinquentB]

He'd a laughed at anything Meth would've said.

[@Woodrow512]

@@DalinquentB Mef's a really funny guy, cant see why not

[@deshaundozier]

He was blackballed because of the way he line up his beard

[@ediseu.]

NAHH, HE WAS BLACKBALLED BECAUSE HE TOOK A SHIT IN THE OFFICE AND USED TO JERK OFF FROM BALCONY BACK IN THE DAYS AND THROW SPEMS ON PEOPLE FROM ABOVE. I LOVE HIM!!!

[@christopherayettey4390]

Facts!!

[@curiosityl.6261]

@Dump Turds Your name, your name gives nightmares

[@ediseu.]

@Goose Gumps V3 RA was a wild boy 😎💪

[@KINGJAMES-rp3ex]

😂 😂

[@eoghaillful]

"I had a pair like that shit it was Easter '75" haha Meth is fuckin funny

[@SDSOverfiend]

R.A. IS RESPECTED IN THE GAME BY REAL NIGGAS THO

[@602pdubz412]

if hip hop was ya life at some point,ya know who R.A. is. look how method and him are, dats real shit. R.A. is dope fuck what they heard bruh.

[@nickp9406]

this was before dre put eminem on. times were different. dre saw eminem freestyle and dre put em on the label cause dre owns it. but in this circumstance meth tried to put ra on as a referral and Def Jam was like nah fuck it we dont need him. If Def Jam gave ra a chance ( and they should have ) imagine how big ra would have blown up by now. Shady probably wouldn't have come up so fast with ra in the scene. RA really deserved more popularity with his skills he should have been on TV in the 90's but business can be fucked up sometimes and ra didn't get the props he deserved. I'm not putting RA down at all I'm saying he's been underrated and there is no reason for it. it's whack shit he ain't as big as lil Wayne or drake or this corny shit out nowadays. why can't I hear ra on the radio but I gotta hear fucking iggy fuck that shit.

[@tyronebiggens9719]

Yeah fuck the mainstream. Only real Hip hop is the underground.

[@gardenhead420]

Nick P I couldn't agree anymore with you bro. It's like the shit that he was doing was unheard of at the time with his wild anctics. but fast forward some odd years later and the shit he said and did back then is the same shit that's getting people recognition and praise... WTF!!

[@dddlll2471]

SDS Overfiend RA is a NY legend in this game... doin it over 20 years

[@villiantwo]

they NEED to do a track together!!!! PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN

[@sumwonkool]

Absolutely. Can’t believe it’s never happened actually

[@dmike1238]

Rugged man is like the Rocky Balboa of rap

[@eh712]

Donnovan Randle Vinnie Paz = Patton oswald

[@TheWuCepticon1981]

@@eh712 🤣🤣🤣

[@masonhook8803]

Excellent analogy

[@thekiddy4263]

RB The Rugged Man

[@buckybarz3779]

Donnovan Randle low key he looks like a hip-hop Sylvester Stallone . Lol

[@Dropski82]

R.A. the Rugged Man is still a fuking dope ass emcee .. him and Meth should do a track ..

[@wwjnz9263]

Correction... An Album. A RA and Method album would be bananas!

[@eddyx8218]

Two real legends in one video. I love Wu Tang, Method man, and RA. Love you guys.

[@SKOTxFREE]

One of the most under rated MC’s out there! First time I heard R.A. Which was on a Mixtape I liked dude. Didn’t know what color he was or nothing and it don’t matter. If you Dope you dope and Rugged man is straight up dope!

[@_--INFiNiTE_C0NSCi0US--_]

Yooo, i wish ODB and RA coulda did a rugged dirty ass track together !!!

[@DaveMarshak]

Add a motivated Kool Keith and you might have the nuttiest song ever made!!

[@Doctor-Stoppage]

Call it "Dirty Rug!" 😆

[@villiantwo]

that would be a sick duo!

[@_--INFiNiTE_C0NSCi0US--_]

@@Doctor-Stoppage - LMAO!

[@_--INFiNiTE_C0NSCi0US--_]

@@villiantwo - Hell yeah!

[@cbfwebs]

"If Def Jam were really worried about my safety, they would not have had me recording in Quad where 'Pac got shot."

[@jaimesaucedo8036]

Half of the new york city rappers was there when i got shot & nobody knew nothing...Thats like the cops comming to the block asking what happen & everybody saying i dont know...you know they lying... -2pac

[@iamyourbiggestfan6420]

@@jaimesaucedo8036 Pac probably never heard of the "Don't snitch, don't tell" rule

[@Lolife86]

@@iamyourbiggestfan6420 Are you idiot ? What does he sayed ? " Thats like the cops comming to the block asking what happen & everybody saying i dont know...you know they lying..." So he knowed.

[@Tomekkplk]

@@Lolife86 sayed..knowed.. fucking hell. SAID. KNEW.

[@SmokingPistolsMc]

Jaime Saucedo real spill

[@chrysryce]

No one can spit like RA. Glad to see one of the Gods giving him dap.

[@villiantwo]

yo meth still putting it down to this day also!! ...the new track with RA, DECK, AND TIMBO is just disgustingly good.. Inspectah Deck is in his 50s now and still dropping bombs!!!

[@chrysryce]

@@villiantwo Hell ya - Deck be killing in Czarface these days!

[@Razah.]

Lord Finesse in the background in the beginning the biggest legend there

[@jessicajaynenc1202]

HELL EFFING YEAH HE IS

[@Razah.]

You know it girl

[@SlackerET]

Lord Finesse is such an underrated MC, 'I drop science like a kid from Catholic school'

[@455ninjasniper]

Shut the fuck up

[@BuddyBoo123]

Good Eye. Hip Hop Royalty.

[@KoolGNasBlackThought]

holy shit, seeing them together is amazing

[@Criwindustries]

Method sounds like a real friend and G.. keeping it real

[@jonathanm8273]

I seen R.A. in concert he jumped into the crowd with a lui kang kick right into someones chest

[@KoolGNasBlackThought]

2 of the illest flows in rap

[@ThatLegends]

Two legends.

[@antoncip1]

Two straight hip hop legends in my book.

[@TheMediaAnarchist]

i'm so glad these two brothers stuck it out. it definitely paid off in the long run salute!

[@buddahluver9848]

Yoooo RA's laugh is the greatest! ! I love it! One of the Realest MC's right there!

[@macbrebonicks8668]

Riley Reid has been black balled more than R.A.

[@conlooka9356]

Yes, and they were huge

[@daleperry7759]

I wonder how many idiots will look up Riley Reid, thinking she is a rapper.

[@scoobafloom]

The business wasn’t ready for a personality so big

[@bitlord-hm7nt]

Method man is chill as fuck.

[@TheMCGimpy]

A Method Man + Rugged Man album would blow CZARFACE out of the fuckin water.

[@daboymajik8829]

I wish he did do it too. R.A. is an emcee's emcee. And soo chill too. The only dude I've seen perform here in Vegas that hopped out into the crowd. Gave me dap and all. I would welcome doing a track with bros any day, regardless of who told me not to.

[@FH1MIKEYBARSLOW]

Word my dude! I believe it 200% cuz 1. You were UNDENIABLY one of the HOTTEST emcees lyricists and stage tearer-downers of that time and 2. Same thing happened to me for dropping a diss record and following it up with another one aimed at THE biggest artist of the time that was on one of the biggest labels with the biggest CEO calling radio stations telling them if they EVER play that diss record or remix EVER again NONE of that labels artists would EVER BE ON AGAIN! FURTHER, I had negotiations with 2 other labels (also big labels) suddenly and abruptly go from I was hot let's record this album kid your gonna be the next BIG THING to kick rocks in a blink! TRUE STORY... STILL TRYING THOUGH. KEEPING IT DIVERSE AND HIP HOP in an industry full of trollers rewarded with GOLD! STILL LOVE YA R.A. Would love to work with ya... look up all things MIKEY BARSLOW and dm/email me..

[@incrediblezuppo]

Does this mean now is the time you both are going to build something together? Hope so.

[@t4lh482]

One of the best in my opinion

[@TsMxHangover]

Long Island represent! Nobody gets more rowdy than suffolk county!

[@fiiive2the5ix]

lol...suffolk county

[@njmenaceify]

lmfao

[@Ezd150]

Meth didnt realize blacklisting was real. Then he was blacklisted.

[@capturethephotons2078]

R.A. Looks Like the most down-to-earth person I've ever seen in my life.

[@strictlyrevolution]

At the end Method Man says Defjam had him recording up at Quad studios when Pac got shot there in the lobby. Biggie and Puff also happened to be upstairs there recording something at the time. To me this sounds way too coincidental, unless it was some 'cointelpro' type set-up to instigate a fued between wu, bad boy and tupac.

[@realmccoymusik]

I'm gon jump on that Definition Of A Rap Flow contest, my dude! I already recorded my joint. I gotta do some mixing and its on its way, tomorrow. Appreciate the opportunity to be heard by some true EMCEE'S. Inshn Allah, this is the beginning of the beginning. 1ne.

[@mikophilo348]

oh, so this video has been out for 6 years? I ❤ T.H.O.T.S

[@joshuamcdowell1841]

2 of my personal faves.

[@mojalefapitso9377]

Two of my favourite mcees of all times

[@ta3722]

Meth is my favorite Wu Tang member, but it sounds like he might be finessing R.A. a little here lol. Look at his body language. Looking around a lot, checking his phone etc. I wonder if he ever even mentioned his name to the label.

[@fredereedoo]

Look more like he take too much cocaine

[@mergimfera11]

One of the two best MC's out there!

[@TheHunter-en3bm]

2 amazing rappers. That unmistakable Rugged Man laugh is so contagious. 😂😂

[@emceeOkuZ]

Why this keep poppin up on my recommended every couple of years!??!

[@sX-Rain]

Yeah weird shit. I don't even who the fuck this is and for a like a week or so I keep getting a Vlad interview from this dude recommended that I never clicked on and now this. Fkn weird af yo.

[@emceeOkuZ]

@@sX-Rain his vlad interview popped up in my recommended today..

[@91Definite]

Damn...It's so good to see R.A. and Method Man together! I tell ya Hip Hop is best place to be we you love music with others who love it too! Never expires and never out of date! Only the purest and truest can bring out Hip Hop cause they learn the basics of it! But that's fucked up how R.A. Rugged career went! Believe it or not I think it's because companies wanted him to change his style and shit and he probably said no! And he probably said some words and that's when they put the blackball on him to never get signed and shit! Fuck mainstream! R.A. you still the dopest

[@scottydiamonds1329]

Ra. Underrated universal epic Flow. This man is 🔥

[@MURDOCKROCK]

I really hope to hear a colab with RA and meth in the future... they find the right beat and heads would EXPLODE!

[@freddygamez4248]

0:01 best part of the vid lol meths face

[@deanhuntley71]

RA STYLE IS LIKE THE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER, AD METH'S VOICE,BIG PUN'S DELIVERY, AND AD THE MADNESS OF ODB!!!!! WE MUST HAVE A METHOD MAN / RA THE RUGGED MAN ALBUM! A TRACK ISN'T ENOUGH!!!!!!!

[@akm7567]

Still waiting for what will be one of the greatest collab of all time !!!! Come on guys, never too late for making History !!

[@spirit_shadow9590]

R.A. the rugged man is my spirit animal.

[@ZachVanHarrisJR]

*That beard is legendary*

[@JaeEllis]

much respect to both of yall. nuff said

[@iketyson718]

Damn it cut off too soon! RA got some joints 💪💪💪 he's one of my favorite rappers... he's honest which is a rarity and his bars are as crazy as he is .

[@stevenm7211]

Didn't really Discusse R.A. being blackballed though.

[@fightfannerd2078]

I feel old two awesome guys right there

[@4ROTATIONAL4]

so Method gonna be on the new album then right?

[@Theoryraps07]

I remember opening up for R.A. The Rugged man and A.F.R.O a few years back man was that show epic for sure #TuneSqwadWithTheW Drop Top by Theory out now on all platforms

[@longdirtytoenails1076]

We need that album album from these guys.

[@jaywilley955]

A masterful performance like B Hop when he took on Kelly Pavlik.

[@paulcollins6961]

RA is heavy..

[@leorymes8839]

2 of the greatest but a lot of cats will never know.....

[@Lil_ched36]

who are they some trap rappers

[@ligmarichard4206]

@@Lil_ched36 No RA has been around since the 80s. Before Eminem ever stepped on and he was/is highly respected on the streets.

[@ligmarichard4206]

@@Lil_ched36 he's 10x better than Eminem. He's did shit with BIG and a shit ton of other artists.

[@dmvbawse4265]

Leo Rymes Nigga we know this only applies to ruggah bc he was black balled. If they sleeping on method then they are just stupid

[@realeyesrealisereallies97]

@@ligmarichard4206 wouldn't go that far lol RA one of the best no doubt but Em top 3 guaranteed

[@krispybeats6615]

mad love for both !

[@kenswift748]

Rugged is like that dude when in boxing, you got the CHAMP right? Then they got this lesser known dude known by those that matter. And this guy is known as the "ringer". This is the guy that knocks niggas out, but never gets a title shot. He sets up new top 10s for the champ to fight by demolishin better knowns. But They keep the champ away from THIS guy, dig me?

[@fiftycent4974]

you mean like mr t in rocky 3?

[@arkhitektz3150]

knocks niggas out?dig me? please tell me youre talking like that ironically...

[@dailleztj]

jermell charlo ass dude n shit

[@longdirtytoenails1076]

ken swift You could have just said Cinderella Man and not droped an n-bomb.

[@fiftytysondaman4522]

A ringer is a cheater bro ie Johnny Knoxville movie

[@jasondavid4662]

We need a rugged man/method man album soon!

[@BrandonBuckingham]

ra is a legend

[@AsiaDanceScene]

Yeah, crazy that a guy that did a track with Biggie in his prime didn't blow up

[@k9nevienna]

the label said no to him because ra is real. he tells the truth about labels in his interviews and hates the industrys culture

[@justinb7039]

2 of the best

[@bronzkhrome4024]

R.A. is fucking awesome...he's developed his own flow, which is phenomenal...and I love him for being himself after a while, :)....surprised Meth liked him, but it's all good...

[@LBlazedaillest]

Looks like Vanguard 2014 in Copenhagen. That was dope as hell

[@YAYYEE]

Method man said some real game at the end

[@rocksteady6793]

Where Method from on Li, Hempstead?

[@PeaceAchance-os6lj]

Good interview, but I'm confused about the last part. Def Jam had him in a record studio to...record music. They didn't know Pac was going to be shot there. What is he talking about?

[@888records]

R.A. one legend

[@damienscanlon6965]

Fuck, I love both these dudes..haha

[@H-KILLA01]

Respect

[@user-re6tf7bz7b]

R.A. True MC

[@mezzripper5708]

RA is an absolute beast!!!

[@CliffCloudz]

Shit fuck it..yall didnt do it then? DO IT NOW LETS GO! A R.A & Meth joint!

[@RussellMills1877]

Two legends in the game of hip hop talking and having fun at the same time and R.A. is a lyrical dude who to me doesn't get enough credit in general. And on a side note I have a you tube channel type in Russell Mills May 22, 2017

[@52GzCaparettiDonato]

2 leyends of tha world

[@musik_ink]

Legends!

[@IIMIKEYMOII]

He doesn't need to do anything but I've been wanting to see R.A. do a modern a Capella rap battle on URL/KOTD or some shit. He raps about battling in a few songs and he has a unique style/flow so I'd be interested. Obviously dreaming here but it would be cool.

[@inqilabzindabad3298]

when the joint track comin out?

[@harrythecreator0]

A crustified dibbs and Wu tang collab in the 90s would be crazy

[@frankiea3752]

Loving that Champion hoodie

[@hiphopgrind1]

legends

[@MichaelCobbs]

Great visual

[@JustLikeDaddy]

I miss yous guy's so much ....Method I waited in line when I was 19 at the Markqee theatre in phx and you gave me a big hug and a in pic you wrote I love you Mo2tha.

[@EastLaneDonte]

R.A. you're the man

[@gwizz7804]

So when is the collaboration dropping?

[@wickedwitness1007]

Why the hell do I get Selvester Stallone Vibes when Rugged talks? (Sorry if I spelt his name wrong and This is not a hate comment)

[@cashkrop]

Did R.A. and Method Man do a song? Link to this song

[@grizzlygrimace]

That last line tho... F'real!

[@murr395]

What's he saying? Record that... when Pac got shot?

[@grizzlygrimace]

They wouldnt of had him recording at quad (studios) when pac got shot... Kinda weird to say that. Not like anyone knew he was going to get shot... Or did they?

[@murr395]

Grizzly Grimace Maybe it happened after he got shot? Or they kept letting him record despite it happening, I don't know

[@messyl1900]

Should do something together, today in 2017.

[@henryzamora2958]

Method Man fire RU 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 ioi

[@dominicdeluca6378]

I'd love to see these guys beat the shit outta drake

[@jackielegs5892]

When old school niggas are jellin It always feels like we back in the 90s Its cool to see the evolution of hip hop and how black balled artists are big now that we have the internet and everybody has there own platforms. Whoever released the internet fucked up alot of peoples bags LOL

[@Tintin___]

Yeah

[@sojiroseta98]

The best thing about the WU is that color never meant shit!

[@bigbaba1491]

What? Their main influence is the nation of gods and earth, and color means everything to them. Even hitler himself wasnt as focused on color as the 5%ers are.

[@sojiroseta98]

@@bigbaba1491 only a few of them were 5% bro, how do you figure they got all this influence from Asian King Fu movies but you think their focus is color??? They had influence for the teachings of 5%ers, just like they had influence from Buddhism, like any religion you can take some of the good and let it influence your lifestyle but you dont have to be all the way in and even then i dont think you completely understands the ideaology if you're comparing it to Hitler....

[@bigbaba1491]

All the influence from kung fu movies? The influence of kung fu movies is mainly that they took some names that sounded hard. These are totally brainless 70s action movies from china, not historically correct and by no stretch of the imagination containing teachings about buddhism. All the spiritual stuff comes from the 5% teachings and a little bit of corny new age stuff rza has soaked up somewhere in hollywood. And why cant i compare the ideology of the 5% nation to hitlers...the 5%ers have extreme views on race.maybe you should look that up on the internet

[@sojiroseta98]

@@bigbaba1491 RZA has clearly studied buddhism, my point about the kung fu movies and their influence on the Wu overall is a clear indication of their open mindedness as it pertains to race and color (and no it wasnt.just the names, listen to the lyrics all over their albums), as far as comparing Hitler to the 5%ers sure you can do that, just like how you can compare Catholism to Hitler if yoi look deep enough (for example intolerance for homosexuality) so insinuating that they believe in everything that is 5%er related despite their showing otherwise over the span of their careers imo is a bit extreme, you chose ONE aspect of the 5% teachings and placed it at the center of the Wu movement.....in that sense i disageee

[@bigbaba1491]

@@sojiroseta98 The teachings of the 5% nation are at the center of the wu movement. Like i said, all that other stuff really has no substance at all, it just sounds cool. the real philosophy behind wu is that 5% stuff. And 5% philosophy is super racial first and foremost. Race is the center of their teachings i didnt put it there. Race means shit for the wu. Get over it

[@sallygreen5915]

Intersting stuff

[@seldomsceen]

I fucks wit RA. Always have.