R.A. The Rugged Man: Kids Don't Understand That You Have To Earn Respect

[@redcomic619]

Crazy how it’s been almost a month and that new R.A. album STILL has gotten no major reviews or any real attention from mainstream Hip Hop journalists. It definitely says something. You’ve kept it real though and put together a dope, insightful conversation. Thank you for that 🙏

[@TheCompanyMan]

Thank you for checking them out.

[@ljunyreona9882]

Honestly it sounds like he use the same flow in every song n just change the word.He is a great lyricist though but it ain't enough for general HipHop fans to tune in.

[@pbskids4000]

@@ljunyreona9882 Doesn't that explain most rappers though?

[@carlwilliams897]

Ljuny reona You chatting a bag of breeze!

[@underground4012]

@@ljunyreona9882 Yeah bc "gotta be dope" and "first born" are the same flow? R.A. is 1 of the most versatile ever with his flow

[@etotheipi42]

I am reminded of a Krs One verse off the song Robot: “This ain't a diss to nobody's art Cause Afrika Bambaataa really gave it a start You go back in the history of rap man And you'll see classic jams like Planet Rock and Pack Jam Go online, look up Kraftwerk Everything we doin is past work We already wore that hat, those pants and that shirt So do you man if that works!! But we really here to talk about all the copies Cause when it comes to hip-hop, we the orthodoxy Cats poorly copy, copy sloppy In that section, young people should not be! There used to be a time, when you were writing your rhyme You observed the rule of no bitin No imitatin, no hate and no fakin We started breakin, so we could STOP fightin Get enlightened - I battle you, you battle me The crowd judges the originality It's not about a salary It's all about describing the reality that's grabbin me accurately” The power rapping gives hip hop is for meta-criticism to exist within the art itself. It also allows shout outs to occur which is a form of source citation. I learned hip hop culture by listening to hip hop music and noting what it said self referentially and by noting what artists were mentioned by artists I knew and liked in songs. So long as good rappers keep the tradition of rapping about hip hop itself and continue to shout out current and past greats the music will self curate into a canon of work. Artists must step away from what has been done in order to be original, but if they stray to far from the canon they won’t be included in it. Not being included in it means they will have no legacy. Popularity is writing a New York Times best seller. Legacy is writing a book that will make it onto future syllabuses. The advantage hip hop has over literature is the process of determining what work matters and ends up on future syllabuses can largely be done by the artists themselves within the music itself. Outside critics opinions of who can rap don’t matter as much because there is a musical record of rappers saying who can rap.

[@joonashannila8751]

I genuinely care about hiphop in general. It has been a very important part of my life since 90s, no matter how dark or good my life has been.

[@TheCompanyMan]

Me too, Joonas.

[@carlwilliams897]

Big facts!

[@paranorml]

R.A. needs a weekly show. Love hearing him speak on Hip Hop. Definitely should be part of the Hip Hop council.

[@carlwilliams897]

Lol, for real ✊🏽

[@bmst8236]

rugged has so many valid points about the generational divide

[@IdeaStudioBKK]

I like how you looped back to the death of hip hop and then went in and clarified the language at play. Nicely done.

[@TheCompanyMan]

Thank you, sir.

[@carlwilliams897]

Put some respect on Rugged Man's name!!! He's a God Mc 🙌🏽

[@corywelch667]

Ice-T is 62! He has to be the oldest rapper to ever appear on a record at this point. Legend. Also, R.A. needs his respect. Great content as always, Justin.

[@birdlip1814]

Blowfly

[@justincarr8178]

Fantastic last part of an ace interview,loved it.It was like listening to 2 friends talking about things they love.Justin I never really had you down as an RA guy,don't know why but this interview (like Rugged Man's LP) is dope.Cheers Company Bloke

[@TheCompanyMan]

Thanks JC!

[@makajossos9431]

The big problem is that they keep calling this new shit hiphop. Just name it another genre and its all good. HipPop

[@underground4012]

Ive said the same exact thing! I realized its still too much of a compliment to them though. It cant sound anything like rap or hip-hop

[@joeljv5982]

Mumble rap pop artist should never be compared to hip hop lyricist

[@makajossos9431]

RA the legend. All my heroes are dead is the best album ive heard since B4.DA.$$

[@TheCompanyMan]

It's a dope album.

[@makajossos9431]

Underground 401 ok the best since season of the assasin then

[@beatsbymayo4142]

thank you for interviewing R.A. Great interview!

[@Sedrick]

You are awesome Justin! Thank you so much for all this interview and all you do!

[@savagelychill2858]

There will always be a generation gap in music, culture, style and fashion. Every generation thinks theirs is the greatest. That being said you can’t pretend like nothing existed before you. The younger artists should study those that came before them. In sports, entertainment, etc..the current best or popular doesn’t equal the best ever. Even that is debatable. At the end of the day just respect the craft. It’s not a game or a hustle. It’s Hip Hop.

[@OGNICKMARSH]

Shit, I better face my fears and check that album out!

[@kingnarcissist7974]

Hip Hop started out as Party music. DJ Kool Herc wasn’t throwing a Dead Poets society meaning 😂

[@sgtcreasegrease]

Hip-Hop was party music back then, to take people's minds off the violence and keep them from fighting each other. The "party music" you speak of now is put out by people that feel like they have to get a bunch of tattoos, do a bunch of prescription drugs, and do cringey shit to appeal to the braindead masses, only to blow all their money because they thought they were hot shit but their fame wore off. That's Hip-Hop? lmfao. I'm sure Cool Herc wasn't thinking half the important shit that happened with Hip-Hop culture in the coming decades would happen, so your point is irrelevant.

[@sgtcreasegrease]

@UCaNazmnlbzC2I81VgsGGUHQ You;re gonna slow your roll, mcpenisface, because I don't have problems with people talking about drugs. Everybody did coke in the seventies. I like a lot of rappers that talk about drugs. My issue is it being projected that you have to talk about drugs, or do drugs (especially opioids, ya'll should really know better, that's worse than the fucking street drugs), just to get on or be accepted. Look at Juiceworld. Perfect example. Lil Peep? May not have been a fan of his music at all but I definitely don't think either of these dudes deserved to die. And if you're down with that, you're a fucking fool. I'm probably younger than you also, so I urge you to check yourself and think before you speak.

[@TheMicklachey]

Him and Chino are both 46. So if Chino was 16 when he went to R.A.'s concert, he was watching a 16 year old R.A. perform?

[@ericmiller9881]

I definitely know RA was rockin shows 30 years ago

[@anthonytorres7282]

Bruh why do we keep highlighting the shit. Their has always been trash music in every genre. Show love to the talented youth. We still got dreamville, tde, griselda, asap, tyler, earl, and so many more. We good. Hip hops aight.

[@regirayquaza]

You name groups but then Earl and Tyler instead of Odd Future.

[@ericmiller9881]

No doubt. The issue is some cats don't know their history. Which is crazy, you feel me? Back in the day cats was samplin pieces of records from past generations. The biggest issue to me isn't whether or not cats are trash or not because that is taste. But, if you are makin trash ass albums with no historical reference or respect for people that came before you that's wack

[@TheCompanyMan]

@@ericmiller9881 That's interesting. never thought about a lack of sampling decreasing musical knowledge and history.

[@carlwilliams897]

Eric Miller excellent point ☝🏽

[@ericmiller9881]

@Miles Prower So instead of listening to beats and rhymes that knock, you were thinkin about the excluded. Its music, homey. Not propaganda, as much as people try to make it so. It was a way that jersey and new york cats rocked the party. Truly. I feel a part of what you're saying, for real. But dawgz the classes you mentioned could come up with their own shit, and feel a type of way about forefathers swag. That's not fair at all

[@gregsgreen5791]

"R.a. tHe BoOmeR mAN" haha I'm so original

[@AvAlanchian]

Love you R.A. was blown out of the water with your latest opus. Spitting venom as usual. Long live the rugged man.

[@StevieGGaming]

More subscribers for this guy

[@heyzeuscreestow9394]

Keep on keeping on man, your doing great work!

[@Staplegunner]

They also have to LEARN respect, educate youth instead of shitting on them. The youth was born from boomers

[@sailcvl3976]

fuckin cool to hear RA shout out Atmos =) they dont get the credit they deserve

[@MrMysterious420]

7:04 R.A. makes a point here that even when he was 15 he would call out whack lyrics which is a good point. A lot of what actually becomes popular in our culture is driven by the 15-25 year olds, so when R.A was 15, his opinion of Hip-hop was the same as the artists who were at that time moving the genre forward. R.A ain't 15 no more, and while I agree with R.A that rappers should be about good lyrics, clearly that view is not shared by the youth of today who are the ones in control of where this genre goes. I'll never listen to 6ix9ine and a lot of old cats probably don't ether, but he just broke records with his new song which shows that the hip-hop fans of today (youth) don't actually care about snitching, great lyricism, focusing on your craft, but more about "catching a vibe".

[@chefb3432]

Him and vinnie paz need to do an album

[@heyzeuscreestow9394]

I can't wait to get some clout to my name and shout out Justin on a track. Ha

[@joeodonnell921]

Album under mos def?

[@JCphilly04]

The tipping point by the roots

[@justincarr8178]

Ah Justin fucking up RAs and Mrs domestic bliss,shame on you.

[@chriswalker6233]

You have to learn the history before you start innovating

[@bmst8236]

the new generation grew up with their friends making low quality songs on soundcloud, so quality doesnt matter as much, they also want right now and dont wanna put the same work alot of us did to learn the history of hip hop, its like 50 years worth of history now, so they are like fuck that, we just thinking about recent history, to alot of the kids that like 6ix9ine and lil Uzi, Big Sean and Cole are old heads... they have grown up entirely on Drake and have zero clue about the detailed history... it used to be everything to be involved in it, but so much time has passed we are seeing what we wanted hip hop to be, universal and worldly, and the trade off is people are gonna use hip hop in their own way, its grown and evolved into what everyone wishes it to be... my problem with the kids, is they think they are controlling the cool and who is in those slots and like our generation they are not, the rappers that are "poppin" now are all selected for agendas ... lil uzi vert (lucifer) XXX- 666, juiceworld999 - 666, trippie redd - demonic character, nbayoungboy nba hip hop programming, lil pump, lil florida sellout, kodak black (3 k's) all of them are not organic they were brought into the machine to form the new "organic" class... My issue with the kids is go find someone young with skills that hasnt been prepped, find someone that is your own pick, not complexes, not dj akadmik not XXL, find ur generations talent and showcase that. It's where the last generation fucked up, we let things get too commercial...

[@JJ-yz6xe]

So you meaning to tell me he never had to have that goofy ass beard

[@noblesavvy7803]

RA is a great lyricist but he has that boomer mentality who always thinks that his era, his type of music is always the best, always the "real hiphop" and thinks he knows everything about what hiphop is and should be. One thing RA should know is that they are not the standards of what hiphop is. They are the same as the artist that came before and after them who are contributing to the culture. Different eras, different problems, different topics, different listeners, different public demand.

[@BlenKingzly]

just by the fact you have to use "boomer" in your comment, indicates that you harbor a degree of butthurt from the discussion, as well as little understanding as to the gold standard of "learn and master your craft". i agree w/him unequivocally that the recent generation of "rappers" hold a sense of false entitlement, and grandstand on catalogs of songs that LITERALLY take 5 minutes to make. I understand what youre saying that people / generations evolve, experience and consume things differently, but REGARDLESS of R.A.'s prowess as a lyricist, he holds down the NY (birthplace) tradition of respect has to be earned. to not show reverence, (or at least) acknowledge that value from the masters that CREATED the artform, reinforces his argument, that millennial rappers expect to get participation medals just for showing up.

[@noblesavvy7803]

@@BlenKingzly aha! Haha i think you're the one who is butthurt with my use of the word "boomer" because you know what i meant about it yet you still have to highlight it out. Look I agree with a lot of the things that he is saying and it applies with other genres and other art forms too but what i am trying to say is that this common theme in most of his interviews where he doesnt show much appreciation with this younger talents and keeps on focusing on the trash rappers is what is wrong with him. It shows his lack of understanding of this generation, you can absolutely be a trash rapper but still be able to make money and help yourself out of poverty, help tour family or your community. Do you think this people would really care what RA is saying? It is a new generation, new formula for success and things are continuously evolving. There are a lot of new rappers out there who dont belong to the "trash" category which RA could be focusing his energy on. Give advise, critique, diss, recognize, appreciate, collaborate or give a shout out to. Right now he is simply sounding like a typical "boomer".

[@ladydontekno]

Noble Savage I’m butthurt that you called a gen x-er a “boomer”. But in all seriousness I get what he’s saying. Nothing wrong with being a party rapper, but I don’t want to “vibe” either, I want songs that sound like songs. A lot of these younger artists are putting out ideas of songs, but they don’t sound like songs.

[@johnbutler7567]

It's not hip hop this new shit is trap or mumble rap it's a whole different genre for different people mostly kids and women

[@amanharwara]

RA The Boomer Man

[@mcmorientes]

Rugged man is too conservative, if the new always have to adjust after the will of the old there will be very little progression. Celerbrate the diversity.

[@sgtcreasegrease]

That's not what he meant and if you were listening you would understand that. Popular Hip-Hop is filled with a bunch of copycat, mumbling drug abusing weirdos that have a complete lack of respect for the trail laid down before them and disregard what the pioneers worked so hard to build. They got us looking ridiculous. All because some white record executive wants shit to sell, and what sells is someone looking ridiculous popping pills. I don't got problems with people that do drugs. I have problems with it being put out there that you have to do this to get out of the hood. Look at all the garbage that gets pushed to the top. Sure there's lots of good shit out there now, R.A., Griselda, Tyler, Kendrick, J-cole (all very diverse mind you), but all that ignorant junky rap gets pushed to the top. And that shit's not cool, and I don't care what anyone says about that. Oh and the east biting the south is the most bitch move people from the east can make.

[@LiquidDIO]

I'd agree if it was actually progressing. It's not. It's devolving, while the sounds progress and the technology progresses. There's exceptions like Rocky, TDE, Griselda, Freddie Gibbs, etc, but they're not the rule, and apologists hide behind them every time this conversation happens, as if the core weren't the 69s, Uzi Verts, Yachtys, Fetty Waps, Lil Pumps, etc.

[@OofieDooples]

Oof big boomer energy. R A can rap, but his hot takes are intelligent in their own special way. I mean his albums getting actually getting launched are pretty much participation trophies at this point.

[@jackpot777jp]

First