R.A. The Rugged Man Says He Witnessed Biggie Write His Rhymes

[@Mookaron]

Jay-Z write his shit on paper,he just memorize that shit before he leave his house! Dude made 12 platinum albums & he never wrote down nothing?! I was born at night,but not last night! 💯

[@carlwilliams897]

Mookaron I'm with you bro I don't believe that shit either.

[@BreuckelensFinest]

Mookaron I was born in the afternoon but not yesterday afternoon! Hahaha

[@GmoneyMozart]

exactly! lol

[@kingofcomments1917]

Mookaron i think it was later on bro , its called muscle memory he writes his stuff in his head and repeats it so he doesnt have to write and it comes off more naturally

[@kmew94]

He started this practice after Reasonable Doubt. Can I Live was supposedly the last song he ever wrote on paper

[@TheMorg32]

"it's 44 bars" "oh, well rap 16 of them" "no" lmao

[@fuzzydunlop1753]

Word, RA is that dude lmao.

[@ericmiller9881]

Hilarious

[@corbelan4]

Vlad giving him attitude cuz he’s white. He won’t do that to a black guest smh

[@trailmusic1118]

Rugged and Vlad guaranteed to get into a disagreement in every damn video

[@TheReid1233]

TrailMusic that's why he needs to keep bringing him back. its interesting

[@cvo7617]

TrailMusic yes Vlad always argue with him but you never see him argue with no black dude ever

[@trailmusic1118]

Reid Woodman agreed I'm a big fan of RA

[@XxScArEcRoWxX1]

QuickSilver SnD he don't wanna catch them hands

[@davidawonaike1188]

+QuickSilver SnD lord jamar

[@trailmusic1118]

his Uncommon Valor verse is one of the greatest of all time

[@johnsoncarter1132]

And I don't know if Vlad is just acting dumb but when you look the verse up on here it shows the music video for "Uncommon Valor" that was uploaded to VladTV 6 years ago.

[@trailmusic1118]

Johnson Carter I think everybody who knows something about underground hip hop must know the verse surely?

[@sourpatchkid20]

TrailMusic cuz it's a true story

[@johng8671]

Mightkill Jacksome ehh hate to call you a liar but anybody from Long Island knows you live on it not in it...

[@johng8671]

Mightkill Jacksome I'm just letting you know it's impossible to live inside of an island... You can live in a city on an island... If you live in queens you live ON Long Island... Bong bong bong

[@AARONKAYE]

RA reminds me of Rocky Balboa

[@timmelbourne2381]

He just thinks he's black

[@versetylevty946]

@@timmelbourne2381 Just because he's a rapper??? Here in Portugal Fado was created by whites but we dont give a shit if the singer is black or white. America needs to chill. Music is the universal language, it transcends all differences, including race. White people have the right to make black people music, just like black people have the right to make white people music. We are all equal.

[@rgw1380rw]

@@timmelbourne2381 He appears to be himself. You must not forget that every so called Black people don't behave or talk the same way.

[@KitchenMisfit818]

@@timmelbourne2381 lol have you heard his music??? Dude doesnt try to sound black and doesnt sound black. Dont get your shit twisted.

[@Det313]

A YO ADRIAN...... 😂😂😂

[@brandonleblanc8335]

Because I watched this I discovered "Uncommon Valor" for the first time. As a war vet this brought tears to my eyes. Very powerful

[@wiserhiphop3202]

Thank you for your service!

[@overtflow]

RA the beast

[@jwclocktower]

I'm glad finally somebody told the truth about BIG, it's okay to write your rhymes, it's okay to be human

[@frankiegunnz8066]

Why can't an MC not change his way of doing things?...... Everyone does It In their lives.

[@LJDS1979]

Those 44 bars in Uncommon Valor are legend! The lyricism from top to bottom on that track is insane.

[@dylandruryformerlyyungjabb3913]

as a hip hop artist myself i cant believe so many people dont write their own music especially in hip hop writing ur music is creating it, once someone else writes it ur basically just a performing artist not a hip hop artist or rapper

[@barryobillion9946]

You're a hip-hop artist. These other guys are pop artists. A part of the industry machine. The industry itself in every single genre works on music as a "collaborative" effort. True hip-hop lyricists aren't traditional industry guys with a few exceptions to the rule. What they did for the rappers who are pop artists is to blur the lines by making them play the character that they rap about in their music in real life as well. That's why it's hard to believe that these pop artist rappers have a team of people with them writing songs.

[@tweeze2700]

So many tears)))biggies whole album mix tape freestyles. OAKLAND said it.

[@PapaIrie]

Dude beard looks like an landline phone hanging from the cord

[@tomkat4480]

Lmfao

[@SamuraiSmokes]

No haha cant unsee

[@krowentheunknown7848]

Never going to unsee that 😂

[@CornholioPuppetMaster]

He looks like a character on socom navy seals

[@theoriginalsamueljohnson]

Mystery solved.

[@centurysam6679]

Vlad has spent hours interviewing RA and hasn't even heard his best verse? Do your homework, man...

[@taylormcgarry470]

Vlad might have heard the verse he could have just been trying to get RA to rap it for the camera so he can ask other rappers what they think and try to stir some shit. But I could be wrong and really didn't know it lol idk

[@Blackhawk211]

@@taylormcgarry470 Bro uncommon valor is uploaded on the vladtv channel

[@taylormcgarry470]

@@Blackhawk211 yea I figured. I don't know everything that's on Vlad channel. But that's what I was trying to say. That Vlad probly heard it before and was just trying to get Rugged man to rap it for him and the camera. Cuz if I was a interviewer I would check out the person's work before I interview them so I figured that vlad had to of heard it. Lol

[@Pine_Hill_Prophit]

why the fuck is vlad acting like his never heard Uncommon Valor lol the video for it is on this channel, uploaded like six years ago

[@robertocruz6468]

🙏🏻R.I.P #Legend #NotoriousBIG

[@dawzavelithedon6882]

FUCKBIGGIE MAKAVELI4LIFE

[@76movex34]

DAWZAVELI THEDON Get the fuck outta here

[@holypaladin4657]

Big Al also you call him a coward for dissing a dead man, but then say '2Fake'. Hypocritical bitch. At least have an ounce of sense.

[@danielduran7349]

Vlad never heard Uncommon Valor? wtf

[@ultimatelanhaus]

yeah wtf, he clearly doesn't know hiphop!

[@erusstv]

Daniel Duran he’s too busy listening to mumble rap

[@biggie2335]

It’s just weird bc his uncommon valor is on vladtv channel

[@ArMiNiSfUCkinRedicK]

I didnt either until like 10 mins ago....glad i did....remarkable story telling

[@mattkinsman272]

nomar manuel-munoz yea, but you’re not the one interviewing Rappers, supposedly “In-tune” with the hiphop culture.

[@aherbs86]

Uncommon Valor is one of the best verses of all time. That and INS on Triumph.

[@lorislolo4118]

True, Fucking Amazing, Canibus Verse On "Beast From The East" Is Up There Also !

[@jordanbryant5035]

@@lorislolo4118 thats my favorite verse along with rewind from nas

[@guyprieto1593]

Verbal intercourse Nas

[@lyrics2challenged]

INS triumph isn't even his best OPENING verse.

[@bryanmayes9234]

100%

[@allmusicdotcom]

Biggie was the nicest MC and a real G, his haters don't know shit about real rap.

[@EL95GE]

Cruise Control his mom does, lol he's not a real G. He wasn't no dope dealer

[@Uzigograh]

EL95GE u stupid or sum shyt?

[@Drimirin]

Who the fuck could hate Biggie? You gotta have some real personal issues to consume yourself with such negativity.

[@Uzigograh]

Olórin for real smh

[@rafalstanek5906]

Biggie dope, but ain't in my top 10

[@bejitah]

We're in the trash era.

[@vivalatradicion8476]

Bejīta Not true we just in the mainstream clowning era.

[@bejitah]

Viva La Tradicion Most of the mainstream is trash. Underground is usually always fine.

[@davidawonaike1188]

+Bejīta top lyricist like K.Dot and Cole are still at the top

[@vivalatradicion8476]

David Awonaike wouldn't say cole is top tier.

[@rexstevenson3239]

Viva La Tradicion he is

[@Thirty3mad]

When people say Biggie ain't the GOAT bacause he only has 2 Albums... I say "Nigga, He only need 2 albums to be considered the GOAT!". Biggie was that dope!

[@BestRapperInAsia]

biggies overrated son..

[@loyalulster5413]

tupac is the definition of overrated boy

[@Thirty3mad]

Toffy Laq 2wack is overrated bitch

[@four4four636]

Bigggie smalls is fucking garbage. He has only like a handful of good songs.

[@Butterd4t4ss]

Stunna BadAzz bugging. you probably don't like listening to full length albums. ready to die is a classic. I still think big L, nas, canibus are more lyrical , but biggie had that nice flow/delivery

[@Semscure]

How does Vlad not know Uncommon Valor when the music video to it is uploaded on his channel...

[@ademradoncic1307]

Uncommon valor low key one of the best songs ever

[@k9nevienna]

what, do you even know what low key means?

[@marksuckaturd5098]

LOW KEY? YOU COULDN'T HAVE USED THAT TERM ANY MORE OUT OF CONTEXT THAN YOU DID HERE.

[@marksuckaturd5098]

@Ted Green OMG. KZbin views is the yardstick by which you measure if a song is "one of the best songs ever"? I know what you're getting at when you refer the view count but your point is completely moot. RA and 85% of his audience don't come from a time where views/streams equated to record sales. Most RA heads actually buy physical copies even to this very day. Die hard heads buy up on CD, wax and casette if they happen to release them on tape too. Alot of those buy two copies of each format if they can afford to and it's available to them. One to play, one to keep sealed. So back to original point. The term low key was used out of context to most of us who actually brought the record/s in 2006.

[@FNNickJamesTV]

How does he not know Uncommon Valor? The video's on THIS fuckin channel.

[@TRivera13]

It is fact that Big wrote down his lyrics early in his career. R.A. ain't the first to say that. There's no shame in whether you use pen and paper or not. It's the results that matter. Way too many rappers want to pull that no writing shit, yet don't have 1/10th of the skill that Big or Jay have.

[@chrispierno2425]

Weezy

[@damnthisuser]

Nas writes and his shit is timeless.

[@wavegod_1006]

@@chrispierno2425 weezy punched in totally different

[@UndisputedBoxing]

When it comes to rapping in the Classic form it's best if you write your rhymes ... but for trap music Freestyling is the way to go cause there's so many adlibing going on it don't even matter

[@ahustletv]

this is first interview ra talked about his music...smh Vlad is such a gossiper

[@captainx9522]

Vlad is such a clown boy. Vlad: Rap it RA: right now? (we're busy talking knucklehead) its 44 bars Vlad: give me 16 RA:NO! (you got RA on your vulture show and you dont even know his most well known work? how are you even in business?)

[@SunCityGamer]

Captain X Vlad is trash!

[@Blickyrobyason]

Captain X even listening to it before or something, what a fuckin guy lol

[@timvark7074]

Who the hell listens to RA?

[@Blickyrobyason]

Tom Brady not gonna lie, more people do watch Vlad than the amount who listen to RA currently. The numbers don’t lie. But Vlad is less genuine and 1000x as questionable

[@slipperysnake9603]

yoBarlito numbers actually do lie. People can pay for views. That phrase don’t work anymore lol

[@finchisneat]

Man, RA is one of the realest ever... I believe 99.9% of what he says. I consistently find songs of his that continue to blow me away. Very underrated imo.

[@travvypoo]

Biggie was a real artist.

[@zipel]

What do u mean?

[@aft5264]

Sauce McAdams His flow is still unmatched.

[@Tru-Feel]

Tupac had better flow lyrics beats & on top of that delivery the amount of topics Tupac touched n ya brain don’t even fully develop until you 25 n he died at 25 so let that sink in n the musik he has will live much longer but because pac is attached to biggie n vice versa they will both live on but imagine if they lived how much more greater they would of became but on the contrary biggie died at 24 they both would of gotten even better no question

[@jd5726]

That Rawkus Soundbombing 2 album was incredible what more could you want from an album it had some great rappers on it like RA, Eminem, Pharoahe Monch, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Smif and Wessun, Dilated Peoples

[@possessedslig]

Chaos with Talib Kweli and Bahamadia 🔥

[@Phicxtion]

uncommon valor still gives me chills to this day. one of the illest verses in hip hop history.

[@k.t.harmon343]

That's true Big wrote in the beginning but it doesn't matter he's still the King 👑

[@gellotion]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@spokehead8218]

R.A. the Rugged Man respect, keep doin ur thing man. Crustify ur Dibson 2017. Thanks for a couple decades of fire(dope songs).

[@spokehead8218]

Crustify ur Dibs on*

[@carlton_k]

more interviews with RA please....always super interesting to watch

[@lordcrumb108]

Idc what anyone replies with or how they feel, but RA is simply a legend.

[@ac8D3]

His reaction to people asking him for "Soundbombing" hahaha

[@anotherday499]

Rewriting history... I saw a video way back when dame and Jay Z stated that Jay stopped writing when he learned that biggie didn’t write...

[@tchallal6684]

Another Day Jay said he stop writing because he would get so far from the house that he couldn’t write verses down so he had to memorize them.

[@vernicemoore8213]

Biggie been dead for over 20 years and this is the first time I've ever heard Biggie wrote. Heard the same story about Jay Z and Big with Jay Z being in awe, then vowing to do it like Biggie

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

@@vernicemoore8213you wish you heard that

[@vernicemoore8213]

@@VinceBond-ky2zt But I did hear that

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

@@vernicemoore8213 everyone close to Biggie from lil cease, dj clark kent, lil kim etc has stated he was writing prior to witnessing Jayz do it back in 1996 on Brooklyn finest but i guess its more comforting to believe the complete opposite

[@greenbackz]

haha i had no idea rugged man hated that stanley kubrick track. i love it and probably woulda never discovered rugged man if it wasn't for that epic soundbombing 2 compilation. i still consider it my favorite compilation of all time.

[@ZAMCRO]

JayZ said he handed BIG a pen and pad their first time in studio together and BIG handed it back and said "he didn't write his shit anymore" and Jay said "ok cool, I don't either." Of course I'm paraphrasing but you get the point. I believe RA though.

[@jamesknight2300]

no its true, Big did write at first but while he was recording Ready to Die he did in fact stop writing for himself n just freestyled everything. It has been rumored that he penned other people's shit tho

[@stevebhikh1540]

@@jamesknight2300 he wrote for the entire junior mafia verse

[@wavegod_1006]

@@stevebhikh1540 diddy to

[@ToroidalVortexLove]

This was at the start of Biggie's career. He didn't always write in his head, I thought that was a known thing that he stopped writing on paper later in his career.

[@FreshmenBolts]

I've been thinking about uncommon valor,...decided to watch a RA interview,.....I agree one of the best verses in history,.....brings fuckin tears

[@Dog-999i]

Interesting because Too $hort said that when he did "Pimps and Hoes" with Biggie he said that he was surprised that he never wrote his words down. So maybe Big's style changed right after he did Ready to Die or when he started working with Junior Mafia.

[@sesscraven]

djvlad been interviewing r.a and never heard of uncommon valor with one of the greatest verses

[@DEADBEATchess666]

yo vlad, you NEED to hear RAs bars on uncommon valour, seriously man go listen to it now, in my opinion it is one of the best hiphop tracks of all time,thanks for the vids man respect from the uk-

[@broadwaybiz211]

another great interview

[@westie420uk]

Uncommon Valor is one of the greatest songs of all time, from the subject matter to the delivery to the personal connection. it's fucking amazing.

[@echad6259]

for the people who say they don't write...I can tell.

[@InsaneGamesYT]

At least He's keeping PassionateMC well fed :P

[@DANNYDOLLARS]

Uncommon valor is Definitely one of the greatest verses of all time

[@richieblack5530]

Thats amazing thinking about how good Jay is

[@WHG369]

lol. Big wrote his rhymes early on. in the middle of ready to die he would sit and make them up in his head. that's why big doesn't have a catalogue like Pac. he catered each rhyme to the beat.

[@jamesknight2300]

@gary corr that's actually been said by multiple people.....

[@kingnaldo4058]

*Biggie* complained about the transfer ability process from mind to pad to mic because it disrupts his flow patterns. So memorizing his rhymes negates that problem.....🤔

[@ericdemby4644]

I was listening to tracy Lee saying that about big just a few days ago. And he's right. When I write what's in my head it don't flow the same so I have to tweak it

[@Kifflom]

Uncommon Valor is one of the best verses of all time! Also, VladTV uploaded his verse 7 years ago but says he's never heard it?

[@nickgoodlock263]

There's a good handful of Rappers that don't have to actually pen their verses, they just go in and spit

[@HeistRockah]

From a penman's perspective, that "Uncommon Valor", really is one of the illest verses on a beat, ever recorded. Go check it out. True Story. Fire delivery. Big Up RA!

[@FrancoF6]

Biggie on R.A: "Man I thought I was the illest"

[@thedon1395]

Ra tha rugged is the realest alive.

[@afrosymphony8207]

i dnt think thats the reason eminem kicked out kendricks entourage, i think he just wanted a quiet nd non distracting space to make music and i like that

[@dontcrynow7534]

RA and BIG, 2 of the realest mcs

[@rellcity11]

Clark Kent already said Biggie stop writing once he met Jay Z

[@bmore24t56]

don think that's accurate though, he didn't write everything down on ready to die

[@rellcity11]

Key word u said was "everything"

[@Breeze06]

Eric Iverson True but easy moe bee said biggie stopped writing halfway through ready to die snd that was in 94. Biggie didn't meet jay til 96

[@WorldFamousDJFish]

We need an R.A. movie yesterday.

[@ZiGGi03]

uncommon valor is one of the best verses ive ever heard well RA's verse on the song .

[@cyphernews713]

The Uncommon Valor video was released onto the djvlad KZbin channel years ago, so it's surprising he doesn't know the track.

[@solobeats1]

not really....he's just a bigger fan on the BS that comes with Hip Hop, he don't use his platform for insight on how or what went into a Hip Hop classic, he wants to know which 2 men are having sex and which 2 men are at odds with each other.....and he really hates Eminem.

[@Smorgasvord]

RA and Vlad just gonna start throwing hands during one of these interviews

[@mr.nuffsaid9834]

PeeJay Torres I'd love to c tht

[@solobeats1]

that'll be the day....White on white violence in Hip Hop.

[@bigwill6089]

He's not lying!! Uncommon Valor is a great song!!

[@6reatHazyOfficial]

I seen him open up for icp. Never knew who he was. But its dope icp had him on tour wit them

[@jbarrier3506]

Biggie and ra were closer then you new heads think

[@OverSizedMidgetES]

Aint there a interview where he litteraly calls Ra "that white boy?" and gives gime a 2-3 and only did it for the money and music, is that true?

[@incogneto2834]

@@OverSizedMidgetES Its been reported that Big was impressed with R.A overratingtheunderrated.com/2010/01/biggie-i-thought-i-was-the-illest/

[@schematicb5393]

@@OverSizedMidgetES I remember hearing that too. Apparently RA actually tried to get an audio recording from the guy who wrote this but he was never able to produce it. He thought it was fabricated because it seemed from his side that they were friends

[@BIGNOIDS]

Interesting to hear him say he doesn't really like Stanley Kubrick because that's the song that got me into him and remains a firm favourite of mine.

[@bruceleeds7988]

You can't have a line as dope as "We fucking Bitches by the hundreds!" and not expect to perform that song for the rest of your life!!

[@Chris-ir8yy]

I heard it was Brooklyn's Finest is where Biggie switched it up

[@SourceLOOPS]

"we flip your car over like Long Island steroid abusers" Stanley Kubrick is 💪

[@heeggie]

'da fuck era are we in? what is this shit?' 😂😂 my thoughts exactly

[@tonybologna9071]

I never heard Common Valor, I’ll check it out but I know RA from the High & Mighty compilation albums those guys were dope

[@TheKamurdoch]

R.A really a legend in this shit. One of the only MCs around who can say they were in the studio with biggie, everyone says what a legend biggie is but if people checked the history even biggie thought R.A was better than him.

[@Travellahh]

ARingdinger250 I dunno man. I cant pick any of the 2. Both legendary mc's, but very different

[@OshawaStateOfMind]

Lol search biggie rating other rappers apparently he gave ra a 2 or a 3

[@jimmyrogers3527]

Legends Never Die respect

[@motownjackSr]

That Stanley Kubrick joint cold 🍃😖💦 that Soundbombin was my favorite good mix of MC's and Djs

[@dmvconartists2542]

I saw RA with JMT at this time hes talking about. I'm not gunna lie.. he was incredible.. blew me and the crowd away. This was in DC in like 2006ish right when that JMT CD was dropping with uncommon volar.. the heaven and hell below or whatever its called.. servants in heaven kings in hell.. yeah he actually killed it that night. JMT, reef the lost cause, outerspace.. everyone was damn good that night but RA really had the crowd goin nuts and he was the headliner except I think maybe like outerspace mighta cane out first then came back out with JMT. It's been a while and I was on some drugs that night but yo that show was incredible

[@duanechavis5340]

that joint on soundbombing is it!!! Suffolk wut up!!

[@Almosttwins24]

RAs Uncommon Valor verse was stright fire🔥

[@drvancouversa358]

I heard it was the other at around re: BIG and Jay. Big told Jay to put the pen/paper down when songwriting

[@mavericks1399]

RA should've rap that verse just to show how great rap is.... Call me Thorburn, John A., Staff Sergeant Marksman, skilled in killin', illin', I'm able and willin' Kill a village elephant, rapin' and pillage a village Illegitimate killers, U.S. Military guerrillas .... one of my fav of all time

[@md.s2536]

DJ vlad Step 1 - get interview with legendary hip hop personality Step 2 - ask them a bunch of questions about Eminem, regardless of relevance Step 3 - repeat

[@batwings389]

Love how RA just threw that bottle away at 1:43

[@spidersense1472]

Bat Wings Fuck Vlad's place!

[@XyZCwP]

you cant fuck with R.A hes super intellegent & a gr8 rapper one of the best so underrated but its all good i dont ever want him to sell out , been listning to him for years .big up

[@prodby511]

we all knew biggie wrote all his lyrics, have y'all not seen how vicious his freestyle game was???

[@alitalib3875]

man I love RA he so hip hop bro

[@JB-xv7gk]

If you blindfolded me and told me “Tommy” from power was talking, I’d believe you...

[@Purplegorillaz]

One of the greatest underrated rappers

[@loganleatherman7647]

Damn, That's crazy yo! Big bein' inspired by Jay??? That's nuts. Straight up writin' off his head. That's talent right there. Changin' up your whole style to perform with a lesser MC who you admire, that's some shit. Big def gave Jay some props there, straight up. Jay on that though, from not having paper and a pad to write shit down cuz he out hustlin', that's some real shit! I admire that. Not many can do that.

[@thedon1395]

Logan Leatherman jay z took big ls style once he died so you really need to know your history before you speak.

[@Krafty]

hahaha "Get Busta away from Dinco coz they might write each others rhymes!"

[@morris6592]

he is the Rocky of rap

[@theh.n.i.c2943]

notification gang

[@Kooliow12]

Jason W yooo

[@F1sen]

His verse on Give It Up with J-Live is mad tight aswell

[@derekmatthews2213]

Ready to die is when he was still writing his rhymes Life after Death is when he stop writing and that’s before Jay because he starting working on it in late 95 and mid 96 so maybe idk

[@Deadhammer218]

Vlad made the title like Biggie was Jesus and R.A. witnessed him walking on water or some shit xD

[@caliking2x]

lol at how vlad took it completely literal when RA said everybody has a ghost writer these days

[@c.l.harris8561]

Never understood the whole "I dont write my rhymes" thing. All that matters is making a good song, I dont care how it gets made just make it.

[@rapartist9309]

He wrote his rhymes before Brooklyns finest when he seen jay z not writing so he started not writing

[@TonyMasters27]

Jay fall of shit. He has writers

[@lyrics2challenged]

@@TonyMasters27 names.

[@TonyMasters27]

Chris did major writing on bp2 sauce money in da early days. Oschino just mentioned him stealing sp rhymes. Also listen to im not a writer im a bitter. Mad people rhymes

[@Ferocioussquirrel]

"Ja play da Sound bombing!" 😂

[@aws9604]

5:35 damn. 500 songs with three albums (and a shelved) out? R.A's gotta release some of those.

[@rickyboy613]

*He is definitely on blow*

[@sypreemteem2250]

I am 2!😁

[@rickyboy613]

@@sypreemteem2250 Good job lol

[@sincityquinn]

Dj Premier said he saw Biggie write his verse in his head. I use to like rhyming like that better than paper because it didn’t sound like you were reading it. It’s not hard to remember. I never sounded like Big, though.