R.A. the Rugged Man

R.A. the Rugged Man

R.A. the Rugged Man is the stage name of Richard Andrew Thorburn, an American hip-hop artist from Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. He is associated with underground hip hop and gangsta rap, and is also known as Crustified Dibbs. He is linked with D & D Crew and The White Mandingos.

Career

Thorburn signs with Jive Records in 1992, when he is 18, and later signs with Priority Records/EMI in the mid-1990s. His contract is then absorbed by Capitol Records, after which he begins recording independently in the early 2000s. He releases Die, Rugged Man, Die in 2004 on Brooklyn label Nature Sounds, and later issues Legends Never Die in 2013.

His work appears on all three Soundbombing releases from Rawkus, and on the platinum-selling WWF Aggression album, where he performs the theme song for Chris Jericho. He also records Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story with Jedi Mind Tricks, a track that draws attention for its verse and later receives recognition from The Source and HipHopDX. His single The Peoples Champ leads Legends Never Die, followed by Learn Truth featuring Talib Kweli.

Collaborations and affiliations

He works with a wide range of hip-hop artists, including The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, Chuck D, Jedi Mind Tricks, Tech N9ne, Hopsin, Talib Kweli, Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, Wu-Tang Clan, Rakim, Killah Priest, Brother Ali and Krizz Kaliko. He is closely associated with the Wu-Tang Clan and their affiliates. Producers he works with include Trackmasters, Erick Sermon, DJ Quik, Buckwild, the Alchemist and Ayatollah.

Other work

Outside recording, Thorburn writes a monthly film column for Mass Appeal and contributes to books including The Ego Trip Book of Rap Lists and Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism. He also writes for publications such as Vibe, King, Complex, Rides, XXL and The Source. As a horror film fan, he writes three screenplays with director Frank Henenlotter and serves as writer-producer on Bad Biology, which includes a score by Josh Glazer with additional production by Prince Paul and cameo appearances by Jelena Jensen and Krista Ayne. He is also working on a directorial debut based on his family, God Take, God Give.

Family

Thorburn’s father, Staff Sgt. John A. Thorburn, is a Vietnam veteran affected by Agent Orange and dies of cancer on 7 January 2010. His family is significantly affected by the same chemical. His brother Maxx is born handicapped and blind and dies at the age of 10, while his sister Dee Ann is born unable to walk or speak and dies in 2007 at the age of 26. He says his father’s war experience in Vietnam is the subject of Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story. He is of German descent on his mother’s side.