R.A. the Rugged Man

Biography

R.A. Thorburn (born January 10, 1974), better known by his stage name R.A. the Rugged Man, is an American rapper and producer. He began his music career at age 12, building a reputation locally for his lyrical skills. Thorburn signed with major label Jive Records at age 18, but his debut album, Night of the Bloody Apes, was never released.
He was featured on all three of Rawkus's Soundbombing albums, as well as the platinum-selling WWF Aggression album. After a brief stint on Capitol Records (during which he recorded another unreleased album, American Lowlife), Thorburn signed with independent label Nature Sounds and released his official debut, Die, Rugged Man, Die. In 2013, Thorburn released his second album, Legends Never Die×Legends Never Die30 April 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Still Diggin’ Wit Buck (Legends intro)1:352The People’s Champ3:533Definition of a Rap Flow (Albee 3000)3:294Learn Truth3:165Bang Boogie1:556Tom Thum3:127Holla-Loo-Yuh3:128Media Midgets3:439Shoot Me in the Head3:5410Legends Never Die (Daddy’s Halo)3:2111The Dangerous Three3:5812Luv to Fuk4:1913Underground Hitz2:4914Laugh, Clown, Laugh2:5515Sam Peckinpah3:1816Shuko Outro0:3217Still Get Through the Day3:3618Make You Famous4:07, via Nature Sounds.
In addition to his hip-hop career, Thorburn has contributed to Vibe, King, Complex, Rides, XXL, The Source, The Ring, among others. He wrote and produced the cult film Bad Biology, and also hosts the web series "Film School" on MTV's Film.com.

1992–2003: Beginnings

In 1992, Thorburn signed with Jive Records, then in the mid-1990s signed with Priority Records/EMI. His contract was later absorbed by Capitol Records, but he began recording independently in the early 2000s. He was featured on all three of Rawkus's Soundbombing albums, as well as the platinum-selling WWF Aggression album, performing the theme song for Chris Jericho. In Ego Trip Vol. 1, Issue 3, The Notorious B.I.G. was quoted as saying, "And I thought I was the illest," when referring to Thorburn.

2004–2012: Die, Rugged Man, Die; film cameos; & magazine writing

In 2004, Thorburn released his first album Die, Rugged Man, Die×Die, Rugged Man, Die16 November 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Lessons3:522Casanova (Fly Guy)3:483A Star Is Born4:254Chains2:505Dumb3:316On the Block4:477How Low3:318Mitch Blood Green (interlude)0:329Midnight Thud3:4010Black & White3:4211Brawl3:4912Die, Rugged Man, Die4:0113Pick My Gun Up (skit)1:1414Da Girlz, They Luv Me3:2315Make Luv (outro)4:57 through Brooklyn-based label Nature Sounds. He has cameos in several music videos including Havoc from Mobb Deep's I'm the Boss, Sadat X's Throw the Ball and Masta Killa's Old Man featuring RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard.
Thorburn's verse on Jedi Mind Tricks' "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story", depicting his father's experience in the war was widely praised and named by HipHopDX as the "Verse of the Year".
Thorburn wrote a monthly movie column for Mass Appeal Magazine, was a contributor to The Ego Trip Book of Rap Lists (St. Martin's Press) and Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism (HarperCollins), and has written numerous articles for other magazines including Vibe, King, Complex, Rides and XXL.
A horror film fan, Thorburn has written three screenplays with cult film director Frank Henenlotter and is writer-producer of the Henenlotter film Bad Biology. The film has an original score by Josh Glazer (J. Glaze) with additional production by Prince Paul, and cameos by Playboy model Jelena Jensen and Penthouse Pet Krista Ayne. Thorburn is working on his directorial debut, a film based on his family, God Take, God Give.

2013–present: Legends Never Die and All My Heroes Are Dead

Thorburn's second studio album Legends Never Die×Legends Never Die30 April 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Still Diggin’ Wit Buck (Legends intro)1:352The People’s Champ3:533Definition of a Rap Flow (Albee 3000)3:294Learn Truth3:165Bang Boogie1:556Tom Thum3:127Holla-Loo-Yuh3:128Media Midgets3:439Shoot Me in the Head3:5410Legends Never Die (Daddy’s Halo)3:2111The Dangerous Three3:5812Luv to Fuk4:1913Underground Hitz2:4914Laugh, Clown, Laugh2:5515Sam Peckinpah3:1816Shuko Outro0:3217Still Get Through the Day3:3618Make You Famous4:07 was released on April 30, 2013. Guest appearances include Brother Ali, Masta Ace, Tech N9ne, Talib Kweli, Hopsin, Eamon, and Krizz Kaliko. His first single of the album was "The Peoples Champ", the second was "Learn Truth" feat. Talib Kweli. Upon release the album debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, number 17 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and at number 131 on the Billboard 200. In 2016, Thorburn was featured on German rapper Kool Savas studio album Essahdamus on the song "Wahre Liebe".
The third studio album by Thorburn, All My Heroes Are Dead×All My Heroes Are Dead17 April 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks1All My Heroes Are Dead (The Introduction)2:322Legendary Loser4:203Golden Oldies3:314Wondering (How to Believe)4:015Dragon Fire4:356All Systems Go3:217Cancelled Skit0:238Angelic Boy4:149Gotta Be Dope3:2110First Born4:3111E.K.N.Y. (Ed Koch New York)3:1712Hate Speech4:1713Living Through a Screen (Everything Is a Lie)3:4614Contra‐Dictionary3:2515The Slayers Club4:2516Life of the Party4:2017The Big Snatch4:0618John John Skit0:1219Who Do We Trust?3:5520Malice of Mammon3:5221Sean riP (interlude)0:4022The After Life4:47, was released on April 17, 2020 and debuted #22 on the US Billboard Top Current Album Sales and #3 on the UK R&B Albums. It features artists like Ghostface Killah, Eamon, Atmosphere, Ice-T, Vinnie Paz, Brand Nubian, Chino XL, M.O.P. and Onyx.
On a December 2021 podcast for political commentator Tim Pool, Thorburn nearly got into an altercation with Pool on air after Pool called him a "racist prick". Thorburn claimed Pool had never experienced racism, and he also accused Pool of promoting Derek Chauvin, and making excuses for the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery, saying to Pool that "lives have been lost by police, and you were there bootlicking the fucking cops."

Personal life

Thorburn's father, Staff Sgt. John A. Thorburn, was a Vietnam veteran. His brother Maxx was born disabled and blind, eventually dying at the age of 10. Thorburn's sister, Dee Ann, died in 2007 at the age of 26. Thorburn tells his father's story in "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story," from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell. John A. Thorburn died of cancer on January 7, 2010. Thorburn is of German, Scottish and Sicilian descent.
Thorburn has two children: Ella (born in 2016) and John A. Thorburn (born in 2017).