Legends Never Die (R.A. the Rugged Man album)

Last updated
Legends Never Die
Legends Never Die cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 30, 2013
Recorded2009–2013 [1]
Genre Hip hop
Length57:05
Label Nature Sounds
Producer Apathy, Buckwild, C-Lance, Dev-1, Jussi Jaakola, Marc Niles, Mr. Green, Shuko, Vherbal, Will Tell
R.A. the Rugged Man chronology
Legendary Classics Vol. 1
(2009)
Legends Never Die
(2013)
All My Heroes Are Dead
(2020)
Singles from Legends Never Die
  1. "The People's Champ"
    Released: February 20, 2013
  2. "Learn Truth"
    Released: March 26, 2013

Legends Never Die is the second studio album from New York City hip hop artist R.A. the Rugged Man. The album was released on April 30, 2013, by Nature Sounds. It is the follow-up to 2004's Die, Rugged Man, Die . The album features guest appearances from Talib Kweli, Krizz Kaliko, Masta Ace, Brother Ali, Tech N9ne, Hopsin, Vinnie Paz, Eamon, Sadat X among others. [2] The album's production was handled by Buckwild, Ayatollah, Apathy and Marco Polo among others.

Contents

Background

The first single from the album, "The People's Champ", produced by Apathy, was released on February 20, 2013. [3] [4] On April 9, 2013, the music video was released for "The People's Champ". [5] On April 29, 2013, the music video was released for "Learn Truth" featuring Talib Kweli. [6] On June 18, 2013, the music video was released for "Holla-Loo-Yuh" featuring Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko. [7] In July 2013 Nature Sounds announced that a limited edition cassette version of the album would be released. [8]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 84/100 [9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
HipHopDX Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
RapReviews8/10 [12]
The Source (positive) [13]
XXL Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg (XL) [14]

Legends Never Die was met with rave reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 84, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 4 reviews. [9] David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, saying "If he mentioned an exciting mixing of Twista's speed, De La Soul's D.A.I.S.Y. Age attitude, and the modern swagger of the Tech N9ne-driven underground, that would be the headline review of this sophomore release, Legends Never Die, which follows his debut, Die, Rugged Man, Die, by eight-plus years. That's criminal, because when producers like Mr. Green, Apathy, and Buckwild come up with fresh, funky ideas, R.A. responds with excellence, and sometimes a J-Zone-sized sense of humor (check "Luv to Fuck" for Talib Kweli and Redd Foxx's genetics being spliced together, right before your ears)." [10] Khari Nixon of The Source gave the album a positive review, saying "There's something to be said about an individual that is enjoying his 3rd decade as a member of this cutthroat industry, and can still make relevant music rivaling the most prevalent material that's currently out. And for those that don't think Legends Never Die rivals today's prevalent material, simply press play on track 3, the tightly-run lyrical battleship better known as "Definition Of A Rap Flow", and we dare you to imagine a verse out today that can compete with that on just about any level." [13]

David "Rek" Lee of HipHopDX gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Legends Never Die isn't a perfect album. The sequencing is a bit off at times, as it inexplicably jumps from aggressive, lyrical tracks to more subdued conscious records. Also, some of the production feels dated even for an "underground record." But overall, it's an album embedded with enough humor, knowledge, and obscure Hip Hop references ("I'm a whooligan like James Caan's son…") that will force listeners to keep this one in rotation. R.A. the Rugged Man might not care about an industry exec or releasing music on a consistent basis, but his love for the art is undeniable because he's only getting better. The champ is here." [11] Grant Jones of RapReviews gave the album an eight out of ten, saying "Legends Never Die" is noticeably more intense lyrically, with RA adopting his multi-syllable style which shows influences of Big Pun. "Definition of a Rap Flow" is the perfect example of how refined RA is at his art. The only person I can think that may match him for breathless flow is Esoteric, or Pun himself. This relentless verbal assault follows on "Media Midgets" which carries on RA's hatred of the industry, critics and everything else in between. This is a theme which understandably ran through "Die Rugged Man, Die" as it was his ten years-late debut, but having now established himself with regular work and clearly not toning his act down for radio, the anti-industry message seems redundant at times." [12] Sean Ryon of XXL gave the album an XL, saying "With the exception of a few fillers, Legends Never Die is a truly compelling entry in the two-decade discography of R.A. the Rugged Man. It's an album armed with exceptionally mastered production, stunning guest features and raw, emotional delivery from R.A.." [14]

Commercial performance

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. [15]

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s) [16] Length
1."Still Diggin Wit Buck (Legends Intro)" Buckwild 1:34
2."The People's Champ" Apathy 3:55
3."Definition of a Rap Flow" (featuring Amalie Bruun)Dev-1, Marc Niles3:29
4."Learn Truth" (featuring Talib Kweli) Mr. Green 3:16
5."Bang Boogie"Jussi Jaakola1:55
6."Tom Thum"Will Tell3:12
7."Holla-Loo-Yuh" (featuring Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko)C-Lance3:12
8."Media Midgets"Buckwild3:43
9."Shoot Me in the Head" Marco Polo 3:54
10."Legends Never Die (Daddy's Halo)"Mr. Green3:21
11."The Dangerous Three" (featuring Brother Ali and Masta Ace)Mr. Green3:58
12."Luv to Fuk" (featuring Eamon)Shuko4:19
13."Underground Hitz" (featuring Hopsin)Will Tell2:49
14."Laugh, Clown, Laugh"Vherbal2:55
15."Sam Peckinpah" (featuring Vinnie Paz and Sadat X)C-Lance3:18
16."Outro"Shuko0:32
17."Still Get Through The Day" (featuring Eamon) Ayatollah 3:36
Bonus Track
No.TitleProducerLength
18."Make You Famous" (featuring Block McCloud)Vherbal4:07
Deluxe Edition Bonus Track
No.TitleLength
19."Complex Superiority" (Available via download card as MP3 only.)3:27
Cassette Edition Bonus Track
No.TitleProducerLength
20."It's Gone"DJ Noize4:10

Charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [17] 36
US Billboard 200 [18] 131
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [18] 17
US Billboard Top Rap Albums [18] 12
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums [18] 1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.A. the Rugged Man</span> American rapper

Richard Andrew Thorburn, 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.

<i>Eardrum</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Talib Kweli

Eardrum is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Talib Kweli. The album was released on August 21, 2007, by Blacksmith Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album features guest appearances from Res, Jean Grae, UGK, Raheem DeVaughn, Roy Ayers, Kanye West, Norah Jones, Coi Mattison, Lyfe Jennings, will.i.am, Sa-Ra, KRS-One, Musiq Soulchild, Strong Arm Steady, Sizzla, Justin Timberlake and Marsha Ambrosius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Music</span> US record label

Strange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music and founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tech N9ne discography</span> Horrorcore recording artist discography

The discography of Tech N9ne spans over 21 years, with the earliest official release being the single release "Cloudy-Eyed Stroll/Mitch Bade" in 1996. Tech N9ne has SoundScanned over two million albums independently. He has also had his music featured in many movies, television shows, and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krizz Kaliko</span> American rapper from Missouri

Samuel William Christopher Watson, better known by his stage name Krizz Kaliko, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and voice actor. He is a longtime collaborator with fellow hometown native Tech N9ne and was signed to Strange Music from its inception in 1999 up to forming his own label Ear House Inc. in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutt Calhoun</span> American rapper

Melvin Lewis Calhoun Jr., better known by his stage name Kutt Calhoun, is an American rapper and business executive from Kansas City, Missouri. After getting his start in the late 1990s underground rap scene of Kansas City, he subsequently signed to Strange Music when the label was founded in 1999. Calhoun released his debut album B.L.E.V.E. in 2004, and his 2007 sophomore album Feature Presentation debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Calhoun's third album, Raw and Un-Kutt, made its debut at number 162 on the Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release, as well as charting at No. 19 on the Top Heatseekers chart.

<i>Sickology 101</i> 2009 studio album by Tech N9ne

Sickology 101 is the eighth studio album, and the second in the "Collabos" series, by rapper Tech N9ne.

Stewart Duane Ashby Jr. better known by his stage name Big Scoob is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri, who records for Strange Music.

<i>All 6s and 7s</i> 2011 studio album by Tech N9ne

All 6's and 7's is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on June 7, 2011, through Strange Music. The album was released to universal acclaim by music critics, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

Strange Music is an American independent record label founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999, specializing in hip hop music. It is currently distributed through Fontana Distribution.

<i>Kickin and Screamin</i> 2012 studio album by Krizz Kaliko

Kickin' and Screamin' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Krizz Kaliko, released on May 15, 2012. It debuted at #43 on the Billboard 200, making it his most successful album.

<i>Prisoner of Conscious</i> 2013 studio album by Talib Kweli

Prisoner of Conscious is the fifth solo studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on May 7, 2013. The album features guest appearances from Nelly, Miguel, Currensy, Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, Busta Rhymes and Ryan Leslie along with production by RZA, Boi-1da, Harry Fraud, S1, Terrace Martin, Oh No, and J. Cole among others.

<i>Black Gold</i> (Kutt Calhoun album) 2013 studio album by Kutt Calhoun

Black Gold is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kutt Calhoun. It was released on February 26, 2013, through Strange Music, and it would be his last release with the label. The album features guest appearances from rappers such as Krizz Kaliko, Brotha Lynch Hung, Tech N9ne, Snug Brim, and Ron Ron. The album debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and at number 120 on the Billboard 200, meeting with a largely positive critical response.

<i>Son of Sam</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Krizz Kaliko

Son of Sam is the fifth studio album by American rapper Krizz Kaliko. The album was released on August 27, 2013, by Strange Music. The album features guest appearances from Tech N9ne, Ces Cru, Kortney Leveringston, IcyRoc Kravyn and his wife Crystal Watson.

William Thomas Trenell Brown, known professionally as Willie B or by the stage name The Ichiban Don, is an American hip hop record producer and recording artist from Los Angeles, California. He is an original member of West Coast hip hop production team Digi+Phonics of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). He is also a member of the hip hop collective A Room Full of Mirrors, alongside fellow rappers Punch and Daylyt, among others.

<i>Strangeulation</i> 2014 studio album by Tech N9ne

Strangeulation is the fourteenth studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne, the fifth in his "Collabos" series. The album was released on May 6, 2014, by Strange Music. The album features guest appearances from the entire Strange Music roster, including its newest signing at the time — Murs, as well as some outside collaborators such as Tyler Lyon, Ryan Bradley, Mackenzie O'Guin, Kendall Morgan, John 5 and Serj Tankian.

<i>The Storm</i> (Tech N9ne album) 2016 studio album by Tech N9ne

The Storm is the seventeenth studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on December 9, 2016, by Strange Music. The album serves as a follow-up to his 1999 album The Calm Before the Storm. The album features guest appearances from Gary Clark, Jr., Problem, Joyner Lucas, Logic, Marsha Ambrosious, Jonathan Davis and Boyz II Men alongside fellow Strange Music rappers such as Krizz Kaliko, Stevie Stone, Murs and Big Scoob, among others.

<i>Planet</i> (Tech N9ne album) 2018 studio album by Tech N9ne

Planet is the twentieth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Tech N9ne. It was released on March 2, 2018, via Strange Music. The album features guest appearances from Jordan Omley, Krizz Kaliko, Navé Monjo, Machine Gun Kelly, Mackenzie Nicole and Snow Tha Product, among others.

<i>N9na</i> Studio album by Tech N9NE

N9NA is the twenty-first studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on April 19, 2019 via Strange Music with distribution via INgrooves. Production was handled by eight record producers, including Michael "Seven" Summers, who produced ⅓ of the album. The LP features guest appearances from Krizz Kaliko, JL, King Iso, Church Boii, C-Mob, Futuristic, JellyRoll, Maez301 and Navé Monjo.

<i>Enterfear</i> 2020 studio album by Tech N9ne

EnterFear is the twenty-second studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne.

References

  1. Arnold, Paul W (2009-08-31). "R.A. The Rugged Man Talks New Film And Music Projects". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
  2. Julian, Can (2013-08-13). "R.A. the Rugged Man - Legends Never Die (Artwork & Tracklist)". Rap-n-blues.com. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  3. "R.A. the Rugged Man – The People's Champ (prod. Apathy)". 2dopeboyz. 2013-02-20. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  4. "R.A. The Rugged Man: The People's Champ [prod by Apathy]| The Underground Hip Hop Authority | Hip Hop Music, Videos & Reviews". KevinNottingham.com. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  5. "R.A. The Rugged Man - "The People's Champ"". HipHop DX. 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  6. "R.A. The Rugged Man f. Talib Kweli - "Learn Truth"". HipHop DX. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  7. "R.A. The Rugged Man f. Tech N9ne & Krizz Kaliko - "Holla-Loo-Yuh"". HipHop DX. 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  8. Martinez, Paul (2013-07-18). "R.A. The Rugged Man To Release Limited Edition "Legends Never Die" Cassette". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  9. 1 2 SaulGood (2013-05-24). "Legends Never Die Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  10. 1 2 David Jeffries (2013-04-30). "Legends Never Die - R.A. the Rugged Man". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  11. 1 2 David "Rek" Lee. "R.A. The Rugged Man - Legends Never Die". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  12. 1 2 "RA the Rugged Man :: Legends Never Die :: Nature Sounds". Rapreviews.com. 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  13. 1 2 "Record Report: R.A. The Rugged Man's 'Legends Never Die'". TheSource. 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  14. 1 2 "Album Review: R.A. The Rugged Man, Legends Never Die - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  15. "LL Cool J Scores 13th Top 10 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  16. "R.A. The Rugged Man - Legends Never Die - Audio CD - Underground Hip Hop - Store". Ughh.com. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
  17. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "R.A. The Rugged Man Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2013-05-11.