[Intro: R.A. the Rugged Man]
Yo, yo, yo Sadat X R.A. The Rugged Man, Capital the Crimelord
Yo check it out we in here
Back in the days I knew rap would never die
Back in the days I knew rap would never die

[Verse 1: Sadat X]
Now what I expect's been lost on some bias shit
Them same rap jams is what slams on the radio
Do I have to pay my way to be played on 97
When I've been doing this shit on stage since I was eleven?
I be the underground king, the fighter of low rates
And the promo dates is what the Black man hates
Now to me, I should be Platinum or at least pushin' Gold
But I ain't, so I got to keep my soldiers in the street so we can eat
Hey, this program director at the radio can't feel me
They ain't trying to jam my shit when I'm trying to be legit
I am the legendary and I vary
Like the flavors from Ben & Jerry
One foot is in the street, the other in the studio
Sometimes I wake up late at night and don't know which way to go
Should I settle for a hundred thousand or keep fighting the public housing
Or get my young boys out of jail for trying to set the scale
Or prevail on some ol' real rap shit
I kick for n***as on stage that don't have shit?
R.A., what's the lesson for the day, Rugged Man?
Should we ignore the scan that computes the record sales?
Hey, we need money right here, motherfuck Save the Whales (Hahaha)
No doubt, check it out, yo, yo
[Chorus: R.A. the Rugged Man & Sadat X]
Back in the days I knew rap would never die
One foot is in the street, the other in the studio
Fully prepared to die never scared to die

[Verse 2: R.A. the Rugged Man]
Now who are they? Don't sweat theirs
They tried to ruin our careers when I've been doing this rap stuff for ten years (Ten years)
I can't remember any time that was worse
They tried to treat me like Heavy D and said I couldn't curse
But hold up hardcore rap that's my style that's my steelo
They keep me down below on the deal-o
Unless you tell me how to win this
You can't tell me nothin' bout this business
No matter how long you've been in this
Pack steel that's stainless
You know what the fuck my name is
I stay filthy like your anus
Rugged man the world famous
This hip-hop music bout to fade nowadays
There's too much money to be made nowadays
Plus, real hip-hop artists get no props nowadays
And we all stay broke unless we selling rocks nowadays
Dropping this from my esophagus
Wack rap I see a lot of this
Now R.A. is here to put some real hip-hop in this
Yo, yo, yo prepare to say goodbye, say goodbye
Prepare to say goodbye soon because we all about to die soon
I leave an imprint on your brain when I rap in this style
(Where you at?) My man from back in the days
[Chorus: R.A. the Rugged Man & Sadat X]
Back in the days I knew rap would never die
One foot is in the street, the other in the studio
Fully prepared to die never scared to die

[Verse 3: Capital the Crimelord]
My rap game started off from crime tactics
Knew how to attack this
Street life knew how to rock right
First set of tables put me to the test
Two mix match, straight arms, dimes, pennies, feathered and finesse
UTFO cuts and scratching records, wise and fresh learning tricks from fresh on how we scratch Jazzy Jeff
Just a few names yo peace to all the rest left
You know you are blessed
Pioneers the very best, yes
Rhyme skills developed took it to the next
Couldn't hear it clash, my lyrics drafts, that made my outside world see death
Ayo, I could've learned more and used up my stress
But this was life or death to me it was my destiny
And this may seem strange, but they don't know the half see where I'm from stars shine while others try to diss and laugh
I'm not saying everyone's dreams ain't what they seem
Just saying I took this shit serious like doctors stitching up a spleen
My profession since an adolescent
Never second guessing
To the point I made this joint my best yet
Break a break a one nine
Kid I got mad beats and mad rhymes
Devoted time to my lines
[Chorus: R.A. the Rugged Man & Sadat X]
Back in the days I knew rap would never die
One foot is in the street, the other in the studio
Fully prepared to die never scared to die