Lessons

RA, what's the lesson for the day? Rugged man
I am the legendary
RA

Ayo, people wondering where the fuck I been
At the V.I.P. section, they ain't letting me in
They say, "Maybe if you had Dr. Dre or Timbaland"
They say, "A white boy need a black boy to win"
Uh, Bubba Sparxxx did it and so did Slim
Just Blaze is hot now, why don't you get with him?
I've watched mad rappers bite my shit and blow up
And make millions off what I created, that's tough luck
I first started getting coverage around the same time
Steve Stoute used to carry Kid N' Play's luggage
I seen rappers turn from sex symbols and heartthrobs
To being forgotten, now they out looking for jobs
I seen EPMD break up
I seen my little brother Max fall asleep and he ain't never wake up
So when I rhyme, listen
Seriously, when I spit I'm giving you
The truth, clearly who I really be
It's an audio version of reality TV
I had deals from Russell Simmons to Master P
Even five-year-old white girls be rapping today
On the playground like, "Go shorty, it's your birthday"

Here's a little story I got to tell
I am the legendary
RA
Rugged man

Yo, yo, I seen good days, sunrays, church Sundays
Made love, made war, been rich, been poor
Lost friends, lost lawsuits, lost my dough
Seen beef between Bad Boy and Death Row
I seen disease take the life of my sister's kid
Six months on the earth, that's all he had to live
I seen Biggie, Big L, Big Pun pass away
Buffy from the Fat Boys, Jam Master Jay
A month before they blew up with Mystikal and Jay-Z
The Neptunes came to see me at D&D
I knew this chick named Norah, a lounge singer
A year later she a six Grammy award winner
I seen Flatliners, I seen Canibuses
I seen Lil' Zanes, yeah, I seen mad misses
You Antoinette ass bitches get ten percent disses
I seen A&R's get fired for taking pisses
Stop whining and bitching, nobody listen
Who else risking their career to stick to being different
Switching the tradition, sticking to the shit they really living?
I don't care what's hitting
Listen, this my motherfucking life that I'm spitting

Here's a little story I got to tell
I am the legendary
RA
Rugged man

I'm at peace with myself now, how 'bout that?
I hated life, I wanted to die a few years back
I was mentally ill, it's hard to come back from that
But I got through it, now I got my sanity back
Y'all are like HBO fighters, get the money and fame
Then you get beat up like Klitschko and Sugar Shane
Or get beat like Vernon Forrest or Prince Naseem
Yeah, you all turn pussy once you get that green
I got love for Havoc from Mobb Deep
When I was broke, sleeping in the street
He hooked me up with a free beat
Alchemist, you still my little buddy
Even though you stole that Royce Da 5'9" Da King beat from me
I ain't down to sign autographs or shake your hands
I don't want trendy ass followers for fans
I don't want to sell records, I don't want to be big
I don't want MTV running up in my crib
I don't want to be liked in the music biz
I don't want fans that don't know who G Rap is

Here's a little story I got to tell
I am the legendary
RA
Rugged man
Here's a little story I got to tell
I am the legendary
RA
Rugged man

What's the lesson for the day?
Rugged man