HipHopHavoc interviews Rugged N Raw

Interviews by Omar

1. What's good Rugged N Raw?

Peace, peace, what's going on?

2. What's going on with the petition for your entry at the upcoming Brooklyn Bodega Concert?

A lot of people definitely represented. It's not looking to good, but I have to take further measures to make it happen. Of course nothing that's gonna get me in wild or crazy trouble.

3. What's the criteria for performing at the Brooklyn Bodega Concert?

You go online and submit your website, video and anything you've done. I'm not really a boastful person but I do have a very extensive resume of things that I've done so far. An in addition to that just knowing that the music that I do is quality stuff you know I don't want to rank myself higher or lower than anybody but I just know that I put a lot of work into it and a lot of other people see that as well. Unfortunately, in this business its all about who you know, brown nosing and everything else but at the same time I don't really worry or get caught up in that stuff, I just try to keep it moving and make fans of people. If they don't take me, there's no ill will or animosity, it's their lost.

4. I'm definitely feeling "The Ultimate" video, What was the concept behind it? It reminds me of Kool Keith's "Poppa Large" and Redman's "Time 4 Sum Aksion".

For the video we wanted to do something totally different. We wanted to go left field because a lot of people are doing the same video. So the idea is that we wanted to have me and a lot of people I work with kinda of just break out of a psych ward. In the video we're torturing the Dr and everything. We just really wanted to make it visual and make it more like a short movie to where if you never heard the song or if the tv was on mute, if your computer speakers were broken, it'll still be visual. It'll still tell a story but at the same time its more about getting the shot.

5. Where did you shoot the video?

Actually, the video was shot at a spot in Montclair New Jersey called 8 Park Studios. It's a basement where there were different type of stuff for us to use. It was definitely a cool spot. We had the video release for it at the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe. A spot that's been open for over 30 years. We had a good turnout. A lot of people had fun. We were throwing popcorn at people. We showed videos and everything. We put popcorn in a bag. We made 100 or something bags. We made sure everyone had one. Some people had 2,
but its cool. The people were well fed. Shout out to Kupi for packaging everything.

6. How are the sales for "The Truth Serum"?

It's definitely picking up again. With the recession going on everything slows down a lil bit. At the same time I think people are gonna want good music and people want to treat themselves. It really picked up when " I'm Broke and Proud" was gaining momentum. It was on Entertainment Weekly, Fuse Network and Ralph McDaniels showed it love on his show. It's picking up not only with the physical copies but digitally as well. I've been able to hit the road and do some shows, so its picking up again. People are talking again. It's definitely a process if your an indie artist, just to know that 7 or 8 months after releasing a record its still new to a lot of people. It's not really old to you hit everybody. It's not like when you do a major release and your prepping the whole entire nation for it at once, then after five or six months its old to everybody. When you have a limited budget to promote it the song can be new to everybody. So your still doing very well. The Truth Serum is starting to receive some of the attention that it deserves. Again it is a process but I love doing this.

7. I notice in the video that the people are wearing Broke and Proud T shirts. That's a good marketing strategy.

Those are totally starting to pick up. I honestly wish I had those ready about 3 or 4 months ago. Unfortunately, the song is very very true to its word, I didn't have enough to print up the album and the shirts. I still had like the old type of shirt from before which was cool, but at the same time just knowing that the phrase "I'm Broke and Proud" can extend beyond just a song. It's picking up and people are buying the shirts. I just had to reorder some because they went pretty fast.

8. Where can people purchase "I'm Broke And Proud" t-shirts?

Right now, the shirts can be purchased at shows and at www.ruggednraw.com. I think I'll work on putting them in stores. I'm working the shirts. I just want them to pick up more, so I can say I sold a certain amount of shirts just like with the album.

9. Not only do you perform at colleges and the Nuyorican, but you perform at Riker's Island. How is the experience?

At the Riker's Island show, we were performing in front of the youth . These were youth being detained. Shout out to my boy Tongo. He works with them and teaches them . He wanted to bring them a show. He got a few emcees and a few poets. Actually the way they set up, we performed and then the kids got to perform as well. So it's something where basically everyone is sharing their talents with each other. It's definitely a unique experience performing in a prison. I also performed at another facility that Hasan Salaam brought us up to. The cool thing about doing those shows is that it's not like when your doing a regular show where your trying to promote your music and your trying to sell cds and your doing the whole marketing thing while being an artist it's none of that. It's about the music you have and it doesn't extend any further than that. The only thing is that at the end of the day after you perform, you get to go home and there are people stuck there and you know a good portion of them are in there for no reason. There are people in there that might be in there longer then they need to be for something that they didn't do. Also, there are people in there that maybe did something but there still people. I don't look at them as prisoners, I see them as people. The only thing about that is right after the show they rush you out like the kids are different than us and that's not cool. Definitely big ups to everybody there that's holding on.

10. Your the 7 time beat battle champion. Do you prefer making beats or rhyming?

I honestly prefer rhyming all day. The only reason I really started making beats was because most of the people I knew that were producing weren't very accessible to me. Everyone else was just starting out but we were making good stuff so I figured I learn how to do everything myself. It's definitely fun and definitely something someone should pick up, but at the same time I would prefer rhyming all day. Its something that I can express myself more. When your a producer the beat battle stuff is cool. Your on stage, but I think as a producer dealing with a lot of artists and their egos it's just something that I don't know if I'm equipped to do. Working with two people is different but working with someone you don't know can cause a clash. I haven't made a beat in a while, I gotta start making some beats soon. At the same time, I think I'll keep with the artistry and be a writer.

11. You hear about Sha Money XL's Producer's Conference?

I know what your talking about. I know some of the people involved in that. Actually, I think Rza was there this year. I think they were giving him some kind of award or something. But I know its very costly to get out there and costly to participate in that. But I think its a good opportunity for anyone who's doing it.

12. What's the next single off "The Truth Serum"?

There are a couple of joints I'm considering. I'm going by the people's response. Actually, right now Hasan and I are working on a album called Muhammad Dangerfield, its pretty much as crazy at it sounds where we're just basically just trying to make a very very ill duo album. We're definitely trying to rock out and then after that we both have albums coming out. Hasan has "Life In Black And White" ready to go and I'm working on my next joint. But, definitely the next joint will be Muhammad Dangerfield. We're working on the third single for that. I'm working on getting the feedback now for it, but I would say if I did another video for my album or push it, there's one track called "Life's Purpose". There's three verses and three different stories, one about me losing my dad and me losing my unborn child and one about my mom losing one. It all kind of ties in together and that one gets the most positive response out of everything. So if that's the case I have to give the people what they want.

13. How do you know which song to place on a project. Do you ever feel conflicted?

Not really, I think for the most part that a lot of the stuff for the Dangerfield album is picked out so at this point that pretty much is the #1 priority. I think if something is really dope or if Hasan hears something that is really dope we're bringing that to each other right now. You know if we both like it, well both rock on it. If one of us doesn't like it as much, then pretty much that beat will be for that person. It's not really that tough as it seems, its just like right now we have about 9 or 10 beats picked out for it. We pretty much no what type of stuff we need to finish off the album. I don't think were as conflicted as we were 4 or 5 months ago when we first started picking out stuff. We're trying to get it ready by October. We did a lot of writing for it, so I say June or July we gonna just record and knock everything out. It'll be a lot of fun.

14. Are you doing most of the production on the album?

Actually for this one, I'll probably do a beat or two. We have DJ Statik who's probably the most talented person ever. He's doing a couple of beats on there. We have Captain Planet doing beats on there. We have one cat Iron Brakes, he has a beat on there. I can't remember everyone right at the moment but a dude name Buchanan has one heater which might be the lead single or first song off the album type stuff. It's getting there. When people hear it they'll see.

15. Any last words or anything you want to say to the people.

I want to wish people much success definitely keep checking out the music on www.ruggednraw.com and www.myspace.com/ruggednrawrnr , I'm on facebook, I'll never be on twitter, twitter is pointless, you guys should get off twitter too. I definitely want to give a major major shoutout to Hip Hop Havoc for having me. You guys are dope. Definitely keep doing your thing. That's basically it. Prosperity, love and pizza (laughs).