Rating:
Review Date: May 4, 2009
Website: RNR Website
Label: Indie

Rugged N Raw “Truth Serum” Album Review
For me, Rugged N Raw’s “Truth Serum” is a perfect example of how music videos and free track downloads can help artists find fans in this new age of the hip-hop industry. I picked up this album from RNR at a local show almost a year ago. Being a big fan of his previous release “Another Level,” I listened to the new album right away, and even picked Life’s Purpose to be HHL track of the week in October – before getting caught up in other music. But recently, RNR dropped consecutive videos for I’m Broke and Proud and The Ultimate, and I was so impressed with them that I gave “Truth Serum” another listen – and I’ve been bumping it nonstop ever since.

Why I Like This Album?

1. It’s very personalized – In the album’s intro, RNR tells us that he is “liable inside the booth/ to make complex contents simple as tying shoes.” I got that statement more and more as I worked my way through this album, because several tracks tackle serious topics by explaining them in the light of everyday stories and personal experiences. I’m Broke and Proud turns the struggles of a starving artist into a series of amusing personalized stories, What A Night tells two stories that describe the common feeling of not having enough time to do everything, Life Purpose deals with both life and death and the emotions that surround them, I’ll Stay is another in a long line of RNR relationship analyzing songs, and I Can’t Take It talks about avoiding anger and retaliation despite being surrounded by negativity.

2. Rugged N Raw is still rugged and raw – You’ll find in hip-hop that a lot of emcees who start out as raw underground hip-hop lyricists eventually polish their flows to make them more mainstream accessible. And following his last album, I guess I expected the ruggedness to disappear over time as RNR polished his flow. But it hasn’t. While Rugged N Raw has obviously improved his skills as an emcee and producer, he has also managed to maintain the raw style that makes him who he is. RNR just has this crazy raw in-your-face flow that doesn’t sound like anyone else. And it worked out brilliantly in this album.

3. This is smashmouth music! – I jacked that line directly from the album’s opening track, but it‘s true. Most of the tracks on “Truth Serum” are hard-hitting lyrics laid over hard-banging production. Tracks like Smashmouth Music, All The Way, That’s What It Is, New Life and The Ultimate are the type of tracks playing on my iPod when you see me heavy metal dancing while pumping my fist on the subway during rush hour. And we all need to pump our fists from time to time, right?

4. The verses are dope – The more I listen to this album, the more I notice different verses. In fact, I can’t think of a single verse on the album that doesn’t stand out as quotable or well-written or humorous. One great example is RNR’s second verse from I’m Broke and Proud, which starts off with the following hilarious rhymes:

I ain’t posting latte chis/
I don’t go on shopping sprees/
I don’t even buy Tropicana/
Tropical Fantasies’ fine for me/
There’s not a lot I could make possible/
Only cheap ideas in the arsenal/
I’ll take a chick to the museum/
Looks nice and admission fee’s optional/
When stress does weigh down heavy/
Vacation is necessary/
What do I do? I pack my bags/
Weekend cruise on the Staten Island Ferry/

Overall: I slept on this album for almost a year, so the best advice I can give you is to not make the same mistake. Rugged N Raw’s “Truth Serum” combines hard-hitting beats, raw underground lyricism, interesting subject matter, and RNR’s unique way of viewing his surroundings to provide fifteen tracks of great underground hip-hop. It’s one of those albums that I find a new favorite song on every day. Pick up a copy and check it out for yourself. Peace.

Album Track Listing:

1. Truth Serum Preface
2. Smashmouth Music
3. Drama
4. I’m Broke & Proud (feat. Hasan Salaam)
5. All The Way
6. What A Night
7. That’s What It Is (feat. HiCoup)
8. Life’s Purpose
9. New Life
10. The Ultimate
11. Love Man
12. NY to NC (feat. URL)
13. Locked Away (feat. Homeboy Sandman)
14. I’ll Stay
15. I Can’t Take It