Rugged Intellect- Renaissance Music: The Introduction

For all those who have been clamoring for the arrival of a new brillant lyricist, with production reminiscent of that 90's era Boom Bap, rest assured, your prayers have been answered. With a rapid fire flow dangerously adjacent to the late great Big Pun, Canadian national Rugged Intellect has done more than just turn a few heads and open a few ears. He's made some fans in the hardest place to make fans, especially for an out of towner. The amazing rate at which Rugged can flow is mind blowing and truely his style is one that is dated, yet still when executed properly so effective and infectious. No better place is it on display than on tracks like "Gonna Move". While Domingo laces a pure heat rock (whose sample you will recognize) Rugged flips thru rhymes effortlessly and spits "rappin like Kane in his prime/ way before this game was raping us blind". Never has a white, Canadian been so down man....I mean before Rugged my mental picture of an average white Canadian dude was Alex Trebek. Rugged shatters all stereotypes by the sixth word in his first verse on the first track you hear from him. Never to be pigeonholed as just a white side show who raps fast, Rugged is well aware of his hip-hop history and frequently reminds us of that fact throughout the album as he references landmark perfromances and artists who molded the culture, far removed from the now mainstream bubble gum atmosphere hip-hop is currently embroiled in. Highlights of this album are definitely the Kool G Rap assisted "All Fair", which find the two rhyme slayers going back and forth at hyper speed. Make sure you also check for "Biters Block", which finds our hero Rugged Intellect doing battle with the incessant sharks aka "biters" in the game. And yes he's calling out names. It's a can't miss for those who love beef and defenders of real hip-hop alike. The Introduction is perfect for the hardcore and purist fan, all the tracks have pointed, precise and gritty production, the guest spots are incredible, and right on time, but make no mistake, Rugged holds shit down for self on this one, making it more than worth your while to check for this.
-Dominick L.


01. Intro 01:20
02. What It Is 04:28
03. Say Goodbye 03:51
04. Guaranteed (feat. Rock of Heltah Skeltah) 03:37
05. Biters Block 04:24
06. DBA (feat. R.A. The Rugged Man) 03:15
07. Gonna Move 03:04
08. Life I Love 04:03
09. All Fair (feat. Kool G. Rap) 03:49
10. By Any Means 03:42
11. Break 'Em Off 03:30
12. Next Dose (feat. Ras Kass) 04:28
13. Interlude 00:57
14. Real Recognize Real 03:53
15. Like That (feat. A.G.) 03:28
16. Truth & Consequences 04:31
17. Biters Block (Remix) (Bonus) 04:10
18. Say Goodbye (Remix) 06:07(feat. Party Arty, Sean Price, Rustee Juxx, Solomon Childs


http://www.sendspace.com/file/wu7r07