EP. 9-The Day Rudy Ray Moore Met Tragedy The Intelligent Hoodlum

Admittedly, putting the names (Rudy Ray Moore and Tragedy) in this episode title feels a bit like giving away the punchline to the joke, but also sometimes the power of the punch is solid enough, it’s able to retain its potency, or so I believe in this case. This is one of those stories that every time I tell, or think of, it I have to pause and reassure myself it’s not a false memory or a dream that blended with reality. But nope, there was a day, 5-13-93 to be exact, where I was able to introduce Tragedy to Rudy Ray Moore, and then spend a day hanging out with the both of them, as well as Evan (E-Man) Forster, who was running Tuff Break Records for A&M. This was all possible due to my promotions company, Rage Promotions, that did work for Tuff Break on a few projects including Intelligent Hoodlum, Dred Scott, Top Choice Clique and The Posse Soundtrack. This episode also touches very briefly on major labels gaining interest in rap music in the early 80s, with more of a focus on A&M Records' early flirtations and history with signing rap artists, leading up to their first true full effort, Tuff Break Records. The story itself is so bizarre and unexpected that I still have to chuckle at the spectacle of it. R.I.P. to the myth, the man, the pioneer, and one of the great forefathers of Rap, Rudy Ray Moore a.k.a Dolemite.