Part 2/11:
RA begins by recalling his formative years in hip-hop, describing a time when the culture was rooted in fierce competition among peers. At just around 18, with friends like Biggie Smalls and others from the era, he recalls the energy of striving for greatness. “It was like a fight, a competition,” he describes. Even if friends, everyone was driven by the desire to be better, to destroy their competition lyrically, pushing each other to new heights. He emphasizes that during those days, none of them realized how monumental their impact would become. “You don’t know that you’re going to be one of the most famous rappers that ever lived,” he reflects.