By: kmurphy Posted 11-22-2010 2:21 pm Redman is the consummate lyricist’s lyricist. It’s been that way since the EPMD protégé made his album debut with 1992’s classic Whut? Thee Album. Throughout his nearly 20 year-career, the New Jersey MC has taken his wild, irreverent, hilarious, and at times smoked-out rhymes to the masses. The underground MC that made good never forgot his two-fisted ‘hood star beginnings, even when he became a household name appearing on a pop smash with Christina Aguilera (“Dirrty”) and starring alongside partner-in-rhyme Method Man in the 2001’s Hollywood cult comedy hit How High. Now the undaunted MC, who has been praised by everyone from Eminem to Ludacris, is set to drop his new release Reggie on December 7th. In between, there are plenty of stories to tell. And Redman gives more than a hit.—Keith Murphy
“It all started at this club called Sensations, which was one of the biggest hip-hop clubs in New Jersey. Everybody went to it on Friday and Saturday…even out-of-towners went there. I was Djing for DoItAll of Lords Of The Underground at the time and this was in 1990. I was cutting everybody’s record from Rakim to Big Daddy Kane and I rapped on the side. So, MC Lyte was supposed to perform one night and I was going to stay home [because I had something to do.] But they told me, ‘Nah, man. Come out.’ We went down there and Lyte ended up canceling and EPMD performed. Now when I first heard EPMD’s first joint ‘You Gots to Chill‘ and later ‘So Whatcha Sayin’?’ I said, ‘I can do this!’ Right before they performed we went to the back room and talked to them. And one of the Dj’s told EPMD, ‘Yo, he’s a DJ, but he spits too.’ So they asked me to spit and ten minutes later I’m onstage with EPMD rapping!’
My boys are looking at me like what the fuck is this nigga doing? [laughs]. What is going on with this kid right here?’ Erick Sermon says, ‘Yeah, this is my new artist coming out.’ And I stopped and looked at him onstage like, ‘ Are you serious, nigga? I actually walked into this shit?!!!’ The ill part about this is I was letting my boy handle the business. At the end of the show, we went to the back of the dressing room where E was giving me his number. My hand goes to meet his hand but my boy’s hand comes in between and gets the number. But I’m like, ‘Cool.’ Because he was handling my business. But let me tell you something. Within that moment that the number was being passed I saw the paper and memorized the last seven digits. I figured the area code was Long Island. Continue reading
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