Twenty Years Ago, Redman Had Us Down For Whateva Man (Video)

Since his 1992 debut, Redman has amassed an impressive discography brick-by-brick. There are albums full of hits, collaborative classics, and derivations to the darkest side of the human psyche. As fruits of his labor, Red’ has appeared on Pop remixes, while being a part of three Top 5 chart appearances. The Newark, New Jersey MC/producer has two hands full of gold and platinum projects.

1996’s Muddy Waters is an album that is hard to pin down. It released 20 years ago this week (December 10). To many Funk Doc Heads however, it is Redman at his best. Coming out of the drug-induced depression of Dare Iz A Darkside, Reggie Noble bounced back—in a big way. While Heads felt the acid tab rhymes of the late ’94 Def Jam Records wrapped in red plastic, the ’96 follow-up showed a Redman with a new lease on life. The MC was happier, funnier, and evolving into the character that was embraced by MTV audiences, and ushered to the mainstream. While Redman was never a Pop MC, Reggie Noble could work a crowd—and people took interest. Redman was three-dimensional and refused to conform. As Rap music was going to its arsenals for the biggest beef in history, Red’ went to the swamplands to drench himself in lyricism.

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“Whateva Man” was a great vessel from Muddy Waters. The Erick Sermon-produced track came to video with Red and Method Man recreating elements from the film, Blues Brothers. Suited, booted, and in a ’74 Dodge police cruiser, the two Rap misfits retraced “Jake and Elwood Blues'” steps, while breaking down raw raps. Erick Sermon, who guested on the track, sat out. But a white-hot Wu-Tang Clan MC shared the lens exceptionally with Redman. Along with The Show, this let Heads know that these two non-conventional MCs were kindred souls—on and off the mic. For his part, E-Double broke down some of the elements Hip-Hop Heads knew from Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg’s “Deep Cover” to give a beat as catchy as its rhymes.

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Muddy Waters would be Red’s highest charting affair to date. The sound, style, and attitude he used on this album are what would essentially carry him even further. This is also the album, for which Red’ has long said he is going to make a sequel.

Heads are eagerly awaiting…