Redman Explains How MC Lyte Is The Reason He Met EPMD (Video)

Tomorrow (March 8), an international movement calling itself A Day Without A Woman will take place as a continuation of the Women’s March energy that spread across the world like wildfire earlier this year (and as an acknowledgment of March being Women’s History Month). The general strike is meant to impart the value of women in all aspects of daily life, including the economy and culture. During a political time in which women’s rights are diminishing, remembering the role of women throughout history is an important tool in raising awareness and preserving women’s history for future generations. Hip-Hop culture is no different, in that it is replete with the contributions of women that sometimes go unnoticed. One of the most prominent supporters of women MCs has been Redman, and he had a story to tell about how a woman set into motion a career-defining event. In fact, Redman credits one of Rap’s reigning queens with igniting his career-making relationship with EPMD.

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In a recent interview with Canadian personality Nardwuar, Reggie Noble is asked to detail the backstory of how his initial meeting with Erick Sermon and Parish Smith came about. “MC Lyte led you all the way to [these gentlemen] right here, EPMD,” Nardwuar says while showing off an EPMD bucket hat. In response, Red explains that Lyte had a show scheduled at Sensations in Newark, New Jersey, but she canceled. “That’s where I met Erick and Parish at. Thank you MC Lyte. That’s my girl, anyway. MC Lyte, we love you over here” [1:30].

Clearly, MC Lyte’s decision to cancel her performance on the night in question set into motion one of the most integral keystones of Redman’s career in Hip-Hop. Heads know well that, in 1990, he made his official debut on Business As Usual, and the three have maintained a relationship ever since. However, Lyte is not the only woman he shouts out in his interview with Nardwuar. “What do you think of Heather B.?,” he asks his guest of the Boogie Down Productions spitter who now cohosts Sway in the Morning. “Listen, I love Heather B. I always talked to Heather B. every other week, I went to dinner at her house…yeah, I went to go eat over there, like, two weeks ago. Heather B. is my sister,” says Red. “And she’s a rapper, too,” Nardwuar comments before Red corrects him. “Nah, she’s a MC. She’s not even a rapper. She’s a great female MC. Her and Nikki D, Queen Latifah, that whole camp. Motha Superior, Bahamadia. Heather B. was right up there. And she was in Dead Presidents. She got punched in the face [laughs]” [2:35].

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Other topics touched on in the interview include Redman’s relationship with The Pharcyde (“I helped spread them on the East Coast”), his days working at Sizzler (“I didn’t really give a fuck about the salad bar”), and why promoters need to do a better job at booking “Titanics in the game” like himself, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Busta Rhymes, and Keith Murray.