Redman recently sat down with his fellow New Jersey Hip-Hop native Heather B on “The Happy Hour” for Soul Food Thursdays to discuss healthy eating, his on-stage energy (inspired by Run-D.M.C., Busta Rhymes, and De La Soul) and what keeps him going as an artist. The Def Squad MC also briefly updates on some future releases, confirming an independent Muddy Waters 2 for 2017. Reggie also cements a third Blackout! installment with Method Man in the closing seconds of the interview.

However, what Heads may find most interesting is Redman reflecting on his 1994 sophomore album, Dare Iz A Darkside. Heather B asks the MC/producer/DJ if he considered stepping away from Rap, following some criticism of the largely self-produced, drug-induced Def Jam Records release.

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“Dare Iz A Darkside, I was just high as hell. [That period] is when Keith Murray came to Def Squad. Yo, we was just wildin’!” Redman says with a beaming smile. He references a specific drug that played a role in the recording. “It was that bombaze! [Laughs] On Dare Iz A Darkside, I was smokin’ dust on that shit, but not the whole album though. But, you know, it was the bombaze; mothafuckas ain’t what what that [even was]. It wasn’t that like, I wanted to give up [Rap] because a lot of my fans didn’t receive [the album] well. What came to find out [was] the fans did receive it well. A lot of females…more females came up to me about Dare Iz A Darkside than any of my albums. I thought that was the weirdest shit in the world. I did kinda feel [different]. Hey, I did this album by myself; I did the production on that album.”

Here, Redman explains making lifestyle changes in recording his third album, which turned 20 years old this month. “When I did Muddy Waters, it was just kind of an enlightening. Like, okay, I know I went too gritty, too far, too hard on Dare Iz A Darkside. I’m becoming more of a man, more of an established artist, this Muddy Waters album shows my balance now. I’m breaking out. I’m taking care of my body now. No more of the bullshit; I left the [angel dust] alone. New life. But I never felt like I should stop or switch modes ’cause of Dare Iz A Darkside. I just thought it was real dark [thus the name]. I honestly didn’t think that a lot of people would receive it well. But after hearing [about] it through the years, it’s like, ‘Wow, that goes down as a classic too.’ ‘Cause that’s the least album I like, besides the Reggie album I threw to Def Jam just to get off of them.”

Earlier this year, Redman unveiled a new group, 1000Volts, with DJ Jayceeoh.

Additional reporting by Bandini.