During Redman’s interview with The Breakfast Club this week, after Charlamagne Tha God shared his belief that Redman is one of the most underrated rappers of all time, the New Jersey rapper was asked why he feels that might be the case.
According to the lyricist, it was the lack of radio play and his personable nature, which he considers easy-going and “reachable,” that could be to blame. Red also revealed that he never felt any pressure to be commercial during his time signed to Def Jam Records.
“I think I never really surfaced at that level of having a single on the radio 80 times a day,” Redman said. “I think that’s why. A little bit. It was maybe like 20 times a day. It wasn’t 80. But I don’t know. It’s how—I guess cause I’m such a regular guy. And people respect me as being that dude that’s so easy to meet and talk to. When you’re easy going they don’t look at you at that level. They look at you as reachable. Exactly. So, if I was walking around with a gang of bodyguards and shit then they’d be like ‘Oh yeah, man, he’s at that level. He can’t be touched.’ But that ain’t me…When I was on Def Jam, they had artists up there that was going commercial and having the big records. Dudes like Red & Mef and Ghostface Killah, we brought balance.”
Later in the interview, Redman was asked if being in a group with Method Man hindered his career at all.
“It didn’t hurt not one bit because we understood that we could come together and get money,” he said. “And then we could separate and still have a business, a very profitable business together and separate. You know, Meth my young brother. We understood that we saw other groups that broke up and how they broke up. And know their money issues. And we promised ourselves we were gonna avoid that. And a couple of things to avoid that is not having egos. And supporting each other even in our roughest hour…When he’s winning, I’m winning. When I’m winning, he’s winning. And then we’re able to separate that and still do shows.”
For additional Redman coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
We need that Muddier Waters
Album’s called “Mudface” now. Drops tomorrow.
Shout out to Redman true OG in the game. November is Hiphop History Month… Peace out there
One of my favorite MC’s..still hasn’t löst a step either
Redman IS one of the best rappers ever.
legendary!
I remember in the early 90’s a lot of niggas wrote Redman off as a retard, muthaphuckas was like “nah fuck him he’s a cornball” I think that’s why he’s underrated, personally I always felt like he could spit, muddy waters is a classic imo
I remember that feeling, too. Being in the West, it was really hard to get ANY kind of East Coast play for any of these cats. Every time I threw on some new Wu–especially ODB–type of shit NOOOBODY was feeling it! HAD. TO. BE. CLUB. BANGERS. FIRST…before anything got play. Just look at Pac’s career. Didn’t really get worldwide steam until Dre and Death Row kicked things into high gear. Same with 50 Cent. He was doing it since the 90’s but nobody cared until he got shot and Em put him on. This is what makes today a better time. Unknown, seemingly odd/cornball acts can go straight to the top WITHOUT ALL THE MIDDLEMEN FILTER! Just look at how Jazz music’s popular vs. best-of artists played out over the years…nuff said.
Red is definitely underrated. Meth, too.
REDMAN is and always will be one of the greatest! He is a great person and deserves to be counted as a top MC. Jersey stand up! Go cop that Mudface album. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mudface/id1049130005