Redman's Staten Island "De La Casa" (MTV Cribs, 2001)

Redman, the gritty New Jersey rapper, who famously showed off his bling-less Staten Island house during a 2001 episode of MTV "Cribs," says the entire episode, long thought a hoax, was legit... "When they were in there filming, I did have a moment of thinking, 'I don't want to show that my city can't live the good and lavish life too,'" ... "But then I was like, 'F--k it, this isn't about nobody else but me. I invited these guys to my house and now I got to go with it.' This is just something that we do. Everything you see was real. It's just everyday life for us." Redman, who grew up in Newark, "had the chops, the originality to want to really show how he lived," "Cribs" creator Nina Diaz told Thrillist. The popular MTV show was in its infancy during the original Redman episode, but was a unique trend-setter in a TV landscape now cluttered with reality shows. "Other people would wait until they got this ballerific place to let us in because they had watched all these other ones like Master P, who was living in a gold Louisiana mansion. People saw that and they would say, 'I'm not ready... You have to give me another year. I have to make some more bank,'" Diaz said. Redman showed the no-frills side of his life. His "bank" consisted of a shoebox filled with dollar bills and his house had no screen on the storm door or a doorbell. The original episode opened with him in a messy bed, pretending to be woken up by the TV crew. He showed off "exhibit A," which consisted of "his clothes and s--t" sitting strewn about in a corner. Redman told his audience he irons clothes on the floor and shows off his "walk-in closet" – "step in, step out." Inside his bathroom, Redman pointed out the Noxzema and Herbal Essences body wash - "keeps me smelling good for the women." And downstairs, Redman's cousin, who goes by the stage name Mr. Cream, was sleeping on the floor, he says, after a long night recording at the in-house studio.... There were dishes in the sink, pizza boxes everywhere, a piggy bank, his bedroom is a mess. He was quite proud of it, and it was so refreshing because everyone in hip-hop is so style-conscious." Revisit Redman's "De La Casa" below...

Redman "Dare Iz a Darkside" (November 22, 1994)

Redman may have become a household name among the rap community by the end of the ‘90s, but there was a time when he garnered little more than a cult following. Why? Well, Dare Iz a Darkside illustrates this better than any of his other ‘90s albums—nowhere else has Redman ever been this odd, to be quite frank. It’s fairly evident here that he’d been listening to his George Clinton records and that he wasn’t fronting when he alluded to “A Million and 1 Buddah Spots” that he’d visited. In fact, this album often divides his fans. Many admire it for its eccentricities, while others deride it for being quite simply too inaccessible. It’s almost as if Redman is trying to puzzle listeners on Dare Iz a Darkside with his continually morphing persona. In fact, there’s actually little questioning his motives—it’s a matter of fact that Redman’s trying to be as crazy as he can without alienating too many of those who first knew him for his affiliation with EPMD. And while that affiliation does aid this album, since Erick Sermon plays a large role in production, it’s not quite enough. If this album has one unforgivable flaw besides the debatable quirks in Redman’s persona, it’s the production. Sermon isn’t up to his usual standards here, unfortunately, and the album could really use some of his trademark funk. But the reason most fans either feel devotion or disdain for this album isn’t the beats, but rather Redman’s antics. If you appreciate his wacky sense of insane humor, this album is a gold mine. If you’re more into his latter-day Method Man-style rhymes, then this album probably isn’t the one you want to bother with. After all, though Redman became a household name by the end of the ‘90s, it surely wasn’t because of albums like this. - AllMusicGuide. In his own words, Redman has always said he doesn’t listen or perform the songs off Dare… “I swear, I have not played Dare Iz a Darkside damn near since I did it. Seriously! I was so lost, I was so fucked up during that album.” But, when you go back to it, does is really seem as polarizing as we mighta thought at the time? I dunno. You can still argue that—next to Ice Cube—Redman had the most consistent run of solo releases in hip-hop history coming out the gate. That’s just a fact. Revisit it...

Art up above by the ever-talented ToonCrew! 

Redman "Whut...Thee Album" (Rap Pages, 1992)

For all the grannies out there hollering about the evils of rap music, Whut...Thee Album kicks off with a comeback. Opening skit, "Psycho Ward" finds menace-to-society Redman undergoing psychotherapy, with the doc telling him to let loose on some rhymes and get all the "unnecessary anger" out of his system. Being the socially responsible, cooperative (and, in this scenario, incarcerated) brotha that he is, Redman proceeds to bust some wicked loaded lyrics, boosted by tasty, fat grooves courtesy of fellow Hit Squad bomber Erick "EPMD" Sermon, who drops a few words here as well. In typical debut fashion, lyrics on Whut are aimed primarily at making sure suckas appreciate what it is they're hearing. Nothing too mind-bending there, okay, but Redman's got the musical momentum and sense of humor to keep things rolling. Hardcore funk jams like "Blow Your Mind" and "I'm a Bad" playing alongside skits bagging on Hammer ("Funky Uncles"), confrontations between Redman and himself ("Redman Meets Reggie Noble") and just flatout toasted directives on getting bent ("How To Roll A Blunt"). Slapstick track "A Day of Sooperman Lover" follows the exploits of one superfly Romeo who can "slam King Kong and pick up freight trains," but doesn't have a clue what it is he's about to bone: "Stuck my hand between her legs and I felt the bozack--as big as mine!" Definitely not an album for the grandkids, but then again Redman told us straight out he was "Rated R." - Rap Pages (December, 1992). Revisit Redman's debut classic LP below, but please by advised that the exact date of the album's release has been debated for several years. Based on adverts and Def Jam's Friday release schedule, October 9, 1992 is the likely release date.

I still listen to -- and enjoy -- this album to this day... an absolute classic!

Redman "Muddy Waters" (Press Kit, 1996)

To those in need of funkdafied musical medicine blessed by herb-enhanced verbals, your prayers have been answered. In 1992, Reggie Noble introduced the world to Redman, the brainsick genius responsible for the instant classics "Time 4 Sum Aksion," "How To Roll A Blunt" and "Tonight's Da Night" culled from his gold-selling textbook-case debut Whut? Thee Album. 1994 charted Redman's continued progress as hip-hop's most illified patient with "Rockafella" and "Can't Wait" from his gold-selling follow-up Dare Iz A Darkside. Now with his Def Squad degree in wordsmith science proudly decorating the walls of his Newark "Brick City," NJ laboratory, Redman-a.k.a. The Funk Docta Spot-returns with his third in his anthologies of tales from the darkside-Muddy Waters. "Muddy Waters," Redman explains, "pertains to the idea that everything is from the dirt which is the essence. My last album Dare... was about comin' out the dirt. Now, the result of that is album where it has surfaced. I think I lost people on my last album, it went over their heads. This album, I got some more of the kind of music I'd want to do in a show. Straight up buddha head songs." True to this simple but highly effective philosophy, the LP prescribes the full range of what listeners have come to prize and expect from Redman: High-octane performances, entertaining idiosyncrasies, lyrical excursions into the familiar and foreign and, of course, the best in bottom heavy production as provided by Def Squad kingpin Erick Sermon, longtime Reggie Noble-associated Rockwilder and Redman himself. "My music is made for everyone but has a particular connection to buddha heads," Redman states matter of factly. "Don't get the album thinking I'm a be talkin' about spectatuclar stuff. You know why? Because you got different groups out here covering the political angle, covering the glamour angle. But nobody's kickin' it for the buddha heads that just want a sit back and rock." Within the funk gumbo of Muddy Waters there lies a wealth of healthy examples; tracks whose energy most strongly recalls Whut?, yet builds on the excellence of recent standouts. like "Funkorama" and his smash platinum plus duet with Method Man "How High." Revisit the LP below...

 

The full Muddy Waters press kit/bio is below...

Redman "Dare Iz A Darkside" (November 22, 1994)

Ah yes, there's plenty of blunted references on Dare Iz A Darkside, although strangely the track that has been getting massive air-play stateside, 'Smoke A Blunt Too', has been omitted from the LP - it was previously the star turn of Def Jam's pre-release winter sampler. But to moan about such an exclusion does massive injustice to 'Dare...', an album that confirms the huge promise of 1993's 'Whut? Thee Album' and more. The hot and earthy funk flows like lava -- remember that young Reggie comes from the same city as the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton. Redman never sleeps on a track. Many of the cuts (like 'A Million And 1 Boodah Spots', 'Wuditlooklike' and 'Slide & Rock On') aren't much more than four minutes long. He's realized that too many other rappers spend their time babbling on when the business of producing a whole set of different flavas is ignored. Anyway, the fluidness and cadence of Redman's delivery makes his rhymes sound like he's packing a lifetime into a single set of lyrics. And if imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Redman must be bored of the sycophants -- over the last two years he's been imitated more times than Tommy Cooper. This album will assure that Redman will now be mentioned in the same breath as Rakim and Paris as the dopest emcees in hip-hop. 'Chocolate City' is what Redman calls his home town of Newark -- and this is one Willy Wonka of an album. Damn near perfection. -- HHC, 1/95. Revisit it...

 

Full album review in HHC and a pic from my IG are below + Press Kit.

DJ Platurn "The Best of Redman" (Mixtape)

When lockdown began back in March (2020), a gentleman I barely knew (DJ Trex) in my facebook network sent me an email with a request. He wanted to see if i'd be willing to make a mix for him in the vein of the homage mixes I've done in the past (Native Tongues, Outkast, etc) but for his favorite MC of all time, Redman. He explained to me that he is a nurse working on the frontlines of the covid pandemic and proclaimed he always wanted something like this in his possession and now would be the time to make it happen, especially with the future being so uncertain. Lump in my throat for real so I agreed without hesitation. We swiftly made a connection and have become friends over the last few months, checking in to see what the progress looks like on each of our ends. I took the project very seriously and am truly happy to present this to the world, on his behalf of course. My 1st major project during these unprecedented times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. - DJ Platurn // If you've heard any (or all) of DJ Platurn's past mixes, then you know what it is! I've had to update the link for this mixtape at least two times, hopefully the link below stays active and you can order cassette copies, too, now - via Strictly Cassette. Hit it...

Redman Thanksgiving Special (BET Rap City, 1998)

There's no better way to spend Thanksgiving than with the Funk Doctor Spock, Reggie Noble aka Redman! Back in 1998, Big Tigger pulled up on Redman for BET's Rap City and as you'd expect, nothing short of comedy transpires! Redman promotes his then-upcoming album Doc's Da Name, running down the various features and production on the project. Redman da Chef cooks it up marvelous and shares stories about Method Man, Keith Murray, and his parting message is "if you've gotta be a monkey, be a guerrilla!" Do the knowledge on that one, lol. Happy Holidays and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner. If you haven't seen it, find Redman's MTV Cribs video for a laugh too!

Redman "Dare Iz A Darkside" (Press Kit, 1994)

"You are now about to embark on a unique adventure where time, sound, and reality all have different meaning. No you won't be hanging with Pee-Wee Herman money, your guide for this ride is none other than Reggie Noble BKA Redman, and the place with all the bass just happens to be The Dark Side. There's no need to go into how Redman came on the scene housin' S%&! right ? What! Your memory is failing you? Don't ask somebody, I'm about to school ya. After years tearing it out the frame doing classic freestyles across the Tri-State area, Redman burst out upon the Hip-Hop scene in 1991 by catching wreck with his gift of vocab on the EPMD tracks "Hardcore" and "Brothers On My Jock." Soon after he gained more props by releasing his first funky single "Blow Your Mind" off the now Gold debut album "Whut? Thee Album." It contained gem tracks such as "Time 4 some Akshun" and "Tonight's The Night." Besides that, Redman was also a powerful force in The Hit Squad, a crew in Hip-Hop so revered any mention of the name brought instant respect."

"But that was two years ago, and a lot has happened in between. In 1993 Redman was voted by The Source as the top rap artist of the year. And now Redman returns to reveal "Dare Iz A Darkside," his highly anticipated follow-up on Def Jam Recordings. The title for the new platter came easily as the MC has gone through a barrage of stress, trials and tribulations career wise, in addition to the everyday struggle of maintaining out in society. After a quick trip to the corner store for a couple of Phillies, he broke it down to me, 'My meaning of the dark side is deep and real. All that shit I was GOING through, I was like 'This don't make sense.' So you know what? I may just let shit go on this album to the dark side. Everybody's got a dark side, but they don't let it come out by pretending and grinning up in your face, and when they get home, they're on a whole different note. It wasn't about no gimmick. It's strictly real. The shit is dark but it's still funky'." - Press Kit, 1994 (Def Jam)

The Halftime Show "Method Man & Redman" (11/18/98)

Big up to DJ Eclipse, this is 89.1 WNYU, The Halftime Show, on November 18, 1998 with DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse, featuring special guests: Method Man & Redman. In November '98, Red & Mef would have been on their second 'Month of the Man' campaign promoting Method Man's 'Tical 2000: Judgment Day' and Redman's 'Doc's Da Name.' The original campaign was run back in '94 for 'Tical' and 'Dare Iz a Darkside' through Def Jam and they have been going strong ever since with solo and collaborative releases. From DJ Eclipse: "Riz setting the show off and me getting on around 77 minutes in like usual. Mic break at 46:19 and again at 121:37 with guests Redman and Method Man. Not too much talking and then straight to the freestyle (125:07) with Red, Meth, Mr. Loose and La The Darkman. 20+ minute freestyle session right up to the end of the show." They played great underground records throughout - as always - so you'll wanna click play and enjoy the dope 2-hour show below...

The Combat Jack Show "The Return of Redman Episode"

​Damn, because this isn't something I feel should come from anyone but the man himself, I ask that you please listen to the audio PSA from Combat Jack that explains his absence. Reggie is in my thoughts and prayers, and I will certainly reach out to express my support and encouragement. Exhale. Now... this is a special live taping of the Combat Jack Show, where their guest is none other than the Funk Doc, Redman, and guest hosting is honorable member of the show, super-producer Just Blaze. I was eager to hear Red give an update on Muddy Waters 2, but he also touches on the current climate in Hip-Hop today; his new show on VH1 and the (un)usual comedy you'd expect from the humble - but hilarious - legend. Listen to this latest episode of the Combat Jack Show below...

Das EFX & Redman on The Arsenio Hall Show 7/31/92

Before there was an Instagram, Das EFX's PR team issued this "Dasogram" to media, alerting us to their performance on The Arsenio Hall Show on Friday, July 31st in 1992. The Hit Squad made its presence felt with none other than the Funk Doc, Redman; holding Skoob & Krayz Drayz down on the turntables. The group performed their lead single, 'They Want EFX,' off the smash album, 'Dead Serious.' People forget how influential and forward-thinking Arsenio Hall was to support hip-hop on his show (in 1992!) and bring the music to millions of people. Many of the live performances on his show were the biggest platforms artists could reach at the time. 25 years later, enjoy the video clip below of the performance. I'm sure you'll find the All-Star tribute if you search Youtube, too.

Redman "Funk From Hell" (The Source, 1992)

A quick shout-out to Redman, who is celebrating his 47th birthday today! Bursting on the scene in '89-90 with EPMD, Redman has been putting that work in - on-stage and in the booth - ever since. One of the true stage performers in hip-hop, Red & Mef will give you an amazing show every time they come out to perform. In the booth, one of a very select few MCs who has delivered back to back to back smash albums with 'Whut? Thee Album,' 'Dare Iz a Darkside,' and 'Muddy Waters;' not to mention hits with Meth, EPMD, The Hit Squad, and a long list of successful solo releases since. Arguments have quietly been made for Redman to join the ranks of the greatest to ever do it and while content may not be his strongest gift, you can put a check inside just about every other box. Reppin' Jersey to the fullest, he's shown consistency and longevity with no signs of stopping. In fact, at 47yrs old, he's embarrassing artists half his age out here. Check the Redman "Documentary" below and the "Funk From Hell" article in The Source back in 1992, plenty of added backstory for ya...

The Return of the Hit Squad (2/24/12)

February 24th, 2012: the Return of the Hit Squad: EPMD, Redman, Das Efx, K-Solo, and special guest, Keith Murray. The reunion show was at the Best Buy Theater (now called the Playstation Theater) in NYC. Method Man also touched the stage, as well as DJ Scratch holding it down. The final track of the night was the posse cut, 'Headbanger,' with Redman crowd-surfing! Where were you when one of the greatest collectives in music hit the stage live in New York City? A great reunion show.

Redman "Muddy Waters" (The Source, 2/97)

"Def Squad lion Redman has no problem blazing up the path between mainstream and the underground with his third Reggie Noble vs alter ego installment, Muddy Waters. Slightly lodging the effort between the musical/lyrical cohesiveness of 1992's Whut? Thee Album, and the rhyme inventiveness of 1994's Dare Iz a Darkside, Redman comes to groove with the masses, but he'll be damned if it's easily digestible for everyone. The fascination with forging new lyrical horizons left many fans baffled and disillusioned when Red zoomed spaceward with the gold-selling Dare Iz A Darkside. Aside from the consistently gloomy, over-stripped arrangements and cryptic space-talk, Red took the path of Mothership pioneers Sun Ra and George Clinton, switching his style in defiance of complacency. The steady, bubbling syncopation on Whut? flipped to a furious flow of hazy metaphors and punchlines, best demonstrated on cuts like "Da Journee," Cosmic Slop" and "Green Island." Passionate about strictly taking the underground to new heights, Red publicly forewarned that Darkside wasn't made for everyone, especially the radio. Now how many rappers can do that shit and still sell units? Waters continues in the same expansive vein, coming down a notch on the comprehensibility meter in order to deal with earthly issues, some of which have been consistent from jump street.... But it's when rallying self-fulfilling causes that Red is most open."

"Displaying maturity as a producer, he resurrects his political commentator skills from '92 on the police-wary "What U Lookin' 4." The spiritually swaying "Whateva Man" finds the funk doctor flying his smokey flag for the underachievers. Groovable cuts like "Pick It Up" and "Da Bump" syllabically mow down underground perpetrators... Simple beat/rhyme frameworks also yield a tour de force when Red trades verses with erstwhile Squad mate K-Solo on the shamelessly banging "It's Like That (My Big Brother)." Even without the radio-accessibility of a hook, the song took off through FM airwaves. His post "How High" duet with Method Man (produced by the Fugees' Pras) may not be so lucky, as the censorship crowd might not take too kindly to Red gems ... but with Red you never know. As usual, the production wizardry is helmed by Squad elder Erick Sermon, smoothing out the Funkadelic soundscape with swirling keyboards and simmering kicks while maintaining a sinister feel with ominous, thematic bass drones. The sonic approach creates a dance floor-friendly vibe which seems perfectly appropriate for the Funk Dr. Spock's return to dry land, although if Sermon had just pushed a tad more for the variety manifested on Whut?, the end result would be perfection. But through all the murky travels, Red can still take what's given to him and aim for higher ground."

Redman "Whut Thee Album?" (Classic Material, XXL)

Although known to the world as an unpredictable, skilled and hilarious MC, Redman came up in hip-hop as a DJ, around age 12... While DJing in clubs around his hometown of Newark, NJ, MCing was always in the back of Red's mind. He recalls: "I always kind of wanted to MC, but I really got into it when I heard EPMD and Biz Markie. I knew that I had that same energy inside me. Everybody else was more technical, but EPMD was more slow with their flow, natural." As fate would have it, Redman met his idols in '91, at a Newark club called Sensations. DJing at the time for Newark MC DoItAll (from Lords of the Underground), Redman stood in the back as his friends took turns freestyling for Erick and Parrish before the show, trying to impress the two, who had recently begun building their Hit Squad family. "My boys told Erick I could rap, too, so E asked me to freestyle. I started spittin' and EPMD put me on stage that night." Shortly after bringing him on tour with them (he doubled as K-Solo's DJ), Erick and Parrish hit up Def Jam for a Redman LP deal... The album was mostly recorded at Charlie Marotta's North Shore Soundworks studio on Long Island. E Sermon oversaw the process, but Redman was left to figure out things on his own more often than not. "I was under a lot of pressure to learn," Redman remembers. "E showed me a couple (of recording) moves, threw me in the studio and just left me there. But I picked up shit real quick, and Erick was always around if I needed him." After a couple months in the lab, Redman emerged with a killer piece of wax that mixed loose-limbed humor and deeply funky beats lived up to the new layers to the Hit Squad sound. Released in September '92 the LP went gold behind hit singles "Blow Your Mind" and "Time 4 Sum Aksion." The Sooperman Lover tells us how he freaked the funky fly stuff on his debut..." cont'd below via Classic Material in XXL by Brian Coleman. Click play, too!

The full Classic Material feature in XXL is below...

Redman & Joe Budden on Hot Ones (Videos)

Something different... Hot Ones' host Sean Evans asks his celebrities guests questions while they attempt to complete rounds of chicken wings coated in spicy hot sauce. Sound entertaining? It is! Taking it to Jersey one time two times, they have legendary MCs Redman and Joe Budden on the show. These are two of the most entertaining episodes of the show. I think the concept is genius and these episodes make me laugh, so as this is a journal of sorts, I wanna make mention of it here so I can remember to go back when I need a laugh, lol. Sound fair? Ok then... The Redman episode says, "Over more than two and a half decades in the game, the rap veteran and How High star has toured the world with Method Man, put out some of hip-hop's most memorable albums, and repped his Jersey roots to the fullest. Now, watch him risk it all while taking on some of the most brutal hot sauces on the planet." The Joe Budden episode says, "The Jersey City emcee may be stirring up headlines these days with his string of Drake disses, but let's be real: We've always wanted to get Joe into the hot seat. The hip-hop rabble-rouser proves that whether it's a hot-sauce duel or a rap battle, he never backs down." Looking for a good laugh? Watch both great episodes below...

Redman "Dare Iz A Darkside" (The Source, 1/95)

"Dare Iz A Darkside is an explosion from the Funkadelic Devil that attempts to capture the suspended time between life and death. To do this, Redman picks up where he left off with his debut and unleashes more hot "cosmic slop" to relieve us from the same monotonous funk everyone claims to possess. The creepy, sinister sounding "Noorotic," one of Redman's many buddah sessions on wax, sets the tone as Mr. Noble expresses his inner feelings on the music industry: "They're attacking me / this naughty rhyme style actually / they got factories with little dolls named after me." Lyrics remain the focus on the unorthodoz "Green Island" as the multiple-personality technique perfected on last album's "Redman vs. Reggie Noble" is utilized. This time Uncle Quilly (another Redman personality) joins the other two in a quest for greenbacks, and Redman proves that the nearly-perfect skills that made him famous can improved on. The album really shines on "Cosmic Slop" which features Erick Sermon and Keith Murray on a lyrical tour through the cosmos. The hostile "We Run N.Y" also stands out as Redman and Hurricane G create lyrical havoc by bringing true East Coast flava from a male/female perspective... Dare... is definitely a piece of art which causes one to suppress reality as the mind travels into the mysterious world of the unknown. Redman is without a doubt on some 'ole next shit coming with the same attitude that blew your mind on the last LP. Most artists are afraid to experiment, or express views that are not the norm, but on Dare Iz A Darkside, Redman challenges himself to shatter the limits of lyrical, mental and funkadelic illness - and he succeeds." - The Source, January 1995. Read the full review below...

Dare is an underrated album in Redman's classic catalog.

Redman "Whut Thee Album?" (HHC, October 1992)

"I like to build my album up as a movie. When you're listening to me, you're watching me as well. If you get a good focus on what I'm talking about, then - with the drama and shit - it's like a movie." Ruffneck funkster Redman sinks into the big chair and describes the cinematic potential of his gruff, ghetto-flavored debut LP, 'Whut.' A rugged collection of Parliament-style loops and harder-than-hard raps, the album is spliced together with channel-hopping snatches of news reports, mini dramas and murderous dialogue. "I could act my ass off," he boasts.... Who says I can't be the next Mel Gibson or something? Straight out of Newark, "one of the hardest cities on the planet," Redman, with EPMD and K-Solo, is one of the original members of the Hit Squad. He was Erick's roomie for two years and now the pair have formed EAR (Erick and Redman) Productions to produce tracks for the Hit Squad and beyond. Sharing the same hood as Naughty By Nature, Lakim Shabazz, Latifah and a host of upcoming new stars, he's proud of his hometown, and his street-corner background. "I love Newark, my city. Word up! You can take a brother out of Newark but you can't take Newark out of the brother." ... With his strictly Funk Street attitude to hip-hop, Redman steers clear of explicit politics, leaving his hardcore ghetto stylings to speak for themselves. "I leave that messages shit to other people. The bottom line is that politics and racial shit is keepin' some of the rappers employed - cause that's all they talk about. That's cool though, I can't knock anybody how they get paid, but a lotta people just want to hear the funk. Somebody who listens to my album would say 'oh - he's funky, he's nice." - HHC, 1992. This wasn't the best interview, nor album discussion, but it's interesting to know Redman "gained his name when his face swelled up all rosy from a little girl's snowball." Is that verified? If so, I probably shoulda known that by now, huh?