Jersey History: Redman
In 1991, after enjoying numerous success stories of pioneering hip-hop, Def Jam Records lost The Beastie Boys to Capitol, 3rd Bass broke up, co-founder Rick Rubin left to form Def American, Interscope Records emerged as major competition, the West Coast G-Funk scene threatened to take rap to the next level, and LL Cool J wasn’t selling as much as he once did. Def Jam found itself deep in debt to Columbia/Sony. Its very existence was threatened. Russell Simmons knew he couldn’t sustain a label with only Warren G selling big numbers.
Enter Reginald Noble, now 55, who christened himself Redman, a rapper out of Newark who many industry pundits now look at as having saved the label. His ’92 Whut? Thee Album debut changed the fortunes of the once-thriving corporation. It didn’t hurt that his outstanding rap on EPMD’s “Head Banger” was a runaway success, and his collaborations with Method Man ushered in a new hip-hop era. He was also seen in the “Scenario” video by A Tribe Called Quest.
He graduated West Side High, went to Montclair State, but was expelled over poor grades. His mother kicked him out of the house for selling cocaine. All the while, though, he was free-styling over funk instrumental tracks in various Essex County house parties. He was discovered by rapper Erick Sermon while DJing for Lords of the Underground. At an EPMD show, he got onstage and delivered a rap that changed his life, got him his record deal, and led to a career which has seen him release nine albums and four collaboration projects. As an actor, he’s appeared in Scary Movie 3, Seed Of Chucky and 11 other films.