Redman

It's been a minute since I've made a blog post, so thanks for still checkin' for a dude. Here's another classic album from Redman to hold y'all over. I got a few other posts that need to be edited and submitted, but this should hold y'all until I'm done with those. Enjoy, people.

Muddy Waters [Def Jam Music Group 1996]
1. Intro
2. Iz He 4 Real
3. Rock Da Spot
4. Welcome (Interlude)
5. Case Closed

6. Pick It Up

7. Skit

8. Smoke Buddah

9. Whateva Man

10. Chicken Head Convention [Skit]

11. On Fire

12. Do What Ya Feel

13. The Stick Up [Skit]

14. Creepin'

15. It's Like That (My Big Brother)

16. Da Bump

17. Skit

18. Yesh Yesh Y'all

19. What U Lookin' 4

20. Soopaman Luva 3 Interview [Skit]

21. Soopaman Luva 3

22. Rollin'

23. Da Ill Out

Redman

Redman's second album, along with a lot of the other albums that you'll find here, is one of the joints in his discography that rarely ever gets the love that it deserves. Some say the production all sounds the same. Others say that Redman isn't at his best lyrically. I'd say both charges are completely false. Red switched his style up from the first LP (Whut! Thee Album) and he was just as fresh. I think the idea was to make a bass heavy album with a smoked out theme to it. If you ask me, he did exactly that and sprinkled in a little wit to boot. Just like any Def Squad release from the 90's, Dare Iz A Darkside is guaranteed satisfaction.

Dare Iz A Darkside [RAL / Def Jam 1994]

1. Dr. Trevis
2. Bobyahed2dis
3. Journey Throo Da Darkside
4. Da Journee
5. A Million And 1 Buddah Spots
6. Noorotic
7. Boodah Session
8. Cosmic Slop
9. Rockafella (R.I.P.)
10. Rockafella
11. Green Island
12. Basically
13. Can't Wait
14. Winicumuhround
15. Wuditlooklike
16. Slide And Rock On
17. Sooperman Luva II
18. We Run N.Y.
19. Dr. Trevis (Sighs Off)
20. Tonight's Da Nite (Remix)

Insomnia: Erick Sermon Compilation

So, I'm over on Wake Your Daughter Up when I spot a LOTUG video for "What I'm After." After watching it like 10 times straight (lol), I spot Keith Murray's "It's That Hit" in the menu bar. I don't know about anyone else, but I fuckin' love that song along with the other single from that album -- Redman's "Funkorama." Remember how videos used to be low budget and still come off extra lovely? Maybe I'm just old, but now it seems like the bigger the budget, the poorer the video. Enough with the mini tangents though. I went and dug up "Funkorama" and I put both videos just underneath the track listing. Back to the album though. In my book, Erick Sermon is one of the best producers in hip hop/rap history. This entire album (obviously) is produced by him. It's not his best stuff in terms of production, but his C level stuff was better than a lot of other producers A level material. The rhymes are supplied by the usual Def Squad suspects -- Redman, Keith Murray, Erick Sermon, Jamal -- as well as lesser known acts from their various offshoot crews (PPP, L.O.D., etc). The lesser known acts are decent, but you can kind of hear why they stayed in the background. They aren't bad, but they don't jump out at you or wow you in any way either. Just for clarification purposes, I feel it necessary to mention that the Tommy Gunn listed on this album is not the M.I.C. rapper Megalon (Megalon uses "Tommy Gunn" as an alias). The Tommy Gunn on this album passed away back in 1996 just before the release of this album.

Insomnia: The Erick Sermon Compilation Album [Interscope Records 1996]

1. Intro
2. Funkorama - Redman
3. The Vibe - Xross Breed
4. As The... - Passion
5. Beez Like That (Sometimes) - Jamal & Calif
6. It's That Hit - Keith Murray
7. Up Jump The Boogie - The Wixtons
8. Caller's Interlude
9. I Feel It - L.O.D.
10. On The Regular - Duo
11. Fear - Tommy Gunn
12. Ready For War - Domo
13. Reign - Erick Sermon