Redman

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Reginald Noble's journey began in Newark, where he attended Speedway Avenue School, 13th Avenue School, and West Side High School. At age 16, he was expelled from Montclair State University due to poor academic performance. Living with his mother, Darlene Noble, he faced expulsion from her home for selling cocaine. By age 18, operating as 'DJ Kut-Killa,' he freestyled over funk and hip-hop tracks at parks and house parties across New York and New Jersey. His career trajectory shifted when Erick Sermon of EPMD discovered him while Redman was DJing for Lords of the Underground. Sermon noted, 'I knew there was something spectacular about him. Right off the bat,' leading to Redman moving into his Long Island apartment within months. During tours with EPMD, Redman progressed from carrying bags to delivering life-changing freestyles on stage.

In Their Own Story

In 1990, during an EPMD show in New York, Redman delivered a freestyle using every letter of the alphabet, securing his status as an official rap artist. This led to his debut album, Whut? Thee Album (1992), which blended reggae and funk influences with a fluid rap style, peaking at number 49 on the Billboard 200 and earning gold certification. He followed this with Dare Iz a Darkside in November 1994, an album he later admitted was made during a 'dark period' while under the influence of drugs; it debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and also went gold. His third album, Muddy Waters (1996), received high critical praise, featured hits like 'Whateva Man,' and included his appearance alongside Method Man and Tupac on the track 'Got my Mind Made Up.'

Reader's Guide

Redman's discography includes Doc's Da Name 2000 (1998), which shipped platinum and peaked at number 11, featuring three charting singles. Collaborations with method man resulted in the Blackout! album (1999) and its sequel, Blackout! 2, released on May 19, 2009, selling 63,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number 7 on the Billboard 200. His fifth studio album, Malpractice (2001), reached number 4 and was certified gold. Beyond solo work, he produced for Shaquille O'Neal on Shaq-Fu: Da Return and featured on international hits like Christina Aguilera's 'Dirrty' (2002). Recent activities include the EP '3 Joints' released in 2020 via his Gilla House label and the release of Muddy Waters Too on December 24, 2024.

Did You Know?

• Redman was expelled from Montclair State University at age 16 due to poor academic performance.
• He was kicked out of his mother's house for selling cocaine before becoming a professional rapper.
• Erick Sermon discovered Redman while he was DJing for Lords of the Underground and invited him to move into his Long Island apartment within months.
• Redman freestyled a song using every letter in the alphabet from A to Z during an EPMD show in 1990, which launched his recording career.
• He admitted in 2010 that he had not played his album Dare Iz a Darkside in recent years because it was recorded during a particularly dark period of his life.