Before there was a How High movie or even a Method Man to share blunts with, Redman emerged on the scene with Whut? Thee Album, his debut solo project which came shortly after he stole the show on his first verse for EPMD’s “Hardcore”. The Redman who debuted ten years ago was a different emcee then he is today – a bit more mush-mouthed, not quite as crass (but yes, still crass), and not as polished as he is these days. The Redman of 1992 was not a celebrity with midgets and overweight ladies (or ladies at all) in his videos. He didn’t rock wifebeaters, but instead kept quite warm in the standard PPP attire, consisting of a skully cap, bubblegoose jacket, pair of Tim’s, a tissue hanging from his nose, and a blunt hanging from his mouth. He was hip-hop’s premier cartoon character, and a fly human being that could freak it Korean.    

      Under the wing of Erick Sermon, Redman was perhaps his greatest discovery and biggest success story, even excelling past the EPMD foundation he emerged from. With the exception of Keith Murray, he was (and is) Erick Sermon’s only true discovery, leaving virtually every other Insomina, Erick Onasis, and Music reject chillin’ in the bargin bins.  Whut? Thee Album was a success in the early 90′s hip-hop underground, with the potential to grow (as we’ve seen), simply because it combined the ruff, rugged, and raw sound of EPMD, with lyrics that left his teachers in the dust. (As history shows, PMD would see similar success that same year with Das Efx.)

      Whut? Thee Album welcomed us to Redman’s psycho ward, introducing a cast characters including Reggie Noble and Sooperman Luva, each overseen by Dr. Trevis. From start to finish without interruption, the album played like a trip through the unstable mind of Redman, where tracks changed abruptly like random thoughts or late night channel surfing.  Unlike today’s jumbled patchwork albums, laced with hot producers and guests, this collage was much more cohesive, thanks to the aid of one producer, Erick Sermon. It was a treat listening to Redman tear through the Green Eyed Bandit’s piled on samples, borrowed from his funky uncles on tracks like “So Ruff” , “Watch Your Nuggets” and each version of “Blow Your Mind”.  It was amazing how back when sampling was free, these off-kilter and incredibly raw combinations would fuse themselves into memorable musical patterns. 

      As a whole, or broken up track by track, the album was filled with classic moments. Red broke the door down with the B-Real fueled “Time 4 Sum Aksion” , which later became a soundtrack for endless Mike Tyson fights, and showed you “How To Roll A Blunt”, as the album reached its finale. He displayed true lyrical acrobatics throughout the whole LP, especially on “Redman Vs. Reggie Noble” , where he battled himself, hitting you with quotable line after line ( “If a stitch in time saves nine, then I got shit sewn!” ). And who can forget Hurricane G demanding Redman to deliver that rough shit on “Tonight’s Da Night” , as Redman blazed up a smooth beat with hardcore Brick City attitude?         

    Before there was an Eminem, hip-hop’s funniest emcee was Redman, as nobody could compete with lines like “I’m not a warrior or barbarian type of nigga / I’m just quick to smoke your family and fuck your sister!” Some see this as Redman’s best album ever, most likely because it was his most raw and completely focused project of his career. Regardless of the fact that this was probably his least successful album (numbers wise), it laid the blueprint for every Redman album after that, and is required listening for any Redman enthusiast. If you weren’t there to experience this album ten years ago, it’s almost essential to peep, at least to fully grasp Whut a Redman album should sound like.