It's difficult to find a hip hop fan who truly doesn't like Redman. He's a gifted emcee who has put out classic hip hop records that have gone undisputed, but aside from that, Reggie Noble has maintained a reputation as being a respectable, positive character in the industry. According to the New Jersey native, that's something he's hoped people have picked up on throughout his career.
In a recent interview with Take It Personal Radio hosts DJ 360 and Philaflava, Redman was complimented for being one of the more personable personalities in hip hop. "I appreciate you guys noticing that balance of my career," he said. "Because I work hard for that sh*t. I work hard to be that guy that can roam with the richest of the richest and be around the tops of the circle and still get respected and then still be with the lowest and have-nots and still be respected. I love that balance."
The rapper has linked up with longtime friend and collaborator Method Man for years, including their Blackout! series, and during the discussion he recalled how the pair of lyricists first met each other. “Honestly I gotta commend Def Jam for that move because at that time me and Meth was putting out material, and it was kind of Def Jam saying, ‘You know what, let’s put these guys on the road,'" he said. "'Let’s put them on the road and make a big promotion, "Month of the Man.'"' That was one of the most well-known promotions in hip hop during the ’90s, was the "Month of the Man." It happened business-wise through Def Jam, but organically it happened with Red and Meth as individuals.”
Redman also said that even on that first tour, he and Meth didn't see each other as competition or have any issues. "That’s how I can say how the Red and Meth brand came about was from us being on the road when Def Jam put us there," he shared. "They placed that scene I would say...they mapped out that scene for us to be on the road."
"It was up to us, organically, to make the Red and Meth brand happen because it could’ve went another way," he continued. "It could’ve went like, 'Alright, I ain’t f*ckin’ with this n*gga or I ain’t f*ckin’ with this n*gga,' and we could’ve just went on about our business after that promo tour. But after that promo tour, I threw them beats on and we literally connected through the music organically, and we came back home like real good friends and ready to say, ‘You know what? Let’s do an album.'”
