Redman

Reginald Noble (born April 17, 1970), better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor.

Born on April 17, 1970, and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Redman attended Speedway Avenue School and 13th Avenue School before attending West Side High School, an experience he described as "off the hook".

In 1987, Redman was expelled from Montclair State University his freshman year due to poor academic performance at age 16.

Having no other options, Redman then went back home to live with his mother, Darlene Noble, who eventually kicked him out of her house for selling cocaine.

Two years later, at age 18, Redman was a young DJ-MC who went by the name "DJ Kut-Killa".

He freestyled over funk and hip hop instrumental tracks on vinyl records in various parks and house parties around New York and New Jersey.

Redman was eventually discovered by Erick Sermon of EPMD while he was a DJ for Lords of the Underground.

Sermon said when he met Redman for the first time, "I knew there was something spectacular about him. Right off the bat. The next day, we talked. And within the next two or three months, he moved to Long Island, to my crib. He moved right into my apartment."

After moving in with Sermon, Redman went out on tour with EPMD.

While on tour with the group he did everything from carrying their bags to coming out on stage and doing rap freestyles.

He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label.

He is well known for his collaborations with his close friend Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman including their starring roles in films and sitcoms which include How High and Method and Red.

He was also a member of the Def Squad in the late 1990s.

In 1990, at an EPMD show in New York, Redman was invited onstage by Erick Sermon where he delivered a rap freestyle that changed his life.

He freestyled a song describing himself as a rapper using every letter in the alphabet, from A to Z. After this, Redman was an official rap artist and began production with Erick Sermon on his first major label album, Whut? Thee Album.

In 1990, Redman made his official debut on EPMD's album Business as Usual, appearing on the tracks "Hardcore" and "Brothers on My Jock".

In 1992, Redman released his debut album, Whut? Thee Album, which AllMusic noted for blending "reggae and funk influences" with a "terse, though fluid rap style".

The album peaked at number forty-nine on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold.

He was named "Rap Artist of the Year" by The Source.

In 1992, Redman appeared in A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario" music video.

Redman followed this up with his 1994 album, Dare Iz a Darkside.

The first single, "Rockafella", samples Leon Haywood's "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" and George Clinton's "Flash Light", two of the most sampled songs in hip hop.

Redman's second album was notable for having most of the tracks produced by the artist himself (later on Redman would let other producers make most of his beats).

During this time he used former mentor Erick Sermon to produce his records, including "Pick It Up" and "Whateva Man" from Muddy Waters.

Redman released his second studio album, Dare Iz a Darkside on November 22, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings.

The album debuted at 13 on the US Billboard 200.

The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

On December 10, 1996, Redman released his third album Muddy Waters, which was highly praised by critics.

The album featured two of his Billboard's hit singles: "Whateva Man" and "It's Like That (My Big Brother)".

The song "Do What You Feel" appeared on the soundtrack to the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 12, 1997.

During this time, with newfound friendships with Method Man and Tupac, they both appeared on Tupac's double album All Eyez on Me on the song "Got my Mind Made Up".

In 1998, Redman released his first collaboration album El Nino with group Def Squad.

In 1999, Redman took part in the Hard Knock Life Tour, including a stop in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre.

In 1999, Method Man and Redman released a collaborative album called Blackout!.

His fourth studio album Doc's Da Name 2000 was a top seller, shipping platinum in sales and exceeding his previous record of gold.

It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and had three songs ("I'll Bee Dat", "Da Goodness", "Let Da Monkey Out") that charted.

With his labelmate Method Man, Redman made a featured appearance on the Doc's Da Name 2000 record on the song "Well All Rite Cha".

In 2001, Redman released his fifth studio album Malpractice.

Redman has said that he was on drugs during the recording of the album, and said in 2010 that he had not played the album in recent years because it was made during a particularly dark period in his life.