Redman - Red Gone Wild: Album Review
Redman, Red Gone Wild (Def Jam, 2007)
Redman was the, uggh, man back in the 1990s, but then his career kinda ground to a halt about five or six years ago. He spent quite a bit of time doing commercials, films and a TV series with his hetero life mate Method Man, but it's been six years (yep) since his last album was released. Does Red still have it?
FIRE
The requisite intro verse a la Jay's intro on The Dynasty.
BAK INDA BUILDIN
Fortunately it doesn't sound like Red's flow has lost a step since his '90s heyday, unlike some people we know...
PUT IT DOWN
I wonder how much Timbaland charges for a beat from his "half-assed version of 'Headsprung'" line.
GIMMIE ONE
Speaking of producers who haven't had a new idea in a minute, Pete Rock produced this one.
FUCK UR OPINION
What would a Redman album be without several skits?
SUMTN' 4 URRBODY
The albums first misstep - a lengthy weed carriers showcase over a boring-ass fake Neptunes beat.
HOW U LIKE DAT
I'm not that crazy about Rockwilder as a producer, but Redman has always sounded good over his shit.
FREESTYLE FREESTYLE
Speaking of Neptunes rip-offs, this Scott Storch track is pretty "Grindin'"-esque, except for the chorus, which is an "homage" to "Planet Rock."
WALK IN GUTTA
This Def Squad reunion cut wouldn't have been out of place on 1998's El Nino. In a good way, of course.
WUTCHOOGONNADO
Like a Redman version of "Cher Chez La Ghost" or something. Pretty disco-sounding.
DIS IZ BRICK CITY
Redman doesn't know if you've heard, but the ghetto is a pretty shitty place to live.
RITE NOW
Remember all those silly Erick Sermon records with Marvin Gaye samples on them?
BLOW TREEZ
Kind of a letdown for being the one track with Method Man on this.
PIMP NUTZ
Kind of a throwaway, but amusing none the less, especially the chorus.
MR. ICE CREAM MAN (SKIT)
And this skit is rather amusing as well, though it goes on for over three minutes.
HOLD DIS BLAOW!
Rockwilder at his shittiest, as far as I'm concerned.
GET 'EM
I thought there already was a weed carriers track on this?
MERRY JANE
A weed song by Red and Snoop, with Nate Dogg on the chorus? Where do I sign up?
GILLA HOUSE
Hasn't this one been around for a while?
NO MO' SOOPAMAN LUVA (SKIT)
The same as one of the skits from Doggystyle.
SOOPAMAN LUVA 6
The Soopaman Luva saga really should have ended like 15 years ago.
SOOPAMAN LUVA 6 1/2
But wait, there's more.
SUICIDE
And a little fake Timbaland to close things out. I did appreciate how Red incorporated Katt Williams' "this shit here" bit into the second verse.
COMMENTS: I was all expecting to be disappointed, but what can I say? Redman has managed to put together a pretty damn solid album - probably as good an album as he could at this point in his career. As a late-career artistic coup, I'd compare it to the most recent Snoop Dogg album as well as the last couple of Ghostface albums - not on the level of their best shit, but rather enjoyable none the less.
BEST TRACKS: "Put It Down" "Wutchoogonnado" "Gilla House Check"
BONUS VIDEO: "Put It Down"
