RE Classics caught up with the Legendary REDMAN in his home town of Newark New Jersey. He was celebrating the holiday season with his 211 Community Impact team. They gave away over two thousand toys to the youth of Newark New Jersey. REDMAN also took out some time to talk about his anticipated album “Muddy Waters 2.”
Toney Perkins – How important are events like this to the community?
REDMAN – I mean, like any event that brings awareness to your community is is great.. For example…Newark had the MTV awards here this year, I’ve been to the MTV Awards in L.A., New York for the last, you know, maybe like 15 years. And I can honestly say that they had the MTV Awards and Newark was one of the best shows to me because it wasn’t. It didn’t attract just the normal bougie audience from L.A. or New York. It actually brought out fans in Newark and for Broad and Market to be gated off…and me watching all the young fans looking at, you know, like high celebrity stars coming their city and they are watching.
That gives them hope that that tells them like, yo, this shit is right here in Newark. I can do this because it’s all about resources, man…that’s what we lack in communities is resources. It’s not like, you know, we don’t want to learn. It’s not like we are too lazy to learn. We don’t have the proper resources to touch. So giving back to communities, doing toy drives, letting people see celebrity faces that came out the same neighborhood that they’re growing in now that they’re growing up in now gives them hope.
It gives the young kids hope like, yo, that’s REDMAN he’s right here wit me…and he’s clashing heads with all the big stars. I can do this, too. So it’s all about bringing hope to your community when you’re doing little events like this. Don’t matter. Toy Drive, MTV Awards, it don’t matter when you bring awareness to your hood. It helps. And you might not think it don’t. But you’ve got to start thinking like this. If that helps one person, you’re doing your job. Don’t worry about if it’s going to satisfy the masses. If you help one person, if one person goes home with that message, like if…all the people we serve here today, if one person goes home today from our Toy Drive said, yo, Doitall and REDMAN was giving out toys…I want to do that when I get on.. When I get on, I’ma do a TOY DRIVE and I’m a do it even bigger…and I will applaud that because I’m the kind of guy and artists that believe in the youth…I want the youth to be better than me.
When I talk to a young person, I tell them, look, nigga, I don’t want you to be like me. I want you to be better than me. But in order for you to be better than me, my dude you’re going to have to work twice as hard as me, and I’m. Grizzly when I work. So if you want to be better than me, you had have to put in the hours and work, but they won’t know that until they come meet you. They won’t know this information until they come talk to you. The shortest thing between people is communication. And that’s what 211 Media Impact is about bringing that communication closer together. Bringing resources to young people and older people as well to get a better enlightment on where they want to go.
Toney Perkins – Let’s just transition right to the music. What’s going on with the music? Well, what can we expect?
REDMAN – “Muddy Waters 2″ dropping in April or May? I’m independent right now, so that’s why it’s taking so long and I’m paying for samples of shit. So. But it’s a good learning experience and I’ve got the hang of this shit so and all my shit is 90’s sounding and I’m like, I’m not fucking with no new kind of sounds and I mean no new artists as well, you know, why don’t you do a record with..Nah, I’ll stick to my grounds and stick to my roots.
The Album will be out in April or May. “Muddy Water s 2” Executive produced by me. I got all kinds of producers on there from Rockwilder and Erick Sermon..Hopefully I could get my track from D.J. Premier Big Bru…If you stop bullshitting Big Bru like me and Meth just did a record with Guru..uh..big up to D.J. Premier…he just got some new Guru vocals that he just had to go through some litigation about. So you’re going to hear a new “Gang Starr” album coming soon. Me and Meth is a part of that, but a lot of new music and to 2012, a lot of new music.