At one point in time Redman was well regarded as one of hip hop’s best and most consistent artists. From 92 to 96 his three albums (Whut! Thee Album, Dare Iz A Darkside, Muddy Waters), were all straight dope and a weak was nary found from the hilarious Brick City emcee. Despite murdering every guest spot in sight in the late 90’s, Red’s Doc’s Da Name and collab with Method Man failed to meet the lofty expectations (impossibly high in the case of Blackout). After 2001’s Malpractice, Red slowly faded out of the spotlight and here we are 6 years later with Redman trying to stake his claim once again.

Much has changed in this game since Red was a platinum artist, but Ludacris – who many maintain jacked Red’s style (which I don’t agee with) – has shown there is still some room for humor in hip hop. Don’t be foolish enough to expect any new and improved Reggie Noble, he may not be permanently clad in a bubble goose, timbs and a tissue stuck up his nose that PPP shit, but Red Gone Wild is still some good ol’ Brick City mashin.

As his albums usually do, Red Gone Wild starts off with some of that Fire, literally. Really though, it is really just a spark considering the infernos that Red gets cooking. Both Bak Inda Building and the Timbaland produced Put It Down throw some considerable gas on the flame. Red takes it from the club (Put It Down), to the headphones with the Pete Rock laced Gimme One, an easy winner. The posse cut with his Gilla House crew, Sumtn 4 Uuurbody, doesn’t quite keep up as the beat is a bit cookie cutter and the whole crew doesn’t pull their weight. As Redman shows over Scott Storch’s minimal production on Freestyle, Freestyle, the Fuck Doc is still running in a different lane.

As expected there is the obligatory Def Squad cut (Walk In Gutta), which also has the legendary Biz Markie joining the fray. Unfortunately, it is only for a ho-hum hook. There is also the mandatory Rocwilder (milk carton!!) banger in the form of Hold Dis Blaow, this should kick down the door at any jam. The usual weed cut, well one of them, is a definitely let down as Red, Snoop and Nate don’t really make it happen over Rocwilder’s soft track. Thankfully the other smoke out and the always anticipated Meth collab lives up to the billing as Blow Treez is real dope. Always a fan favorite, the Soopaman Luva saga continues and not only is it as amusing as ever but it brings back another milk cartoner in Hurricane G.

Much like Red’s glove box, there is no shortage of dope here; Pimp Nutz is so nice as Funk Doc dances over Vitamin D’s plodding keys, the same goes for the Melanie Rutherford assisted Wutchoogonnado. Shit, the man even brings back DJ Clark Kent (the same who used to produce for B.I.G. and Jay if you didn’t know), for the albums quintessential Brick City anthem (Dis Iz Brick City). Hip hop may be in a much different place with a whole new cast of characters since Reggie’s last album in 2001, and definitely since his first album in 1992. No matter the year and no matter the competition, Redman does Redman and there is no one who can replace what he brings. Sadly, a lot of you probably know him better from How High and deodorant commercials than from Time 4 Sum Aksion or Tonight’s Da Night. This is an all-time great still putting it down, and this is thee album.