In the last week of 2024, Redman released Muddy Waters Too. The 32-track collection arrives after nearly 15 years of development. That behind-the-scenes process is something Redman spoke candidly about with Ambrosia For Heads’ What’s The Headline podcast in his first interview since releasing the album. Reggie Noble shared some of his transformation, including the sonic evolution of the album that features Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, Lords Of The Underground, Kid Capri, Rah Digga, Shaq, and many more. The MC/producer also spoke about issues with his health, relationships, and business that contributed to the delays.
Despite any hurdles, Muddy Waters Too is here. Redman also revealed how much learning he has done in the process. Formerly a flagship artist on a major label, Reggie Noble launched Gilla House years ago and partnered with Riveting Music for this album. “Every clip you see on IG, I sit down and edit everything. Like, I spend, like, maybe six, seven hours a day just putting clips together so I can have it along down the line for my promotion,” Red’ revealed. “[Do I] do that personally? Yeah, I do that personally. Like, I don’t send none of it out. Everything is right here on this computer that I’m talking to you [on]. And I’m proud of that, because now I’m not just cutting out the middleman of paying someone; I’m actually getting a great turnaround when I need it. Like, like, oh s__t, I can promote this that’ll go along with the album, because we are in a digital world, which I had to respect. We are in the streaming world, which I had to respect. So I wasn’t the kind of guy that was going to sit around bitter, like, yeah, I ain’t doing that. You know, I’m from the school where I learned that technology, and then I took it back to the grassroots of the ’90s—shaking hands, meeting people, making connections. I treat my pawns like kings and kings like pawns.”
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Redman’s approach to building relationships shines through. He speaks about it, from connecting with younger guys doing calisthenics on his fitness regimen to collaborative Facetimes with longtime producer Rockwilder. Muddy Waters Too, arriving more than 28 years from its gold-selling first volume, shows a creator who has evolved so much since “Whateva Man.”
During the hour-plus interview, Redman spoke at length about Muddy Waters Too‘s creation and his personal journey. He also talked about Hip-Hop culture and expressed his fandom—including of other artists. During the discussion at the 1:03:00 mark, Reggie Noble was asked: “Let’s say aliens came down and took over like Space Jam. Who are the Avengers you’re gonna assemble to take on that challenge?“
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“I’m definitely sending Black Thought [and] Common,” Redman begins. Notably, he and Method Man shared the stage with Black Thought and Common, among others at the 2024 Roots Picnic during J. Period’s “Live Mixtape” set last year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Red acknowledged his role in this Hip-Hop Avengers. “I would hang in there. I can hang in there. I can hang in there, because MC’ing is not just one character. It is so many characters to be an MC.” The artist also shared a pearl of wisdom with up-and-coming rappers while on the subject. “I want [newer artists] to hear this, because it’s so much more to being in an MC than spitting a cute punchline all the time [or] just speaking from a street point of view, to what people you think people want to hear. And that’s what puts a lot of artists and MCs in a box, because they’re pertaining to what people want to hear from them, instead of feeding their soul from what they talk about [trying] to help people.”
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Red’ added that he has deliberately tried to diversify over his 35 years on wax—avoiding those boxes. “I could do any kind of style, any kind of flow, and I’ve proven that I’m not. [I am not] just talking about one thing.” He elaborated that his lyrics are about much more than getting high and sex, and he continues to drive new conversations in his songwriting.” “I can talk about healing. I could talk about different things. Plus, it comes with the territory of growing. So what you talk about, how you talk about it—flows, your determination, your character, how you spit it, your body posture, your posture of your heart—how disciplined and how sensitive are you spitting these bars on helping people. It all comes into play. And Black Thought is one of those. Common Sense [is] one of those. J. Cole [is] one of those; I will send him in as an Avenger. Kendrick Lamar [is] one of those; I would send them in as an Avenger.”
Closing out his Avengers list, Redman looked at his 30-year partner in rhyme. “Me and Meth’ would [jump in], if they needed some aggressiveness and movement,” he says of Method Man. Then, the “11th member of Wu-Tang Clan” pointed to two other Wu swordsmen. “[Add] Ghostface [Killah] and Rae’ in there on that end. Yes, I would send C.L. Smooth in as an Avenger. C.L. Smooth don’t play.”
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Last year, Raekwon joined Red & Meth in a Red Bull Cypher. For decades, Redman has collaborated with Wu-Tang on albums, including The W, The Saga Continues, and Ghost’s acclaimed 2000 LP, Supreme Clientele.
Along with the latest interview with Redman., AFH followers can catch a series of discussions about Hip-Hop on What’s The Headline. The podcast also features interviews with Royce 5’9, Guy Wood, Sr. and Sharene Wood, Rapper Big Pooh, Cormega, Meyhem Lauren & Daringer, Diamond D, AZ, Blu & Mickey Factz, Joell Ortiz, Kurupt, Evidence, Skyzoo, Pharoahe Monch, Prince Paul & Don Newkirk, Statik Selektah, Lyric Jones, The LOX, MC Eiht, Havoc, Duckwrth, photographer T. Eric Monroe, and Lord Finesse.
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#BonusBeat: Hear selections from Redman’s Muddy Waters Too on the official Ambrosia For Heads playlist:
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