Ugh.
I do not want to be writing this.
I just got in from the midnight showing of Spider-Man 3 and I’d rather be basking in the fanboy glow of that flick. Furthermore, I picked up some reading material today that I’ve yet to even flip through.
Still, if there’s any chance for this piece to run this week, I’ve got to give my thoughts on Redman’s 1994 album, Dare Iz a Darkside. If only I were writing about an album that I enjoyed.
Not that this joint is bad. I mean, who doesn’t love references to NBA Jam, Andrew Dice Clay and other things from the ’90s that could now be considered obscure? I’m fan.
My problem is that I’m not really a “Redman fan.” This stems from my not being a “EPMD fan.” Y’see, they never really clicked with me. I’ve never been a fan of the funk.
I remember when my oldest friend at the time was so excited about Redman. I mean, I’d admit that guy was clever, but his beats did nothing for me. Still, to my friends at the time Redman was a near mythological character. And this was back when Red was sporting a huge unkempt fro and saying things that no one else would dare say.
Despite the acclaim in my circle, I passed on Red’s debut. The guy just hadn’t impressed me enough to invest in him. I mean, this wasn’t too long after another guy affiliated with a popular group did the solo thing and received quite the buzz. What was his name again? Oh, that’s right… Tupac. (I’m nothing if not consistent.)
But here I am, well over a decade after its release, and Dare Iz a Darkside has confirmed everything that I was afraid of about a Redman album; the lyrics are solid, but not solid enough to make up for the beats, which need to be plodded through.
I mean, the beats are so boring that I tend to zone out and actually miss Red’s witty lines. Sure I picked this album up a few short years ago, but I was right for not listening to it.
At least now I no longer have to deal with people questioning the integrity of my collection because of the absence of Redman. So I guess the album serves some purpose.
