Redman – Funk From Hell

Funk from Hell’s title draws a fairly accurate aural portrait of Redman’s latest mixtape. The release sees the rap game vet spitting his trademark hard rhymes over spurts of soulful brass and wah-wah synth, backed by an unwavering boom-bap bass line. The effect is darkly dope. Redman enlists a brigade of hip-hop veterans to trade verses, from his longtime partner in rhyme Method Man to legends Busta Rhymes and Cypress Hill.

Lyrics are king, as dense chunks of perfectly-delivered flows are rarely interrupted by choruses or interludes. The mixtape is at its best when these hardcore rhymes take on worthy beats, like the funky “W.K.Y.A.” or driving crackle of “Headbanger,” in which old-school rhymes and booty bass are updated with an electronic growl. The mixtape may not enter into any wildly uncharted territory for Redman (no Auto-Tune, as is rumored to be rampant on his upcoming studio release), but fans will devour these throwback tracks, subtly updated for the new decade.

Tagged as: Hip-hop, New Jersey

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