A close affiliate of the hip hop duo EPMD, Redman first met the group in 1990 while DJing at a club
The last of hip-hop's great party albums, Whut? never had to take itself too seriously and Redman made sure you didn't either. His weed-fueled rhyme-flow sizzled on the album's many P-Funk inspired tracks (courtesy of EPMD's Erick Sermon), and many songs ("Time 4 Sum Aksion," "Rated R"), jumped with an energy that tore the roof off and burned the house down. But more than just churn out bouncy club anthems, Redman showcased a wit ("How to Roll a Blunt") and laid-back flair ("Tonight's the Night") that helped plant his foot as one of hip-hop's most vibrant MCs. --Oliver Wang