Redman has spent 25 years getting crowds hyped off his raucous energy and hardcore lyrics sprinkled with occasional gunplay fantasies. Even the first record that he was featured on EPMD’s “Hardcore” depicts a rap concert that ends of hail of gunfire. But the Gilla House rapper feels the anguish from the aftermath of the Irving Plaza shooting incident in New York City last Wednesday, which has brought more mayhem from conservative news outlets regarding perpetual gun violence that continues to plague the Hip Hop community.
In an exclusive interview with HipHopDX at the Boston Hard Rock Cafe, Redman discussed his feelings regarding the shooting, which left Troy Ave’s close friend and BSB crew bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter shot to death, and three other others injured. “Horrible, horrible. I don’t know the story, and now everybody’s saying this and that, and I’m hearing different shit about it, you know. But at the end of the day that’s why the media is always talking shit because of moves like that.”
The mainstream media and New York City police commissioner Bill Bratton have targeted Troy Ave as a linchpin for the incident since he was arrested up for an attempted murder charge on a surveillance video with a gun he fired in the venue. Also, the police also found three more guns in the van that he was traveling to the hospital after he was hit with a bullet in his leg. Redman speaks as a peacemaker valuing safety and family, while urging the community about how this affects that image of Hip Hop culture at large.
“We must start thinking about the moves we make, ladies and gentleman. Especially [my people], my culture. Let’s start thinking about the moves we make. There’s a right time and places do things, and my thing is the safety of other people.” He continued, “If you have beef with someone, it should be done on your own ground if you pop off. But there’s innocent people who have to get home to their kids, their family, come on, man. I just don’t like senseless death. I hope things work out for the better for the family of the man that passed, my condolences, and it shouldn’t have happened.”
