Customer Reviews

Dare Iz a Darkside

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Redman's Dare Iz A Dark Side is one of the most underrated albums I have ever heard. This album makes your dreams come to life. It doesn't sugar coat and it doesn't manipulate your emotions. What it does do is take you to a special place that is indescribeable. Yet the feeling never seems to wear off. It takes you there every time you listen to it. The reason many people have not heard this album is that the music just doesn't have mainstream appeal; it's strictly for hip-hop sophisticates to enjoy only. Another thing that is special about this album is that there are only a couple of guest appearances. The album is mostly Redman expressing himself, which is fine with me. I've always wanted to hear expression and this album certainly represents freedom of expression.

The highlights on this album include the bouncing "Bobyahed2dis", which features a narration from Jeff Stewart and a great performance from Redman, "The Journey", a mind-blowing laid back song with dark melodies and harmonic loops, "A Million and One Boodah Spots", which has an original beat and lyrical choice, "Cosmic Slop", a track where Redman joins partners Eric Sermon and Keith Murray for an original and interesting jam, "Green Island", one of the most superb tracks on the album as it has that Hawaiian guitar loop and an amazing concept, "Can't Wait", an uplifting song with a gently bouncing beat, "Slide and Rock On", a well crafted track with a strange ending, "We Run New York", a swinging track that features the then obscure Hurricane G, who now, five years after this was recorded, is now well-known because of her small cameo on Puff Daddy's hit that took an obvious major jacking of Public Enemy's "Public Enemy Number One", and "Tonight's The Night(Remix)", a great remix of the original hit on Redman's first album. The best track on this album is, though, the intimate masterpiece "Sooperman Lover(Part II)", which is the best recording of the song Redman ever did. It is some of the best storytelling I have ever heard. All the tracks are really excellent though and they all shine in their own special ways.

To conclude my review, I would like to say this is one of the most special and original albums of all time. I really loved it because it is good to just have an hour or so to just relax and blow your mind to an album like this. I found it original and thought-provoking. It filled me with many ideas and theories about life. It doesn't make you feel like you have to fit in and doesn't make you feel bad about yourself. It tells stories of all sorts of things ranging from boastfests to women to ghetto stories. I would recommend this to any true hip-hop fan, especially if they like the East Coast, Redman, or anyone else in that category.

Maybe it was the dark, murky sound-scape that turned some listeners off. Maybe Redman's off-the-wall humour was too over-the-top for some. After Red's 1992 classic debut "Whut? Thee Album," people must have expected more of that light, bouncy funk that made his debut def. Instead of sticking to a formula to try and avoid a sophomore curse, Red threw us all a big loop with Darkside, but the album is still bananas.

In fact -- by the time track 1 is over, you know this isn't Whut? Thee Album. Red brings back the Dr. Trevis character, and Trevis says to Red "Okay Redman, I want you to completely forget what you did on the first album." Forget he does. "Bobyahed2dis" doesn't hold a candle to "Time 4 Sum Aksion" as far as openers go, but let's stop comparing this album to Whut? for a sec. Red's voice seems to have changed just a bit from the last time we heard from him -- it's a bit higher, but no matter, he still spits fire. Out are the up-tempo James Brown loops -- in are short samples laid down over deep-ass basslines courtesy of Erick Sermon and the Funk Doc himself.

Also, Red's never been a more amusing emcee. There are at least 30 points within the album where Red's lines are "rewind-worthy." "Noorotic" is a gold-mine -- just check Red's second verse, and "Can't Wait" includes some of the most memorable closing lines ever (Switchin' speeds like Bruce Lee ridin' up Fuji in a movie). Red's goofy ability to switch roles ain't too shabby either; "Green Island" has Red rapping as himself, his alter-ego, and Uncle Quilly, your typical cranky old man. If you're not a fan of Redman's goofy-as-hell humour, it might turn you off, but if you're like me and you can't get enough of it, you'll be very happy to know that this album is basically 98% REDMAN. No one steals the spotlight off Red, except when fellow Def Squadians Erick Sermon and Keith Murray grab the mic on "Cosmic Slop." Not even the perpetually-annoying Hurricane G on "We Run N.Y." can grab any attention from the Funk Docta.

Only minor annoyances stop this album from getting 5 stars; one of them being that many of the beats sound somewhat alike (they do, however, all sound good), and the other annoyance simply being Hurricane G (WHY IS SHE ON HERE?!?!). This is definately a must-own album, especially for any self-respecting Reggie Noble fan. Highly recommended.

Best moments: Noorotic, Green Island (personal favourite), Can't Wait, Winicumuhround, Sooperman Luva 2 & Tonight's da Night [Remix].

I still don't get what he said, but this was one of the memorable lines from this classic album. Like an earlier reviewer said, 94 was a great time for hip hop, most likely we will never see a year like that again. Too bad. 94 was a year where almost any album put out was guaranteed to play all the way through. I remember actually pulling off the Parental Advisory sticker from the cover so my parents wouldn't think that there was cussing in this CD. (Which there is plenty of) This was the year after Wu-Tang Clan emerged with their classic CD "Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers." Many classic albums came out of the East Coast that year: Method Man blessed us with Tical, Gang Starr dropped Hard To Earn, Slick Rick dropped the Rulers Back, Public Enemy with Fear of A Black Planet, Keith Murray with The Most Beautifullest Thing in this world, on and on, too many to name. Bottom line is this was back when hip hop was hip hop, before the game was saturated with people of no talent whatsoever. 92-96 was the years that if you had a song like "Laffy Taffy" or "It's Goin Down" you were clowned and dismissed quickly. Artists did it for the love of the music, not just to make a quick buck. This was before corporations got a hold of hip hop and destroyed it.

Redman is truly an artist who will never get the real shine he deserves until he dies. He can be credited for putting New Jersey on the map and repping his area to the fullest, like NWA did Compton, Big did Brooklyn, etc, etc, etc. This album is an excellent follow up to his debut, What? Thee Album?, which is also a classic.
Bass soaked beats are the perfect compliment to Reggie Nobles dark, macabre rhymes. The skits are a bit pointless, but no album (back then or today) has good skits anyways. This was before Red hooked up with his blunt brother, Method Man, and still had his afro. Red was hungry and even today, can rip apart half of these so called "artists" that are out right now. This album is recommended for people who need an education in what music used to sound like before it was corrupted. This is one of those albums that I bought on tape as well as CD, remember the red tape? This album is one reason why I enjoyed listening to hip hop back in the days: because of the originality displayed by the artist, and the production was off the hook. This is definitely Erick Sermon's masterpiece. Red's lyrics are devestating on this one, as he tears through each song with so much ease its not even funny. The lyrical maturity really shows from this album from the first one, and Red definitely beats the "sophomore slump."

All of the songs are good, but the top 5 are:

1) Cosmic Slop: Keith Murray rips it apart
2) Rockafella (remember in the video he was in that weird carnival)
3) Green Island (classic line "Verbally you never heard of me")
4) Can't Wait (with the other classic line, Switchin speeds like Bruce Lee ridin a Fuji in a movie)
5) Sooperman Lova II (Do Superman got a gun? NO! BUT THE SOOPERMAN LOVA DO!)

Bottom line: If you remember when hip hop sounded good and you could actually play an album all the way through, listen to this or buy it for someone who claims they know what hip hop is. This is Redman at his peak, if you listen to his newer albums (which are good as well) you probably won't get the lyrics or even like this one. 94 was an amazing year for hip hop, and this album proves it. Highly recommended.

This is my favorite Redman LP compared to all the albums that he has released (with the exception of "Red Gone Wild" which I haven't heard yet because it came out recently). Given that "What Thee Album?" back in 1992 was his best LP, Redman consistantly switches up his style. Truthfully from all of the albums that I heard by him, he's never had a bad album. But on his sophomore album "Dare Iz A Darkside", I find it to be an awesome follow up album.

One thing people loved about Redman, was that he was always saying something funny in his rhymes, and it keeps peoples attention. And his sense of humor really play in his skills. Songs like "A Million And One Buddah Spots" and "Green Island" really show his sense of humor behind the mic. I would say that my most favorite song on this album would be "Can't Wait", because it has so much energy (and it's one of my favorite music videos as well). And the traditional "Soopaman Luva II" is a good song that has a twist in it's storyline.

Guest appearances are good as well. Erick Sermon and Keith Murray drop dope verses on "Cosmic Slop", another excellent track. And Hurricane G. appears in "We Run N.Y." that is okay as well. Her voice is sampled for the chorus of the song "Winicumuhround".

The production on this album is excellent as well. Erick Sermon and Redman really drop some nice beats for this album. The production really gives off a 1994 type flavor to this album.

This is another gem from the N.J. area. Around this time, a lot of artists from that area were starting or were already making a name for themselves (Artifacts, The Fugees, Lords Of The Underground), and Redman's second album would make a perfect addition to represent. This album really deserves a 9 on the 10 scale, but I said it as my favorite album from Redman, so I figured I would warrant a perfect score for this album. If you're a fan of East Coast rap from the 90's, I recommend that you listen to this album.

Lyrics: A
Production: A
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A+
Overall: A

Top 5 Favorite Tracks:
1. Can't Wait
2. Cosmic Slop
3. Winicumuhround
4. Green Island
5. Tonite's The Nite (Remix)

Peace Everyone!!!!

Redman's best, without any doubt. Possibly one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever, despite being so god damn slept on. I mean, yeah, this is a stoner album as others have said, but that'd be missing most of the point. Redman stomps all over the lurching smoked-out-of-the-mindframe beats, steeping the album in some unspoken paranoia. This would NEVER get on the top 40. Hazy and raw, what more could you ask for?

I think most of the people who claim they love rap are frauds if they haven't listened to this album...or better yet any Red album. Redman is painfully underrated. Once his first album came out he should have gone platinum. But even he knows, his stuff is just for the streets; just like every track on the album. His dark melodies prove the album is titled correctly and his lyrics bounce from his throat to his nasal cavity, telling the world that he means what he says. Reggie Noble gives straight raw energy, not even the beat can sugar coat his lyrics, or hold him back. (Not unlike Raekwon's, RAW, DIRTY MCNASTY energy)

Redman represents only himself, not caring what others are going to say. Completely in the zone. Tracks compare to no one from this world. His mind state is beyond normal comprehension.

The perfect album if you want to blow your mind!!! I've had it for five years and still feel like I'm entering another realm when I listen to it. Straight up artistry. Only the best can do that. "YO RED, Whadditlooklike."

ETERNAL

I've said many times that 1994 was a fanstastic year in hip hop, likely never to be that awesome again. Redman emerged again, two years after dropping his first classic album, Whut Thee Album. Dare Iz A Darkside, Redman's second, is so AWESOME that you just wondered how DARK this guy can get, and he displays that in this album. Some things MIGHT fly over your head, but there's no doubt that Redman kept you listening to everything he says, as you have no choice but to listen, and press rewind if you have to. Here's the review;

Album Highlights: Well, it's a tough choice. All of these songs KNOCK, but songs like "Wuditlooklike" and the song with Hurricane G are hype lyrically, but suffer from a somewhat lackluster track.

Production: Thumbs up. Erick Sermon shines here, as we get introduced to some production from Red himself and the upstart Rockwilder.

Lyrics and Subject Matter: Thumbs way up. This guy's lyrics and unbelievable.

Originality: Thumbs up, but SLIGHTLY.

The Last Word: I want to give this album 5 stars, but from an overall standout. I can't(see album highlights up top). But you can't argue with this release, possibly the album in Redman's catalog that got the heave ho from most fans. But for the true hip hop heads such as myself, this album is AWESOME, and it represents Redman at the top of his superior game. Listen, and you'll be shocked and amazed. Highly recommended.

That may be the most commonly asked question. Reggie Noble has proven himself time and again to be the true prophet for Buddah Heads across seven continents. Some strong points of the album include the sonic laced "Basicaly" to the extremely dark and muddy "1,0001 Buddah spots" In my own opinion this record was meant for disciples of the sticky green and being under the influence further enhances the experience. Redman's heavy ad libs sprinkled throughout the entire album combined with extremely strange tones, sounds ( UFO whirring noises ) pretty much establishes the solid orginality and uniqueness of this sophmore effort. Although not entirely for the masses but definitely for the "true" Redman fans and "tree smokers". A must have for all those searhcing for the ultimate in East Coast funkadelic flavor.

I remember about 10 years ago listening to this album waiting for the bus to go to school. Remember he had it out on the tape that was red as well. Every track on there is slammin still. At this same time, the box and bet was showin "MOnth of the Man" commercials and all that. That was a great time for hip hop. You ain't no real redman fan unless you bought this album on tape when it first came out. Since then, I've bought this album like 5 times. go get it if you like real music

This is a fantastic album. There can be no question about it. The first thing you hear is a tinny sample from Red's debut, with him rapping "Press rewind if I haven't blown your mind..." And blow your mind he does... over and over again.

This album is unbelievable in that there is almost not one bad song on the damn thing! Every one is a funked-up banger in one way or another. He moves from out-and-out funky ("Bobyahed2dis") to hardcore gritty joints ("Slide and Rock On") to some of the most original and hilarious storytelling you could hope for in a hip-hop record (the comic genius of "Soopermanluva, Pt. II").

The success in "Dare Iz a Darkside" comes from it's variations on a working formula: one song flows into the other, but it's easy to make the distinction. There are no fadeouts, but rather skits (but NOT long ones, thank God) and segues that lead you in and out of this wildly imaginative journey.

Every song could be a highlight, but the true standouts are "Can't Wait," a chilled-out loop backed by an equally laid-back beat, an awesome high-energy update of "Tonite's Da Nite," and finally, my favorite track, the Hurricane G collabo "We Run N.Y." This track has got to have the deepest bass this side of 2 Live Crew, and the beat bumps and thumps 'til you can't take it anymore. Also, it contains probably Red's best verse to date ("The Jimi Hendrix of rap/I got an afro and bandana/And I make jams like Santana" is just a sample).

If you're ridin' around, or chillin' out, just throw this on, and let Red blow your mind for an hour. This is the seminal East Coast hardcore album. Get it today.