Key Takeaways
- Redman revealed he was “actually hurt” when The Roots passed on a verse he submitted years ago.
- Black Thought explained the decision was made by their late manager, not a personal slight.
- Their forthcoming collaboration on Streams of Thought Vol. 4 marks a new chapter in their creative relationship.
A heart-to-heart between two Hip Hop legends gave fans a story they didn’t know they needed. Redman recently opened up to Black Thought of The Roots about a moment that stung him years ago — when the Grammy Award-winning band passed on a verse he recorded for one of their albums.
During their sit-down for Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians series, the Newark rapper didn’t hold back about how the experience made him feel. “I did a verse for The Roots, and I ain’t never tell you this,” he began. “I never heard back from you guys. I said, ‘Damn, you know what, I was cursing a little bit too much. I might have said ‘b**ch’ or something derogatory that they probably didn’t like,’ and yo, I was actually hurt from that, bro.”
The revelation caught Black Thought off guard, who quickly clarified that the choice wasn’t personal. Instead, it was the call of The Roots’ late manager, Rich Nichols, whose perfectionism was infamous within the group’s camp. “You know what happened? Rich, rest in peace, who was very much the brains of The Roots’ operation… he ran such a tight ship,” Black Thought explained. “It was hard for me to place verses on The Roots’ albums. He would shoot down every submission, and there was something about that verse — there was something that Rich didn’t like about [it]. I can’t remember what it was. I’m gonna find that verse … I was over the moon! I loved that s**t.”
Redman to appear on Black Thought’s forthcoming album ‘Streams of Thought Vol. 4’
While the original collaboration never saw the light of day, fans won’t have to wait forever to hear Redman over a Black Thought record. The Roots frontman revealed that Redman will appear on his forthcoming solo album, Streams of Thought Vol. 4, which he has been teasing for years now. “I mean, in many ways, I feel it’s my opus,” the Philly native said. “It’s got the most features, the most elaborate beats, crazy samples. A part of that is trying to get all this stuff cleared, but yeah, your verse on that song and on that record is definitely coming out.”