Redman (born Reggie Noble on April 17, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey) made his rapping debut on the EPMD songs "Hardcore" and "Brothers on my Jock", after Erick Sermon of the seminal group spotted him freestyling in a New York club and added him to their crew of aspiring emcees (along with K-Solo among others). Redman's 1992 Def Jam debut Whut? Thee Album broke into the US Top 50, achieved gold status in the United States, and prominent hip-hop magazine The Source subsequently named Redman Rap Artist of the Year for 1993.