Sonicnet Music News

Rapper Redman is aiming for a December 12 release date for his fifth solo album, which is slated to feature collaborations with Method Man and D'Angelo, as well as his Def Squad group mates.

It's not different; it's just gonna be enhanced from the last album I did," Redman said. "Every album I just try to step it up. I don't try to overdo myself, overpower myself. I'm not lookin' to go platinum or triple platinum. I'm just tryin' to do get-on-the-road music so I can go on tour.

The album follows 1998's platinum-certified "Doc's Da Name." Songs Redman has written for the as-yet-untitled LP include "Uh-Huh" and "We Don't Know How To Act.

Erick Sermon, a member of Def Squad along with Redman and Keith Murray, will executive produce the album, while Rockwilder (Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes), DJ Twinz and Canadian hip-hopper Saukrates also will help out on the production. "All of it's family," Redman said. "No outside sh**,

just all family.

Redman's Def Jam publicist said D'Angelo and newcomer MC Lady Luck will also appear on the album. Redman and Lady Luck performed a duet called "Come And Get It" on the recently released "Backstage Mixtape" soundtrack.

Murray, who has been incarcerated since 1998 for assaulting a teenage fan in 1995, will appear on Redman's album via prerecorded material. Redman and Sermon have staged rallies for Murray's release and have recruited the support of such artists as Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe.

If he can't meet his goal for a December release date, Redman said he will likely drop the album in February after taking some time off for the holidays. The New Jersey MC plans to mount a tour early next year.

Redman said he and Wu-Tang Clan rapper Method Man plan to put out another collaboration album about this time next year.

We're both from the same realm; just different cities, different mothers' stomachs," Redman said of the pair's

chemistry. "Personally, we're really the same. We like the same kind of sh**, we're not too loud, we're very humble. It's like mind-to-mind; we don't really gotta talk about it. It just happens.