Method Man and Redman sign on for “Weekend at Bernie’s” remake

Executives at 20th Century Fox confirmed today that rappers and platonic life mates Redman and Methodman have signed on to star in a remake of the 80’s comedy “Weekend at Bernie’s.” The film, tentatively titled “Ballin’ at Bernie’s” is slated for release in February 2009.

The original “Weekend at Bernie’s,” released in 1989, starred Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman as a pair of young executives who must create the illusion that their murdered boss, Bernie Lomax is still alive in order to avoid being murdered themselves. The Redman and Methodman version will center around the creatively named characters “Red” and “Meth.” The characters are two aspiring rappers who must pretend that rap producer Bernie “Ice Dawg” Slim is still alive after a local gang murders him in a drive-by shooting. Red and Meth must keep up their clever ruse in order to avoid being murdered themselves and score a record deal by winning a local radio station talent contest.

When reached for comment, Redman, nee Reginald Noble, explained, "First ‘Bernie’s’? Straight up HOOD CLASSIC. Dat fool, straight murked and they be ballin’ in his crib like it ain't no fuckin’ thing. That’s what’s really hood. The second one was wack with that voodoo shit. What the fuck was that? But this one we're takin’ it dirty, we gonna be smokin’ up in that shit, bangin’ bitches, Red, Mef and Bernie yo, all up in your cinema."

Redman and Method Man previously starred together in the 2001 stoner comedy film “How High”, which featured the pair playing two marijuana-addled students attempting to survive at Harvard University. The duo also briefly had their own television sitcom, “Method & Red”, which featured the pair interacting with a variety of upper-middle class Caucasian stereotypes on Fox during the 2003–2004 season. The two also co-own three Einstein Bagels franchises in the greater Dallas Fort Worth area and co-manage a small maple syrup farm in northern Vermont.

Method Man addressed critics who doubted the duo’s commitment to maple syrup manufacturing, "First thing we do in the morning is get high. So you know we love our fuckin’ maple syrup . We need the raw uncut organic shit. So we takin’ the methods of productions into our own hands. Yeah son, that’s the package, right there."

“Already Platinum” Still Not Platinum

Nearly three years since its release, “Already Platinum” the major label debut from Houston rapper Slim Thug has yet to be certified as a platinum record. A Platinum Record is an award given to a musical artist for the sale of one million copies of an album. The most recent data from Soundscan, the entity charged with monitoring music sales, indicates that the record has yet to achieve even Gold Record status, selling only 457,002 copies since it’s release. In recent months, the record has been consistently selling approximately 100 copies a week. If this trend continues, the record should achieve platinum status sometime in the year 2018.

Slim Thug, nee Stayve Jerome Thomas, is known among hip hop fans primarily for appearing on a Mike Jones single, being really tall, and for having his name prominently tattooed on his forearms. The self-proclaimed “Boss of all Bosses” was signed by Geffen Interscope during the American public’s brief flirtation with regional Houston hip-hop, a subgenre known mostly for its celebration of prescription strength cough syrup and jewel encrusted dental appliances known as “grills.” Houston hip-hop reached its commercial peak in 2005 with releases from Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Chamillionaire topping the billboard charts.

Commenting on the record’s boastful title, Slim Thug has recently distanced himself from the high expectations created by “Already Platinum.” He has claimed that the title referred not to the album that bared its name but to his previous success selling other albums, which, curiously had also failed to be certified platinum. “Yeah, I called my album 'Already Platinum.' In the streets they know me.” The back-peddling rapper explained, “Any hood I go to they know Slim Thug. I've been rich for years. I got fuckin’ platinum in my mouth, platinum on the handle of my glock, platinum in my wood grain. Soundscan can't tell me nothing about platinum."

“Already Platinum” was released in the summer of 2005 to high expectations. Executives at Interscope hoped the record would appeal to hip hop fans hungry for songs addressing gun violence, unearned bravado and customized cars who had not tired of hearing these issues commented on by every single rapper in existence. In an bid for mainstream success, many of the tracks on the record were produced by The Neptunes, a highly successful production team consisting of Pharrell and another guy who appears to be of Asian descent. Despite the high profile production and a strong marketing push, Slim Thug failed to connect with a mainstream audience, quickly falling down the billboard charts.

Slim Thug has taken the commercial disappointment of “Already Platinum” in stride. Despite the tendency of many hip hop artists to blame their record companies in such situations, Slim Thug has been eager to shoulder his share of the blame for the lackluster sales. “I think it was a great record, but the problem was the label and the decision-making. Geffen didn't respect my G. My whole album was produced by Pharrell. I mean that’s alright for a single but my dirty south crew didn't get their shine. I grind dirty, ridin’ on candy paint. What they know about that at Geffen? So I'm gonna say their name after RIP. I’m tha Boss. H-Town's finest. Ya heard?"

In recent weeks, Slim Thug has been released from his contract with Interscope Records. His next album “Boss of All Bosses” will be self-released.

Slim Thug’s latest release, titled "Headed 2 Da Kappa", is a mixtape collaboration with the Boss Hogg Outlawz. The mixtape is available for free download HERE. (link via Mixtape Mafia).