In the last five years, Method Man was a driving force on Wu-Tang Clan’s The Saga Continues album. He also released two installments of his Meth Lab series with Hanz On. Looking to 2020, Iron Lung is already slated to be teaming up with longtime affiliate Streetlife for a collaborative LP. However, as the decade comes to a close, Method Man insists that he’s over cursing in his raps. A few years back, the Wu wordsmith explained that change from the ’90s and 2000s. “That’s how I write ’em now,” Meth’ told Ambrosia For Heads in mid-2015 near the 30:00-mark. It was in promotion of the first Meth Lab compilation. “I haven’t cursed in my rhymes since Wu-Massacre.” “So if you hear a rhyme where I curse, just know that’s before [2010’s] Wu-Massacre. Listen to the whole Wu album, A Better Tomorrow—not one curse word [from me].” That was true on The Saga Continues, The Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium, and other recent feature spots alongside Black Moon, Ghostface Killah, E-40, and Bun B & Statik Selektah. As Tical Turns 25, Method Man Brings The Pain To A Havoc Beat (Video) Expounding on that decision, Method Man said, “I just wanted to separate myself from the pack, for one. For two, I challenged myself to see if I could do it. I was writin’ for somebody, and they didn’t want curse words in the record. So I was sayin’, “You know what? Let’s see if I can write something hard without putting curse words in it, and don’t tell nobody and see if they notice.” Meth’, who spent part of his upbringing on Long Island, is not the only lyrical legend from the area who has spoken openly in recent years about trying to reduce the profanity. Rakim recently told The Breakfast Club about his motivation to keep it cleaner than some of his peers. Black Moon Make Their Return And Bring Method Man With Them (Audio) “I got away with a couple,” Rakim admitted to Charlamagne Tha God. “In the beginning, I would go home [and] make a tape, and [my parents] would probably be the first ones to hear it. I found myself trying to please them; ‘I wonder what my moms or my pops gonna say when they hear this.'” Rakim says he shifted his writing given [that] circumstance. “I didn’t put the cursing in, for that reason. In the beginning, it was just like subconsciously. Like, I wasn’t trying not to curse, it’s just that I didn’t curse…because I knew if it came out right [my parents were] gonna be my biggest fans.” For Rakim, his parents were instrumental in his creative gifts. “All my insight, all my musical background came straight from them. I think my moms gave it to me genetically, and I think my pops instilled it me because he loved me so much.” LL Cool J, DMX, Redman & Method Man Explain The Real Definition Of A Freestyle#BonusBeat: In honor of Tical‘s 25th-anniversary, DJ Philthy Rich made a tribute mix to Meth’s 1994 debut:
Last Friday (December 14), Method Man released his Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium. The Wu-Tang ClanMC’s latest catalog addition involves Raekwon, Snoop Dogg, N.O.R.E., and Cappadonna among a cast of hungry up-and-coming MCs from Staten Island, New York. That ensemble includes Mr. Meth’s longtime protege Streetlife, as well as Meth Lab series executive producer Hanz On.
For many fans, the standout track on the independent LP is “Episode 5: Wild Cats” with partner-in-rhyme Redman. The song, released six weeks ahead of December 14, now comes to video. In the visual, Meth’, Red, Streetlife, and Hanz On take their verses and charisma to a grimy warehouse club for a concert. Two of the best live performers in Rap history do what they do best. Funk Doc dons a mask for much of the video, with M-E-T-H-O-D keeping his hoodie up and cap low. Despite platinum albums, hit singles, and a legacy that’s in the top 1% of current MCs, these lyricists keep it gully, low-profile, and act as if they’re nondescript rhymers wrecking the set. They want props for their art, not their cemented celebrity.
“Key to my city, my G is tricky, my tree is sticky / Stairway is pissy, the crown they give me don’t even fit me / King me, it’s risky, if jiggy, get me, I plead the fiffy / They’ll never snitch me, judge’ll convict me, so just acquit me / The fuzz against me, I’m butter-slippery, they think I’m shifty / Zero to sixty, it’s just a quickie, you blink, you miss me,” spits Meth’ to open the song, announcing his place as Rap royalty. He closes his verse with as much gumption as he starts. “I’m pushin’ 50 / Can’t find your woman? She pushin’ wit’ me / Was pushin’ lifty, the family business was pushin’ piffy / That pusher in me, I did it gritty, no pretty in me / I’m pretty trendy, I had to spend me a pretty penny / One outta many, last to fend me, too many envy / Don’t gimmie-gimmie I do it Dirty, no shimmy-shimmy.” In a world of peddling dope rhyme, Method Man is Walter White pushing that lyrical blue crystal.
After a verse from Hanz, Reggie matches Meth’s energy. “Yo, when I ain’t sober, I’m bi-polar, invite me over / Doc be dumpin’ his ashes in your baby stroller / When I was young, I ate paint, lead, with quarter waters / Now Red’ red linin’ the Range Rover motor / I smoke west of the border, your bud outta order / I go ape-sh*t, I’m a Caesar with a little Koba / Tell your boss I’m the opposite of a Trump voter / Yo dude, this wild cat not from Villanova / I’m in the cut, like a buck fifty, I Tony Toca / Your side piece, I’ma poke her and then I adios her / My hood house on the block, we real estate brokers / We make it sound like Fourth of July in October / The Bricks, Tommy Motolla, yeah, I’m a high-roller / I write the crack that’ll bring back Lamar Odom / That girl got good brains, I know she got diplomas She f*ckin’ with a goodfella, Ray Liotta.” With his wordplay, the Def SquadMC/producer splashes in some politics, bragging, and some nice references to sports and pop culture. Streetlife, who made his debut on Ticalnearly 25 years ago (see: “Mr. Sandman”), closes out the collabo’.
Redman was steadfast in supporting Wu-Tang Clan’s The Saga Continues last fall. This year, he’s still with his right-hand man rollin’ up the three and lighting up any MCs that wish to step up. The video keeps that motif going, showing that two household-name rappers still fancy themselves grimy party-rockers with a crowd always eager to watch them work.
Last Friday (December 14), Method Man released his Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium. The Wu-Tang ClanMC’s latest catalog addition involves Raekwon, Snoop Dogg, N.O.R.E., and Cappadonna among a cast of hungry up-and-coming MCs from Staten Island, New York. That ensemble includes Mr. Meth’s longtime protege Streetlife, as well as Meth Lab series executive producer Hanz On.
For many fans, the standout track on the independent LP is “Episode 5: Wild Cats” with partner-in-rhyme Redman. The song, released six weeks ahead of December 14, now comes to video. In the visual, Meth’, Red, Streetlife, and Hanz On take their verses and charisma to a grimy warehouse club for a concert. Two of the best live performers in Rap history do what they do best. Funk Doc dons a mask for much of the video, with M-E-T-H-O-D keeping his hoodie up and cap low. Despite platinum albums, hit singles, and a legacy that’s in the top 1% of current MCs, these lyricists keep it gully, low-profile, and act as if they’re nondescript rhymers wrecking the set. They want props for their art, not their cemented celebrity.
“Key to my city, my G is tricky, my tree is sticky / Stairway is pissy, the crown they give me don’t even fit me / King me, it’s risky, if jiggy, get me, I plead the fiffy / They’ll never snitch me, judge’ll convict me, so just acquit me / The fuzz against me, I’m butter-slippery, they think I’m shifty / Zero to sixty, it’s just a quickie, you blink, you miss me,” spits Meth’ to open the song, announcing his place as Rap royalty. He closes his verse with as much gumption as he starts. “I’m pushin’ 50 / Can’t find your woman? She pushin’ wit’ me / Was pushin’ lifty, the family business was pushin’ piffy / That pusher in me, I did it gritty, no pretty in me / I’m pretty trendy, I had to spend me a pretty penny / One outta many, last to fend me, too many envy / Don’t gimmie-gimmie I do it Dirty, no shimmy-shimmy.” In a world of peddling dope rhyme, Method Man is Walter White pushing that lyrical blue crystal.
After a verse from Hanz, Reggie matches Meth’s energy. “Yo, when I ain’t sober, I’m bi-polar, invite me over / Doc be dumpin’ his ashes in your baby stroller / When I was young, I ate paint, lead, with quarter waters / Now Red’ red linin’ the Range Rover motor / I smoke west of the border, your bud outta order / I go ape-sh*t, I’m a Caesar with a little Koba / Tell your boss I’m the opposite of a Trump voter / Yo dude, this wild cat not from Villanova / I’m in the cut, like a buck fifty, I Tony Toca / Your side piece, I’ma poke her and then I adios her / My hood house on the block, we real estate brokers / We make it sound like Fourth of July in October / The Bricks, Tommy Motolla, yeah, I’m a high-roller / I write the crack that’ll bring back Lamar Odom / That girl got good brains, I know she got diplomas She f*ckin’ with a goodfella, Ray Liotta.” With his wordplay, the Def SquadMC/producer splashes in some politics, bragging, and some nice references to sports and pop culture. Streetlife, who made his debut on Ticalnearly 25 years ago (see: “Mr. Sandman”), closes out the collabo’.
Redman was steadfast in supporting Wu-Tang Clan’s The Saga Continues last fall. This year, he’s still with his right-hand man rollin’ up the three and lighting up any MCs that wish to step up. The video keeps that motif going, showing that two household-name rappers still fancy themselves grimy party-rockers with a crowd always eager to watch them work.
