Check The Method

Fuck a rap critic/He talk about it while I live it."—Method Man

Method Man doesn't like me. Scratch that, he doesn't like me and people like me. People who sit behind desks finger strikin' their keyboards pontificating on what's good and bad in hip-hop. Hip-hop journalists and urban radio programmers? The scum of the Earth. We don't spit so we don't know shit. What qualifies us to judge him or any artist for that matter? If we ain't got nothing nice to say then shut the hell up.

It was all so simple back in 1993, we all loved the Wu-Tang Clan and Method Man was our undisputed favorite. He was the wittiest, hungriest and most charismatic member by far. I love that bootleg of them overseas where I think they're on Tim Westwood's show, and when his fellow Clansmen won't participate in the spirited freestyle session, Meth challenges them all for their per diems. Classic.

Then he went solo on that ass—first. "Bring The Pain" is classic. "All I Need" will always satisfy the ladies. The original Tical, despite being one of the world's most poorly engineered records, still holds up and is pretty enjoyable. But then things went awry in the following years as the Wu's status slipped (Bad Boy!) and no one was affected more than Johnny Blaze. By the time he came with album number two in 1998, Meth had an uphill road to climb and he stumbled. Redemption was found in the successful pairing with Redman a year later. "Da Rockwilder" has earned its rightful spot on the concert set list. Still Meth and Red would later become more known for Hollywood swinging and a god-awful TV show than for puttin' out the hits.

In 2004, Meth returned to the rap game ironically in the shadows of fellow Wu member/Def Jam artist, Ghostface who clearly in the last half decade has become a bigger critic's darling than Meth ever was. To put in nicely, Methical's album was sub-par, and trashed by rap writers all over (including the fine folks at XXL). But if you think it's all over for Clifford Smith, well you got another thing coming.

We've gotten our hands on a new Method Man song and guess what me and the rap critics 'round here got our thumbs up. We're feelin' it like Jay-Z's first album. It's produced by Erick Sermon and features Lauryn Hill. That's right, 3 artists who've taken their fair share of magazine lump lumps through the years. We'll they've all had it up to here like Queen Latifah and they're gonna let us know about it.

Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy. Don't sleep on these crotchety rap vets. It's a banger. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Method Man feat. Lauryn Hill "Things They Say" (2006)