Method Man

Method Man was the first -- and biggest -- solo star to emerge from the groundbreaking Wu-Tang Clan. His mush-mouthed, sandpaper-rough bellow (at times recalling EPMD's Erick Sermon) and imaginative rhymes easily made him one of the most recognizable, unpredictable MCs in the group, yet his flow was more deliberate and laid-back than the Wu's resident loose cannon, Ol' Dirty Bastard. On his solo records, Method Man developed a persona that swung from offhand, understated menace to raucous stoner humor. Toward the end of the '90s, his frequent team-ups with Redman produced not only a terrific musical chemistry, but an eventual big-screen comedy team as well.

Method Man was born Clifford Smith on April 1, 1971, in Hempsted, Long Island; he split his childhood between his father's Long Island residence and his mother's Staten Island home. It was the latter locale where he met his future Wu-Tang cohorts RZA, Genius/GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard; when they set about forming a hip-hop collective in the early '90s, Method Man was one of the first to sign on. Meth was heavily featured on the group's classic late-1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), even getting his own showcase track with "Method Man," which certainly put him out front in terms of name recognition. Thanks to the Wu's innovative contract -- which allowed individual members to sign solo deals with whatever label they chose -- Method Man inked a contract with Def Jam, and in 1994, approximately one year after Enter the Wu-Tang's release, he became the first Wu member to release a solo album, Tical. Highly anticipated, the album entered the charts at number four and quickly went platinum, while singles like "Bring the Pain" (which just missed the pop Top 40) and "Release Yo' Delf" made him an even bigger name in the hip-hop community. He began making numerous guest appearances on other artists' records, and in the summer of 1995, his one-off single with Mary J. Blige, "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By," soared into the pop Top Five, giving Meth his first major mainstream exposure. Shortly thereafter, another duet -- this time with Def Jam labelmate Redman -- on the compilation track "How High," climbed into the pop Top 20.

Wu-Tang Clan reconvened in 1997 for the double album Wu-Tang Forever, and about a year later, another round of solo projects commenced. Method Man issued his sophomore effort, Tical 2000: Judgement Day (ironically), in late 1998 and took a more expansive approach this time out, filling the album with between-song skits and a variety of guest rappers and producers. Tical 2000 was another hit, entering the charts at number two. Meanwhile, in addition to recording the album, Meth had spent much of 1998 getting his acting career off the ground; after landing a few bit parts, he made his first prominent big-screen appearance in Hype Williams' Belly. In 1999, Meth partnered up with Redman to form a duo act that hit the road with Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life tour; they also entered the studio together to record the collaborative album Blackout!, which entered the charts at number three that fall and received highly complimentary reviews.

The Wu returned in late 2000 with the lower-profile The W. After completing the record, Meth refocused on his acting career; in early 2001, he put in a month's worth of appearances portraying a young gangster on HBO's gritty prison drama Oz and teamed up with Redman for the Cheech & Chong-styled stoner comedy How High, which hit theaters toward the end of the year, around the same time as the fourth Wu-Tang album, Iron Flag. After numerous delays, the MC released his third solo album, Tical 0: The Prequel, in 2004. He allegedly finished off 20 tracks with RZA as the producer, but Def Jam opted to release a version that featured only one of those cuts. In 2006, Meth issued 4:21... The Day After, which featured appearances from many Wu-Tang members, including a posthumous verse from ODB. A steady stream of mixtapes, live albums, and concert videos appeared before Method reunited with Redman for the 2009 album Blackout! 2. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi

SOURCE: http://www.islanddefjam.com
WEBSITE: www.method-man.com/
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/methodman


VIDEOS






















































Facebook

Best guide to hip hop, soul, reggae concerts & events in San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles & New York City + music, videos, radio and more

Connect

Subscribe to E-Blast

WIN TICKETS

Earth, Wind & Fire
Friday, June 27 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley

Macy Gray
Saturday, July 12 @ Palace of Fine Arts, SF

Thievery Corporation
Saturday, Sept 6 @ Fox Theater, Oakland

Yung Lean
Saturday, Oct 11 @ Fox Theater, Oakland

Members

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Latest Activity

Editor's Pick posted discussions
5 hours ago
TEAM BIGGA RANKIN posted a discussion

New Single: Chase Alexander "The One"

Viral Singer/Songwriter Chase Alexander Partners With Warner Music Group to Drop his new single "The One"Click Here to Stream/Download via Virdiko.comRecord Label(s): C/A Entertainment/Twenty Two Recordings/Warner Music GroupContact: AJ BurtonTikTok: …See More
yesterday
Tampa Mystic posted a blog post

Ottawa’s Taz Bentii Drops 11:11 Project & Gets prepared for Big Heff’s Streets Most Wanted Tour

Taz Bentii is a 20-year-old artist from Ottawa whose musical journey began just three years ago. In that short time, his sound has evolved rapidly, earning growing recognition within the hip hop community. Widely regarded as one of the most promising emerging talents from Canada’s capital, Taz recently collaborated with TV Gucci, a member of Drake’s OVO roster, further cementing his rising profile.Taz has already made his mark beyond Ottawa,…See More
Sunday
Editor's Pick posted discussions
Saturday
Olivia Perry posted blog posts
Saturday
realmuzik posted a discussion

Sentury Crowned #1 in the Nation with their Soulful Reimagining of “Only Human”

Houston based R&B group Sentury has triumphed in spectacular fashion, claiming the #1 spot on the Mediabase Urban AC Chart and #2 on Billboard Adult R&B Airplay with their breakout single, "Only Human.” This achievement not only crowns the 9x Billboard-charting group as the #1 record in the nation, but also signals the triumphant return of the R&B group to…See More
Saturday
Editor's Pick posted videos
Friday
Editor's Pick posted discussions
Thursday
Editor's Pick posted discussions
Wednesday
Tampa Mystic posted a blog post

Locked In and On the Rise: PartyBoi & Kristy Love Deliver Feel-Good Anthem with Twin Luv

Milwaukee-bred and Atlanta-based artist PartyBoi is turning up the love and energy with his latest single Twin Luv featuring Kristy Love. Released under PartyBoi Entertainment and produced by DubOnThaTrack, the record celebrates connection, loyalty, and hustle, all wrapped in a catchy hook that shouts: “Go twin, go twin, dats…See More
Jul 22
realmuzik posted a discussion

TAVE Returns With New Hit Single “BLOCK” ft. IDK

“BLOCK” is a powerful new single from Grammy nominated R&B sensation TAVE, featuring none other than acclaimed British-American rapper IDK and 13-time Grammy-nominated icon, Musiq Soulchild.“BLOCK” is a soul-drenched collision of hip-hop and R&B - a warm, nostalgic soundscape pulsing with honesty and intention.  The track challenges surface-level assumptions and…See More
Jul 22
Editor's Pick posted discussions
Jul 21

© 2025   Created by Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service