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Method Man delivers dope album · by Sach O
I’ll fuckin…I’ll fuckin…release the most satisfying album I’ve done in years.
Method Man always was a hard motherfucker to pin down. Thrown into the spotlight by his self-titled theme song on the back of Wu-Tang’s first single, he reacted to his chance at fame by recording the darkest, murkiest album of an era that had plenty of them. It wasn’t a classic, but picky fans continue to underrate how solid and unique an experience Tical was. Of course, that didn’t exactly move units so he had Sean Combs remix All I need and ended right back in the sex-symbol position he claimed he so desperately wanted to avoid. Throughout the 90’s, he walked the tightrope between hardcore rapper and smooth smartass, guesting with fellow pothead Redman and the rest of the clan, always delivering 110% while building hype for his next solo. Unfortunately, by the time Tical 2000 dropped in 98, the Wu was feeling the first signs of disarray. The album wasn’t bad, but it lacked thematic unity and the skits blew chunks to say the least. Still, back then Wu-Tang+Def Jam=platinum sales and Meth took it all in stride. Instead of working on a re-up, he dropped a dope collabo with Redman and more or less became Def Jam’s true-school ambassador: he wasn’t as flashy as DMX or Jay-Z but he was the dependable company man, the kind of dude that appeased Hiphop’s subterranean faction. The welcome would eventually wear out after a decent weed comedy (How High) and its terrible soundtrack. His third album Tical 0, a project years in the making, was an unmitigated disaster with the number of listenable tracks hovering around 4. Cats began whispering…”Meth never reached his potential”, “Meth fell off”, “Meth has dandruff” . Add some personal problems to the mix, a punk ass record label (even LL Cool J gets treated better) and Mr Mef has been one unhappy camper.
Which brings us to 4:21 – The Day After.
Righteously angry at the critics who wrote him off, the M.E.T.H.O.D Man comes out swinging on his newest release. While not nearly as dark as his debut, 4:21 feels like the quintessential Meth album, summing up pretty much everything that’s worked throughout the man’s career. Rza and Allah Mathematics produce about a third of the album, bringing it back to the dusted apocalyptic style that original fans were longing for. Erick Sermon, Havoc and Scott Storch deliver the late 90’s digital funk n’ soul that made him a star, a style that surprisingly continues to hold weight half a decade later as Meth absolutely bodies tracks like Got to have it. Kwame comes in with the Rockwilder immitating Fall Out, Redman joins him for Walk On and Mr Porter delivers his best J Dilla imitation for the smooth talking Let’s Ride featuring Ginuwine. What’s surprising is that not only do all of these approaches work, but the album maintains a smooth cohesive feel. While still lacking Fischscale’s standout moments, Meth crafts a satisfying overall package which is something fans have complained about since his debut. If Ghost’s 9 Milli Brothers and Back like That felt liked forced attempts to reconnect with another era, Meth simply updates what worked for him in the past for the new millennium. In fact, the best part of the album is just listening to Meth do what Meth does best: flow over a variety of East coast beats. No southern bounce attempts, no Snoop Dogg collaborations and only a few well placed radio attempts that could get some play if Def Jam gets off its collective ass.
Outside of a few corny skits (rappers: leave your seeds at home), another useless Megan Rochelle bonus track and the subpar street banger Yameen, 4:21 the Day After works like a charm. While everyone had counted Meth out, he’s taken the criticism to heart and delivered his best album in a decade. Hopefully critics give him his due and Def Jam gives this a bigger push than we’re currently seeing, because it’d be a shame if this album got swept under the rug and relegated to b-level status on account of politics. Method Man has always been a hard motherfucker to pin down, but this album is probably as close as anyone’s ever going to get.
Comments for "Method Man delivers dope album"
This critic for one did, but I have no idea if URB published it yet or not.
— DJ Flash Aug 21, 11:35 PM
I was only joking when I called your review a “Pack of lies”. I know a few people who are maintaining that it’s Method Man’s best effort. I’m not having that though!
— Tego Aug 28, 01:21 PM
It’s cool. One sly comment deserves another (or a sly response) but everyone’s entitled to an opinion. Lots of people don’t care for the album. To me, it’s a succesful despite not sounding like the traditional Wu album.
— Sach Aug 28, 01:24 PM
Is it wrong that I’m praying for this to be worthwhile?
— Amadeo Aug 28, 08:45 PM