Method Man (born Clifford Smith, April 1, 1971 in Hempstead, New York) is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. Method Man takes his name from The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man, a 1979 film by Jimmy Shaw starring Peter Chen Lau.
Fans of Method Man often refer to him by the shorthand nickname "Meth"; the man himself has self-applied a variety of nicknames, the most common being variations of "Johnny Blaze." Not only was Meth interested in music, he was also fascinated by comic books and particularly Ghost Rider, a fascination which manifested itself years later in several of his many rap aliases. By his account, his pre-hip hop adult life was mostly split between drug dealing and low-paid jobs (including a stint working at the Statue Of Liberty, along with future Wu-Tang colleague U-God). After becoming well known on the streets for his rhyming abilities, he joined with eight friends to form the Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s.
Gold
GZA & Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aiyyo Shorty, yo that's my word
Oh, y'all smellin y'all piss now y'all think y'all gold
Yo anybody get caught playin
Over here, I'm returnin em that's my word that they be blasted
Anything from two-twenty to one-forty, that's mine
Y'all need to step the fuck off
Chorus: Genius
Yo, the fiends ain't comin fast enough
There is no cut that's pure enough
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold to YOU
Verse One: Genius
I'm deep down in the back streets - in the heart of Medina
About to set off something more deep than a misdemeanor
Under the subway, waiting for the train to make noise
So I can blast a nigga and his boys - for what?
He pushed up on the block and made the dope sales drop
Like the crashin of Dow Jones stock
I had to connect to cross seals, to catch more mil's
Than ho-bitches got birth control pills
I'm in the park, settin up a deal over blunt fire
Bum niggaz sleepin on the bench, they had em wired
Peeped my convo, the address of my condo
And how I changed a nigga name to John Doe
And while we set up camp, we got Vamp
Put the stake through his heart, I ripped his fucking fangs apart
Snake got smoked on the set like Brandon Lee
Blown out the frame, like Pan Am flight 103
He got swung on, his lungs was torn, the
kingpin just castled with his rook and lost a pawn
A regular on the block, and played look-out
For playing predator with a glock, he should have took out
Chorus:
No neighborhood is rough enough
There is no clip that's full enough
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold to YOU.. yo
Fiends ain't comin fast enough
There is no cut that's pure enough
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold to YOU
Verse Two: Genius
It's mandatory that
I supply all my troops with mega firearms
Big apes, and spread em out like crops on a farm
to get CREAM, sometimes they repaint the scene
Like the last episode on gates and other niggaz
plant bombs til the smoke from the blast becomes thick
and flows through all they knew, he's gun sick
His glock clicks, like high-heeled shoes on parquay floors
Mad sick, stand on hills and invade wars
Filthy foul, shoveling dirt, he's out to hurt
For instance, chop off hands, attack worth
His idols would lock down airports and extort
some import, catchin ten percent of what the fiends snort
Up in the ski resorts, up in hills
They move keys and had skis making drops on snowmobiles
The plan was to expand, catch seven figures, release triggers
And live large and bigger than my nigga
Who promised his moms a mansion with mad rooms
She died, and he still put a hundred grand in her tomb
Open wounds, he hid behind closed doors
And still organized his crime and drug wars
Chorus:
Fiends ain't comin fast enough
There is no cut that's full enough
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold to YOU
No neighborhood is rough enough
There is no clips that's full enough
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold to YOU
The peers that come is tight enough
There is no niggaz that's fuckin up
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
Product must be sold, to YOU
The song βGoldβ by GZA and Method Man is a gritty depiction of the illegal drug trade and the lengths that people will go to in order to make money. The lyrics focus on the singerβs experience as a drug dealer, describing the dangers and violence that he encounters on a regular basis. He sets the scene by describing himself as being in βthe heart of Medina,β or the rough streets where drug deals are made. He explains that he is always looking for ways to make more money, re-upping on his product and reloading his guns to protect himself and his business.
The chorus repeats the phrase βfiends ainβt coming fast enough,β emphasizing the sellersβ need to constantly make more sales and attract more customers to feed their addiction. The singer is always on the lookout for ways to increase his profits, even if it means crossing ethical and legal lines. He describes planting bombs and attacking his competitors, showing the ruthless nature of the drug trade.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of death and loss, such as the line βHis idols would lock down airports and extort, some import, catchin ten percent of what the fiends snort.β This line refers to the deaths of pop stars like Michael Jackson and Prince, both of whom were rumored to have been involved in the illegal drug trade.
Overall, βGoldβ is a vivid and unflinching portrayal of the dark side of the drug trade, showing the devastating effects that it has on communities and individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Aiyyo Shorty, yo that's my word
Hey, listen to me; I'm serious.
Oh, y'all smellin y'all piss now y'all think y'all gold
You think you're important, but you're not.
Yo anybody get caught playin
If anyone tries to deceive or cheat me,
Over here, I'm returnin em that's my word that they be blasted
I will retaliate and harm them, that's a promise.
Anything from two-twenty to one-forty, that's mine
I demand respect or else there will be consequences.
Y'all need to step the fuck off
You all need to back off and leave me alone.
Y'all niggaz ain't crazy for real
You are not as brave as you think you are.
The fiends ain't comin fast enough
Drug addicts are not buying my drugs quick enough.
There is no cut that's pure enough
The drugs I sell are not strong enough.
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
I can't give up, I need money, I keep buying and selling drugs.
Product must be sold to YOU
You are the one buying my drugs.
I'm deep down in the back streets - in the heart of Medina
I am operating in dangerous areas where the most impoverished people live.
About to set off something more deep than a misdemeanor
I am about to commit a serious crime and cause harm.
Under the subway, waiting for the train to make noise
I am hiding in a secluded area, looking for my next target.
So I can blast a nigga and his boys - for what?
I will shoot and kill someone and their friends without a good reason.
He pushed up on the block and made the dope sales drop
Someone else is selling drugs in my territory and affecting my profits.
Like the crashin of Dow Jones stock
It is like a catastrophic event for my business.
I had to connect to cross seals, to catch more mil's
I had to establish a connection to get more drugs and money.
Than ho-bitches got birth control pills
I got more money and drugs than promiscuous women have birth control.
I'm in the park, settin up a deal over blunt fire
I am making a drug deal while smoking marijuana.
Bum niggaz sleepin on the bench, they had em wired
I am aware that homeless people are getting high on the drugs I sell.
Peeped my convo, the address of my condo
Someone overheard my conversation and knows where I live.
And how I changed a nigga name to John Doe
I changed someone's identity to avoid getting caught by the police.
And while we set up camp, we got Vamp
We set up a location and captured someone.
Put the stake through his heart, I ripped his fucking fangs apart
We killed someone who we saw as a threat.
Snake got smoked on the set like Brandon Lee
We killed someone just like Brandon Lee was killed during a movie production.
Blown out the frame, like Pan Am flight 103
We caused destruction like the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
He got swung on, his lungs was torn, the
Someone was hurt badly and having difficulty breathing.
kingpin just castled with his rook and lost a pawn
A powerful drug dealer made a tactical move and lost one of his workers.
A regular on the block, and played look-out
Someone who is always on the street, watching out for any potential problems.
For playing predator with a glock, he should have took out
Someone who acted aggressively with a gun should have attacked his rival instead.
No neighborhood is rough enough
I can handle any dangerous area.
There is no clip that's full enough
I need more weapons and ammunition.
The peers that come is tight enough
The people who work for me are trustworthy.
There is no niggaz that's fuckin up
No one is messing with my business.
I can't fold, I need gold, I re-up and reload
I can't quit, I need more money, I keep buying and selling drugs.
Product must be sold, to YOU
You are the one buying my drugs.
Contributed by Hannah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
duh batman
"The king just castled with a rook and lost his pawn." That line always stood out to me. Always come back to this album.
shakaD88
I've been listening to this album for half of my life and never caught it before...
Craig Manning
One of the tightest Wu Tang songs ever. I run this whole album front to back always. Wu Tang forever.
Lucifer Beelzebub Moloch
@trizzy_56k You clueless, must be a casual.
Ticallian Stallion
@trizzy_56k
Wu-Tang all over this album
CHIEFINDIAN _
@trizzy_56k yea man this wu you didnt see him and odb beat boxing
CHIEFINDIAN _
In the cd player now
Romero Roberto Andres
Dopest solo album by a Wu-Tang member
GuitarNoob
I love how the instrumental sort of sounds like a beating heart.
X Brown
thats the foundational principle of the drum kick and snare