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.
Shadowboxin'
GZA & Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Special technique of shadowboxing, Goddamn
The GZA, Goddamn
The GZA, Goddamn, pledge allegiance to the Hip Hop
Method, Goddamn, I pledge allegiance to the Hip Hop
Maximillion, Maximillion
Johnny Blaze
I pledge allegiance to the Hip Hop
Maximillion, Maximillion
I breaks it down to the bone gristle
Ill speaking scud missile heat seeking
Johnny Blazing, nightmares like Wes Craven
Niggas gunning, my third eye seen it coming before it happen
You know about them fucking Staten kids, they smashing
Everything huh in any shape form or fashion
Now everybody talking bout they blasting, hmmm
Is you busting steel or is you flashing? Hmmm
Talking out your asshole
You should have learnt about the flow and peasy afro
Ticallion stallion, chinky-eye and snot-nosed
From my naps to the bunion on my big toe
I keeps it moving, know just what the fuck I'm doing
Rap insomniac, fiend to catch a nigga snoozing
Slip the cardiac arrest me, exorcist Hip Hop possess me
Crunch a nigga like a Nestle, you know my STEEZ
Burning to the third degree, sneaky ass alley cat top pedigree
The head toucher, industry party bum rusher
You don't like it? Dick up in you, fuck ya!
Allow me to demonstrate
That's right, you corny-ass
The skill of Shaolin, rap motherfuckers
The special technique, better go back and check
Of shadowboxing, your fucking stacks
Shadowboxing, cause your naps ain't nappy enough
And your beats ain't rugged enough, bitch
I slayed MCs back in the rec room era
My style broke motherfucking backs like Ken Patera
Most rap niggas came loud but unheard
Once I pulled out, round 'em off to the nearest third
Check these non-visual niggas, with tapes and a portrait
Flood the seminar trying to orbit this corporate
Industry, but what them niggas can't see
Must break through like the Wu, unexpectedly
Protect Ya Neck, my sword still remain imperial
Before I blast the mic, RZA scratch off the serial
We reign all year round from June to June
While niggas bite immediately if not soon
Set the lynching and form the execution date
As this two thousand beyond slang suffocate
Amplify sample through vacuum tubes compressions
Cause RZA to charge niggas twenty Gs a session
When my mind start to clicking and the strategy
Is mastered the plot thickens
This be that Wu shit
I don't give a cotton-pickin' FUCK
About a brother tryna size a nigga up, I hold my own
Hard-hat protect your dome
Look at Mama baby boy acting like he grown
No time for sleep, I gets deep as a baritone
Killa bee, that be holding down his honeycomb, lounging son
Wu brother number one, protect your neck
Flying guillotines here they come, bloody bastards
Hard times and killer tactics, spitting words plus
Semi-automatic slurs, peep the graphic
Novel from the genie bottle, hit the clutch
Shift the gear now, full throttle, time to bungee
To the next episode, I keeps it grungy
Hand on my nut sack and spitting lunghies
At a wack nigga dat, don't understand the fact
When it come to RZA tracks I don't know how to act
Real rap from the Stat, Killa Hill Projects
How to be exact, break it down
All in together now
Things are getting good looking better now
And some other shit
Allow me to demonstrate the skill of Shaolin
Sha-shadowboxing, the special technique of shadowboxing
The lyrics to Shadowboxin' by GZA and Method Man are dense and richly layered with imagery, metaphors, and wordplay. The lines "I breaks it down to the bone gristle / Ill speaking Scud missile heat seeking" set the stage for the martial-arts-inspired themes that are recurrent throughout the song. The use of the term "shadowboxing" implies a readiness for combat - one is practicing and preparing for the real thing. Meanwhile, the line "hard-hat protect your dome" can be seen as a nod to the physically dangerous nature of hip-hop at the time, where competitors would literally throw objects at each other on stage.
The lyrics also touch on themes of authenticity, as Method Man questions whether his rivals are truly carrying weapons or simply posturing for show. He critiques those who "talk out of their asshole" rather than honing their craft and developing their flow. GZA's verse takes a darker turn, with references to cardiac arrest and possession by evil spirits. He delivers the line "burning to the third degree, sneaky ass alley cat top pedigree" with a ferocity that underlines his reputation as one of hip-hop's most skilled lyricists.
Taken together, the lyrics to Shadowboxin' paint a vivid portrait of the gritty, competitive world of hip-hop in the 1990s. They speak to the physicality of the genre, the importance of maintaining authenticity, and the need to constantly hone one's craft in the face of fierce rivals.
Line by Line Meaning
I breaks it down to the bone gristle
I break things down to their fundamental parts
Ill speaking Scud missile heat seeking
My rhymes are deadly and seek out weak MCs
Johnny Blazing, nightmares like Wes Craven
I'm a skilled MC who can cause fear in my opponents
Niggas gunning, my third eye seen it coming before it happen
I can see danger before it happens thanks to my intuition
You know about them fucking Staten kids, they smashing
People know Staten Island residents are tough and capable of destruction
Everything huh, in any shape form or fashion
They can destroy anything in any way they want
Now everybody talking bout they blasting, hmmm
Everybody is claiming to be tough and ready to fight
Is you busting steel or is you flashing, hmmm
Are you really carrying a gun or just pretending?
Talking out your asshole
You're speaking nonsense and not making any sense
You shoulda learnt about the flow and peasy afro
You should have studied how to rap like me with my smooth flow and big Afro hairstyle
Ticallion stallion, chinky-eye and snot-nosed
I have distinctive physical features like my big Afro, almond-shaped eyes, and runny nose
From my naps to the bunion on my big toe
Every part of me is unique, from my hair to my toes
I keeps it moving, know just what the fuck I'm doing
I keep pushing forward with my music and I am fully confident in my abilities
Rap insomniac, fiend to catch a nigga snoozing
I am constantly creating and working on my music to stay ahead of the game
Slip the cardiac arrest me, exorcist hip-hop possess me
My rhymes and flow possess me like an exorcism and leave my listeners in awe
Crunch a nigga like a Nestle, you know my steez
I can crush MCs easily and I have a unique style that people recognize
Burning to the third degree, sneaky ass alley cat top pedigree
My rhymes are hot, slick, and of the highest quality
The head toucher, industry party bum rusher
I am an influential MC who can make things happen in the industry
You don't like it dick up in you fuck ya
If you don't like what I have to say, then fuck you
Allow me to demonstrate
Let me show you what I'm capable of
That's right, you corny-ass
You're a weak MC with no skills
The skill of Shaolin, rap motherfuckers
I have the skills of a Shaolin monk and I can dominate in the rap game
The special technique, better go back and check
My flow and rhymes are so unique and powerful that people need to check them again
Of shadowboxing, your fucking stacks
I am shadowboxing with my opponents and taking all of their money
Shadowboxing, cause your naps ain't nappy enough
I am shadowboxing and winning because my opponents' hair is not as impressive as mine
And your beats ain't rugged enough, bitch
Your music is not as strong and rugged as mine, and you can't compete
I slayed MC's back in the rec room era
I dominated in the early days of hip hop when it was just starting out
My style broke motherfucking backs like Ken Patera
My style was so powerful that it could take down even the strongest MCs
Most rap niggas came loud but unheard
Most MCs are loud and obnoxious but their music has no substance
Once I pulled out, round em off to the nearest third
Once I started rapping, I destroyed the competition
Check these non-visual niggas, with tapes and a portrait
These MCs have no real skill or talent and rely on gimmicks like making tapes and taking pictures
Flood the seminar, trying to orbit this corporate
They try to get attention from record labels and move up in the industry, but they are not true artists
Industry, but what them niggas can't see
These MCs don't have what it takes to succeed in the industry
Must break through like the Wu, unexpectedly
Just like how the Wu Tang Clan came onto the scene and took over unexpectedly, I will break through and dominate
Protect Ya Neck, my sword still remain imperial
My classic song 'Protect Ya Neck' still holds true and I am still a powerful MC
Before I blast the mic, RZA scratch off the serial
The RZA scratches the serial number off the mic before I start rapping, indicating that I am a dangerous MC
We reign all year round from June to June
We dominate the rap game all year long
While niggas bite immediately if not soon
Other MCs copy and steal our style as soon as possible
Set the lynching, and form the execution date
We will bring down the competition and take over the game
As this two thousand beyond slang suffocate
Our unique style and rhymes will overpower and dominate the new millennium
Amplify sample through vacuum tubes compressions
We use old school techniques to create a powerful and unique sound
Cause RZA, to charge niggas twenty G's a session
The RZA is a talented producer and charges a lot of money for his services
When my mind start to clicking and the strategy
When I start thinking and planning my next moves in the rap game
Is mastered the plot thickens, this be that Wu shit
Once we have everything figured out, we make our moves and dominate the industry
I don't give a cotton-pickin' FUCK
I don't give a damn
About a brother tryin to size a nigga up, I hold my own
I don't care about other MCs trying to compete with me, I can handle it myself
Hard-hat protect your dome
Protect your head and be ready for a fight
Look at Mama baby boy acting like he grown
Other MCs act tough but they are really just children
No time for sleep, I gets deep as a baritone
I am fully committed to my music and never stop working
Killa bee, that be holding down his honeycomb, lounging son
I am a powerful MC and I hold down my home base, relaxing and taking care of business
Wu brother number one, protect your neck
I am the best in the Wu Tang Clan and I urge everyone to protect themselves and their music
Flying guillotines here they come, bloody bastards
Other MCs are coming for me and they will go down in defeat
Hard times and killer tactics, spitting words plus
The rap game is tough and competitive and I am always ready with powerful rhymes
Semi-automatic slurs, peep the graphic
My rhymes come fast and furious like a semi-automatic weapon
Novel from the genie bottle, hit the clutch
I always have new ideas and creative concepts for my music
Shift the gear now, full throttle, time to bungee
It's time to pick up the pace and go all out for my music
To the next episode, I keeps it grungy
I'm always moving forward and keeping my music raw and gritty
Hand on my nut sack, and spitting lunghies
I am fully confident in my abilities and ready to take on any challenge
At a whack nigga dat, don't understand the fact
I am ready to take on any weak MC who doesn't understand the rap game
When it come to RZA tracks I don't know how to act
The RZA's beats are so powerful that I can't help but go all out on them
Real rap from the Stat, killa hill projects
My music comes straight from Staten Island and the Killa Hill projects
How to be exact, break it down
Let me be clear and precise about where I come from and what I'm about
All in together now
We are all in this rap game together and we need to support each other
Things are getting good looking better now
The rap game is getting more exciting and I'm excited to be a part of it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Clifford Smith, Gary E. Grice, Robert F. Diggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hectorhervas3749
@@tool27 I have slightly different top 5s depending if it's my favorites or the ones I think are the best, with a more objective point of view.
My Favorites would be:
- To Pimp A Butterfly
- Illmatic
- Stankonia
- A Piece of Strange by Cunninlynguists
- Funcrusher Plus by Company Flow.
And What I think are the best:
- A Piece of Strange
- To Pimp A Butterfly
- Illmatic
- Madvillainy
- Liquid Swords
@rodcarew1353
Who’s here in 2024🤚🏽
@omancripe5686
Thast how rap's supposed to sound
@rhyme70Four
Just watched it. I remember losing my mind when this video first dropped. #WuTangForever
@hanswurst9437
Still here, never left...
@rodcarew1353
@@hanswurst9437 word
@SkyIsTheLimitEntertainment
Yessss'Siiiirr 🙌🙌🙌
@TJiscool1
Method Man could literally rap a bunch of gibberish and it would still sound better than 99% of other emcees.... his flow is so cool and has never grown old... same too for The GZA...
@haliburtonhighlandshouseof8759
Cadence
@ojmosby5755
Oh god 🙏
@naturalvibemusic3021
no jibberish, pure mathematical bars fa yuh intellect