Method Man spent a childhood split between separated parents in Long Island and Staten Island, and in an apparent precursor to his career in hip hop was introduced both to playing drums and to poetry by his father. Not only was Method 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. 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 8 friends to form the Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1992.
Since the Wu-Tang Clan's ascendancy to hip hop stardom, Method Man has always been one of the most visible members of the collective. He was one of only two of the group to get a solo song on the group's debut album Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers and he was the first to release a solo album under the Clan's unusual contract which allows its members to release albums under any record label (Method chose to sign with legendary rap label Def Jam). Method Man's solo debut, Tical (1994) was critically acclaimed and extremely popular, entering the American charts at #4 and eventually selling in excess of one million copies.
He soon collaborated with Mary J. Blige and Redman with a series of hit singles, one of which (the Blige duet "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By") won a Grammy, before recording the second Wu-Tang album, Wu-Tang Forever.
His second solo album was Tical 2000: Judgement Day (1998), which was heavily influenced by the apocalypse theories surrounding the forthcoming end of the millennium, and which featured a vast amount of guest appearances, from his fellow Clansmen to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, D'Angelo, Chris Rock, Mobb Deep, Redman and even Donald Trump. The album sold even better than his first, though reviews were mixed and its long running time and the abundance of between-song comedy skits were criticised by many.
Method Man then toured with Jay-Z and recorded Blackout! with Redman, a light-hearted, fun record with an EPMD-evoking emphasis on funky beats and the mischievous wit and cool flows of the two MCs.
In the twenty-first century, Method Man forged a successful career in acting. As well as his 1998 appearance in the film Belly along with fellow rappers Nas and DMX, Method has also appeared in 187 Oz, How High (a stoner film with Redman), The Wire, My Baby's Daddy, Garden State and Soul Plane, while continuing to record with the Wu-Tang Clan. He also co-starred with Redman in his own Fox sitcom called Method & Red, however after only a short time on the air the show was put on hiatus and never returned. Method Man later complained in the press about Fox's influence on the show's style, claiming that "there's been too much compromise on our side and not enough on their side" and bemoaning the network's decision to add a laugh track.
In 2004, Meth released his third album Tical 0: The Prequel, which spawned a successful single in "What's Happenin" with Busta Rhymes, but was poorly received both by critics and fans. There was trouble even before the album's release when Method apparently complained to the press about excessive interference from Def Jam over the album's beats (Meth supposedly desired more input from Wu-Tang leader RZA). On its release, many fans and critics were taken aback by its strong "mainstream" or "commercial" sound, highlighted by the guest appearances of pop-rap stars of the time Missy Elliot, P. Diddy and Ludacris. However, the album sold reasonably well, selling more than any of the other Wu-Tang solo projects released at around the same time. There was good news in early 2005 for fans who were disappointed with The Prequel as Method Man announced that a new RZA-produced album would be released later in the year. The album ultimately never materialized in 2005, though RZA and Meth continue to work on the album and are now aiming for a mid-2006 release date.
Aliases
Big John Stud
The Ghost Rider (from the comic Ghost Rider)
Hot Nickelz
Hot Nixon
Iron Lung
John-John
Johnny Blaze (from the comic Ghost Rider)
Johnny Dangerous
John-John Blaizini
Methtical (Meth-tical)
Meth
Mr. Meth
MZA ("The Mizza")
The Panty Raider
Shakwon (5% Nation "righteous name")
Tical
Ticallion Stallion
Albums
1994 Tical (Platinum)
1998 Tical 2000: Judgement Day (Platinum)
1999 Blackout! (with Redman) (Platinum)
2004 Tical 0: The Prequel
2006 4:21 The Day After
2009 Blackout! 2 (with Redman)
Singles and EPs
1994 "Bring The Pain"
1995 "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By" (with Mary J. Blige)
1995 "Release Yo' Delf"
1998 "Break Ups 2 Make Ups"
1998 "Judgement Day"'
1998 "Grand Finale" (with DMX, Nas & Ja Rule)
1999 "Tear It Off" (Method Man & Redman)
1999 "Da Rockwilder" (Method Man & Redman)
1999 "Y.O.U." (Method Man & Redman)
2004 "What's Happenin" (with Busta Rhymes)
2005 "The Show"
Appears On
1993 Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
1994 "The What" (from the The Notorious B.I.G. album Ready to Die)
1995 "Dirty Dancin" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version)
1995 "Got The Flava" (from the Showbiz & AG album Goodfellas)
1995 "Wu-Gambinos" & "Ice Cream" (from the Raekwon album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx)
1995 "Living In The World Today", "Shadowboxin" & "Gold" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords)
1995 "The Riddler" (from the Batman Forever Soundtrack)
1996 "Box In Hand" (from the Ghostface Killah album Ironman)
1996 "Box In Hand (Remix)" (Ghostface Killah single)
1996 "Got My Mind Made Up" (from the 2Pac album All Eyez On Me)
1996 "Do What Ya Feel" (from the Redman album Muddy Waters)
1996 "Extortion" (from the Mobb Deep album Hell On Earth)
1996 "Hit 'Em High" (from the Space Jam soundtrack)
1997 Wu-Tang Forever (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
1997 "Milk The Cow", "Supa Ninjaz" & "Dart Throwing" (from the Cappadonna album The Pillage)
1997 "Next Up" & "Collaboration 98" (from the Sunz Of Man album The Last Shall Be First)
1997 "4,3,2,1" (from the LL Cool J album Phenonemon)
1998 "Well All Rite Cha" (from the Redman album Doc's Da Name 2000)
1998 "Pussy Pop" (from the Xzibit album 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz)
1998 "Whatcha Gonna Do" (from the Jayo Felony album Whatcha Gonna Do)
1998 "The Worst" (from the Onyx album Shut 'Em Down)
1999 "Rumble" (from the U-God album The Golden Arms Redemption)
1999 "Am I My Brother's Keeper" (from the Shyheim album Manchild)
1999 "Fuck Them" (from the Raekwon album Immobilarity)
1999 "Left & Right" (from the D'Angelo album Voodoo)
1999 "Stringplay" (from the GZA album Beneath The Surface)
1999 "N 2 Gether Now" (from the Limp Bizkit album Significant Other)
1999 "Half Man Half Amazin" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor)
1999 "Three Amigos (If It's On)" (from the Popa Wu album Visions Of The Tenth Chamber)
1999 "NYC Everything" (from the RZA album Bobby Digital In Stereo)
1999 "Simon Says (Remix)" (from the Pharoahe Monch album Internal Affairs)
2000 "Buck 50" (from the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele)
2000 "Fuhgidabowdit" (from the LL Cool J album G.O.A.T.)
2000 "Rollin' (Urban Assault Vehicle)" (from the Limp Bizkit album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water)
2000 The W (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
2000 "Ghetto Celebrity" (from the album In The Mode by Roni Size & Reprazent
2001 "La Rhumba" & "Glocko Pop" (from the RZA album Digital Bullet)
2001 "Enjoy Da Ride" (from the Redman album Malpractice)
2001 "Dog In Heat" (from the Missy Elliott album Miss E...So Addictive)
2001 "Party & Bullshit" (from the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack)
2001 Iron Flag (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
2001 "Red Meth And Bee" (from the Cypress Hill album Stoned Raiders)
2002 "Flowers" (from the Ghostface Killah album Bulletproof Wallets)
2003 "Respect Mine" (from the Mathematics album Love, Hell Or Right)
2003 "Love @ 1st Sight" (from the Mary J. Blige album Love & Life)
2003 "We Pop (Remix)" (RZA single)
2003 "Bring The Pain" (from the Missy Elliott album This Is Not A Test!)
2003 "Ice Cream Part 2" (from the Raekwon album Lex Diamonds Story)
2003 "Noble Art" (from the IAM album Revoir Un Printemps)
2003 "Rock 'N' Roll" (from the Naughty By Nature album Icons)
2004 "Secret Rivals" (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date)
2004 "The Drummer" (from the Theodore Unit album 718)
2004 Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
2005 "Head Rush", "John 3:16" & "Spot Lite" (from the Mathematics album The Problem)
2005 "All My Niggas", "Shoot On Sight (S.O S.)" & "Street Education" (from the Streetlife album Street Education)
2005 "High Rollers" (from the Proof album Searching for Jerry Garcia)
2005 "Still On It" (from the Ashanti album Collectables by Ashanti)
2006 "9 Milli Bros." (from the Ghostface Killah album Fishscale)
Our Dreams
Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't give up our plans, don't give up our dreams
No broken bridges, can turn us around
'Cause what we're searchin' for, will soon be found
Aiyo, listen here, shorty, Camay glow
You know we both make angels when we lay in the snow
Heat the house with the oven when the cheese got low
You made plans and dreams, not grands of schemes
I wanna search for the meaning of love, see what it means
'Cause we hustle so hard, cross so many bridges
Made babies, took trips to the mall, for family pictures
And our souls is magnetic, we the meaning of destiny
Be that banker of trust that looks to invest in me
Together, to get her, means for me to get you
We back, reunite like the Wu
See we soul mates, we melt like cookies and cream
And I fiend for the days and the nights to sex my queen
So no matter how hard it seems, dreams come true
Keep Allah in our hearts, hugs and kisses, Toney Starks
No matter how hard, the task may seem
Don't give up our plans, don't give up our dreams
No broken bridges, can turn us around
'Cause what we're searchin' for, will soon be found
Uh, still applying the pain
The purple frying my brain, this woman's crying again
She, tired of fighting, my feelings likely the same
That's what happens when you wife 'em and they try to tighten the chain
See, she in the right, so I put her right in her lane
I'm all night with the pipe, I can feel her biting my chain
She, got her own, I ain't gotta buy her a thang
I be burning up the sheets every time I'm lighting the game
We, go together like, Martin and Gina, but
She get uptight when we fight like Ike and Tina, so
Love her or leave her alone, like I ain't need her tho
A minute later I'm back, like I ain't mean it, yo
We break up, just to make up, she fly without the makeup
Together we upgrade to A plus
So all this bickering ain't us, we bigger than that
You normally cool when I'm digging your back, now fall back, baby
No matter how hard, the task may seem
Don't give up our plans, don't give up our dreams
No broken bridges, can turn us around
'Cause what we're searchin' for, will soon be found
Shorty with the flavor like Breyer's, real sweet with your thick legs
Look like you drink eggs, you lying
Now you met a teflon don, stay high, Levi's on
Wire cell frames, no games
I'm into cashing in, getting this paper, buying up acres
Ride around, and yo, fuck with my neighbors
Pocket full of hundreds and weed, light the Philly cigar up
And go dolo, riding through SoHo
You hear the little baby in the back? That's the sound of sweet life
A sweet wiz'll make you a sweet night
And chill with the pawns we on, cuz life is a chessboard
You better have you sword and vest on
Never hate your enemies, cuz it effects judgment
They only hate it if they know you getting hella cheese
That's what it is, what it do for you
Don't let the truth bore you, word up, don't let the roof spoil
No matter how hard, the task may seem
Don't give up our plans, don't give up our dreams
No broken bridges, can turn us around
'Cause what we're searchin' for, will soon be found
In Method Man's "Our Dreams", he urges his partner to not give up on their plans and dreams no matter how difficult the task may seem. He speaks of making angels with his partner in the snow and using the oven to heat the house when they had little money. He also talks about searching for the meaning of love and being magnetic souls destined to be together. He mentions that together they can accomplish anything and no broken bridges can hold them back. In the second verse, he speaks of the ups and downs of his relationship with his wife, but ultimately they are in it for the long haul. He reassures her that they go together like Martin and Gina and together they can upgrade to an A plus. He ends the song speaking of the importance of not letting the truth bore you and not letting the roof spoil.
Line by Line Meaning
No matter how hard, the task may seem
No matter how difficult the task appears to be, we must not give up.
Don't give up our plans, don't give up our dreams
We should not abandon our goals and aspirations.
No broken bridges, can turn us around
We will not let obstacles discourage or impede us.
'Cause what we're searchin' for, will soon be found
We believe that the things we are striving for will be achieved soon.
You know we both make angels when we lay in the snow
Our sexual activity in the snow results in the creation of snow angels.
Heat the house with the oven when the cheese got low
When we run out of money to buy heating fuel, we use the oven to heat up the house.
'Cause Toney, can't be out there pushing that blow
Toney can't sell drugs on the street.
I wanna search for the meaning of love, see what it means
I want to explore and understand the concept of love.
Made babies, took trips to the mall, for family pictures
We have children and take family photos at the mall.
And our souls is magnetic, we the meaning of destiny
We are destined to be together and our attraction is unbreakable.
Be that banker of trust that looks to invest in me
Be someone who trusts and supports me.
Together, to get her, means for me to get you
In order for me to obtain you, I must pursue a relationship with you.
We back, reunite like the Wu
We are reuniting and coming together like the Wu-Tang Clan.
See we soul mates, we melt like cookies and cream
We are soulmates and are compatible like cookies and cream.
And I fiend for the days and the nights to sex my queen
I look forward to having sex with my partner.
Uh, still applying the pain
I am still experiencing pain.
That's what happens when you wife 'em and they try to tighten the chain
There are consequences to marrying someone who tries to control you.
See, she in the right, so I put her right in her lane
My partner is correct in this situation, so I let her lead the way.
We, go together like, Martin and Gina, but
We are like Martin and Gina from the TV show Martin.
She get uptight when we fight like Ike and Tina, so
My partner gets angry when we argue, reminiscent of Ike and Tina Turner's tumultuous relationship.
Love her or leave her alone, like I ain't need her tho
I either love my partner or let her go, without the need for her.
We break up, just to make up, she fly without the makeup
We break up and then reconcile, and my partner is confident and beautiful without makeup.
Together we upgrade to A plus
We improve our relationship to the highest level.
So all this bickering ain't us, we bigger than that
We are better than just arguing with each other.
Look like you drink eggs, you lying
You look like you have been drinking eggs, which is not true.
I'm into cashing in, getting this paper, buying up acres
I am focused on accumulating wealth and buying land.
Ride around, and yo, fuck with my neighbors
I drive around and bother my neighbors.
Pocket full of hundreds and weed, light the Philly cigar up
I have a lot of money and marijuana, and I am smoking a cigar.
And go dolo, riding through SoHo
I am driving alone through the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.
You hear the little baby in the back? That's the sound of sweet life
You can hear a baby making noise in the background, which represents the joyful aspects of life.
Never hate your enemies, cuz it effects judgment
One should not hate their enemies, as it could cloud their judgement.
They only hate it if they know you getting hella cheese
People only hate when you are successful and making a lot of money.
That's what it is, what it do for you
That is the reality of the situation, and how does it benefit you?
Don't let the truth bore you, word up, don't let the roof spoil
Don't let the truth be uninteresting to you, and don't let the atmosphere or surroundings ruin your mood.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: Robert F. Diggs, Clifford Smith, Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Dennis D. Coles, Corey Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Troxel
Don't get it twisted. Method is the compliment to Rae and Ghost. They have always been a package deal.
Lessons
Cappa also!!! π―
panamecity panamecity
Method man and Michael Jackson's voices on the same track= a dream comes true.
And meth's verse is truly the best
Villain
Yeah I see lots of people in the comments for the tracks on this album hating on Method, but I think he killed it on this album. I wasn't really a big fan of his until I heard this album. I think he outshines Rae in many of the tracks.
blkwveapparel
Need this joint in my library π―π
Toni Mercado
2019 and still in my top 10!!!
RaeRae Jeru
My favourite track off this dope album. I love the video too. Rae the best outta the 3!
Cedric Willis
classic π₯π€π€π€π€π€π₯
Ikenna Konkwo
I had no idea that was a Michael Jackson sample. Anyways, itβs a really good song for dream seekers. I also like the beat. Very smooth and relaxing.
Djay
Classic π₯