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)
Release Yo' Delf
Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jet back to the lab like they were being chased by homicide
My rap flow does you like Tical, and it will never steer you wrong
And all you bitch-ass niggas in the industry
Your careers won't be lasting long
When I first stepped on the scene, niggas was petrified
Jet back to the lab like they were being chased by homicide
And all you bitch-ass niggas in the industry
Your careers won't be lasting long
Check it, I'm the fuckin man, who they mention
Notice, that other niggas rap styles is bogus
Doo-doo, prepare for this verse Tical voodoo
Blazin, the stuff that ignites stimulation
Inside ya, cuz I be that house over water
Forgot in the realm that be deep as the Poseidon
Adventure, niggas need to touch they freakin tincture
For the sickness, that be spreadin with the quickness
Remedies, cousin I be doin on my enemies
Penalty, then I drink forties to they memories
Emotion, rushin through your down street vicinity
Blunt smoke, in the air reveals my identity
As I keep it movin, we keep it movin uh
Keep it movin, and keep it movin uh
Keep it movin baby we be movin uh
Keep it movin, we keep it huh RHARHHH
What's that rhythm what's that sound
Party people getting down
When it hit the baddest man
Just release, yo delf!!
My God, somebody said it's on, if it isn't I'll be set
To blow a nigga up, with my Five Fingers of Death
I bring it to his whole damn fam, understand
If he frontin, on any man down with the Clan
I be comin, for the headpiece you can't cope
For my brother, I bring it to the Pope, word to mother
Serial, killa, style from Big Isle
No Stat, my peoples are you with me where you at?
Shit's gettin deep in here, I mean like thick
Niggas lookin all in my face like they want dick
It's about to hit the fan, hit the flo'
That's all I can stands, and I can't stands no mo'
What is it? Niggas think they bigga
Cause they got the finga on the trigga of a pistol
They don't know I'm wicked, when I start to kick it
With the raw sound, wash it down with a Mystic
Better yet a Snapple, nigga want the juice
But he don't want the hassle
Then we try to overthrow the castle
Better yet the temple I'm comin to your town
Black man, the rental, God, the pistol
Cocked! If you don't want a burn from GLOCK
Then beware, I buck shots, we move up, the buck stops
Here, no more dough will be made
Unless it's being made by hoes
What's that rhythm what's that sound
Party people getting down
When it hit the baddest man
Just breathe in, till then
And keep it movin, baby keep it movin
I plan to keep it movin, you know we keep it movin uh
And keep it movin, baby we be movin uh
And keep it movin, you know we keep it movin uh
And keep it movin, you know we keep it movin
Baby we be movin, you know we keep it moo..RARHRAH
When I first stepped on the scene, niggas was petrified
Jet back to the lab like they were being chased by homicide
My rap flow does you like Tical, and it will never steer you wrong
And all you bitch-ass niggas in the industry
Your careers won't be lasting long
Throw your hands in the sky
And wave em from side to side
And if you're ready to spark up the Meth-Tical
Let me hear you say stim-uli
When I first stepped on the scene, niggas was petrified
Jet back to the lab like they were being chased by homicide
My rap flow does you like Tical, and it will never steer you wrong
And all you bitch-ass niggas in the industry
Your careers won't be lasting long
In "Release Yo' Delf" by Method Man, the first verse talks about how intimidated other rappers were when he first entered the scene. He compares his rap flow to Tical (his first solo album), explaining how it won't fail him. He warns other rappers that their careers won't last long because his style is superior. In the second verse, he talks about how he is "the fucking man" and mentions how other rappers' styles are "bogus." He then goes on to rap about how he gives off a wicked vibe when he starts to kick it, and you can tell who he is from the blunt smoke in the air, almost like it's his signature scent. He discusses how it's getting serious and how he can't stand it anymore. Finally, the outro tells the listener to throw their hands in the sky, wave them from side to side, and if they're ready to spark up the Meth-Tical, to say stim-uli.
Line by Line Meaning
When I first stepped on the scene, niggas was petrified
When I first entered the rap industry, people were scared of me
Jet back to the lab like they were being chased by homicide
Other rappers ran back to the studio because they were scared I would come after them
My rap flow does you like Tical, and it will never steer you wrong
My rap style is like my album Tical, and it will always be true to who I am as an artist
And all you bitch-ass niggas in the industry
I have no respect for weak rappers in the industry
Your careers won't be lasting long
Weak rappers won't last in the industry
Check it, I'm the fuckin man, who they mention
I am the top rapper that everyone is talking about
Notice, that other niggas rap styles is bogus
Other rappers' styles are fake and unoriginal
Doo-doo, prepare for this verse Tical voodoo
Get ready for my powerful rap technique in this verse
Blazin, the stuff that ignites stimulation
My rap is hot and stimulates your senses
Inside ya, cuz I be that house over water
My rap style is deep and powerful
Forgot in the realm that be deep as the Poseidon
My style is so powerful that it is often forgotten in the deep rap world
Adventure, niggas need to touch they freakin tincture
Other rappers need to step up their game and be more creative
For the sickness, that be spreadin with the quickness
For the negative influence other rappers are spreading in the industry
Remedies, cousin I be doin on my enemies
I have a solution for the negativity and weak rap in the industry
Penalty, then I drink forties to they memories
I celebrate when I defeat weak rappers and make them a distant memory
Emotion, rushin through your down street vicinity
My music is powerful and affects the emotions of those around me
Blunt smoke, in the air reveals my identity
My smoking habits are part of my identity as a rapper
As I keep it movin, we keep it movin uh
As I continue to make music, we all keep moving forward
Keep it movin, and keep it movin uh
Let's keep the music and momentum going
What's that rhythm what's that sound
The beat of the music is heard
Party people getting down
People are dancing to the music
When it hit the baddest man
When the beat hits the best rapper
Just release, yo delf!!
Just let go and enjoy the music
My God, somebody said it's on, if it isn't I'll be set
Someone said there is a rap battle happening, and I'm ready if it's true
To blow a nigga up, with my Five Fingers of Death
To win a rap battle with my unbeatable rap style
I bring it to his whole damn fam, understand
I will defeat not only him but also everyone in his group
If he frontin, on any man down with the Clan
If he disrespects anyone in my group, I'll come after him
I be comin, for the headpiece you can't cope
I'll come after anyone who doesn't respect my authority as a rapper
For my brother, I bring it to the Pope, word to mother
I'll go after anyone who disrespects my friends or family, even if it's the Pope
Serial, killa, style from Big Isle
My style is like that of a serial killer from Staten Island
No Stat, my peoples are you with me where you at?
Let's go and win this battle together, where are my fans?
Shit's gettin deep in here, I mean like thick
Things are getting serious
Niggas lookin all in my face like they want dick
People are staring at me intensely
It's about to hit the fan, hit the flo'
Things are about to get crazy
That's all I can stands, and I can't stands no mo'
I have had enough and I'm ready to fight back
What is it? Niggas think they bigga
People think they are better than me
Cause they got the finga on the trigga of a pistol
Because they have a gun, they think they are tough
They don't know I'm wicked, when I start to kick it
They don't know how dangerous I can be when I start rapping
With the raw sound, wash it down with a Mystic
I have a unique style that stands out
Better yet a Snapple, nigga want the juice
Better yet a Snapple, a rapper wants the attention
But he don't want the hassle
But he isn't ready for the consequences
Then we try to overthrow the castle
We will try to take over the music industry
Better yet the temple I'm comin to your town
I'm coming to your city to prove myself
Black man, the rental, God, the pistol
I'm the best rapper, and I have control over everything
Cocked! If you don't want a burn from GLOCK
I'll use my power to harm those who cross me
Then beware, I buck shots, we move up, the buck stops
Be careful, I'll shoot back and put an end to the conflict
No more dough will be made
There will be no more money made for weak rappers
Unless it's being made by hoes
Unless they are using their bodies to make money
Throw your hands in the sky
Put your hands up
And wave em from side to side
Wave them from side to side
And if you're ready to spark up the Meth-Tical
If you're ready to listen to my music
Let me hear you say stim-uli
Say stim-uli
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: CLIFFORD SMITH, DINO FEKARIS, FREDERICK J. PERREN, ROBERT F. DIGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@benrow5472
LePierrackΒ stop whatever you are smoking...
Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots
I give a holler to my sisters on welfare
Tupac cares, if don't nobody else care
And uhh, I know they like to beat ya down a lot
When you come around the block brothas clown a lot
But please don't cry, dry your eyes, never let up
Forgive but don't forget, girl keep your head up
And when he tells you you ain't nothin' don't believe him
And if he can't learn to love you you should leave him
Cause sista you don't need him
And I ain't tryin to gash up, I just call em how I see em
You know it makes me unhappy
When brothas make babies, and leave a young mother to be a pappy
And since we all came from a woman
Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women, do we hate our women?
I think it's time to kill for our women
Time to heal our women, be real to our women
And if we don't we'll have a race of babies
That will hate the ladies, that make the babies
And since a man can't make one
He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one
So will the real men get up
I know you're fed up ladies, but you gotta keep your head up
@mirumotsuyasuke8327
Who's here in 2024? They don't do it like this anymore.
@byronhill1080
Sho Nuff don't
@DavidPallett-lo9xk
They Damn sure don't !!!!! GENERATION """ X. ""... The last of a dying breed π―π―π―π―π―
@fearhunter5655
Who agrees method man is up there with the legends
@brandonwilliams1196
Fear Hunter Method Man is most definitely a hip hop legend
@jhondoe1654
Fear Hunter He would have been. Once he was the voic.
@ollyhat1322
totally agree Meth is one of the true mc legends of all time,his flow and the tone of his voice is fucking amazing no one sounds like him, They dont make them like this anymore,young mc,s have alot to learn from true masters like Meth,plus when he rhymes he,s not trying to play the big gangsta todays new mcs are just trying and lying about how many bitches they banged and how many guns and money they have when usually the answer is none, hip hop is in a sad state of affairs,im sure there is some dope music out there but compared with the 80s and 90s it,s fucking hard to find. Peace out
@DrellimEgK
legendary TICAL
@donjohnson7255
He is a legend
@yannicklaura6212
That horn sample is everything π₯ π₯ π₯