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)
Say
Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ever since I came in the game
Some hated on the fame
A lot of niggas done changed
And started actin' strange
Even labels turning they backs
And started backing lames
Radio is the same, whole lotta speculatin'
Wu-Tang, if this is where the hip-hop is
Radio lyin' then, that ain't where hip-hop live
It lives in the streets, we eat to live they livin' to eat
I'm fed up, that nigga rides in 'em, givin 'em sleep
R.I.P., make me the king of all I see
And when death call I'm good I got call ID
See it was planned in the front, now they just gon' front
Like my joints is on proactive, and they just don't bump
Then niggas gon' say I lost my skill
When in fact they all been programmed
And lost they feel, fo' real
They've got so much things to say right now
They've got so much things to say
They've got so much things to say right now (Yeah)
They got so much things to say (Yo)
Damn, another artist chokes again
They ain't cut as close as him or even broke the skin
See how niggas ain't yo friends, when there ain't no ends
Don't care who the case offend, don't underrate my pen
I got what it takes to win, while ya'll are thinking I'm trash
Loving the taste of success and this drink in my glass
Watch 'em cosign that whack shit, give it a pass till it's gone
Quicker than Red, can't get rid of them clubs
When they're wrong, call the cops, they credibility's shot
It's time to learn, what hot really is and really is not
Off brain niggas, Meth gonna let 'em know off top
Don't get smacked on dvds, trying to show off blocks
I can't stop cause my enemies plot, or cause the cops want me
Shackled and locked inside the penalty box
And while they waitin' for my shit to flop
They gettin' pimped like hoes
Sellin' they ass just to get my spot, come on man
They've got so much things to say right now
They've got so much things to say
They've got so much things to say right now (Yeah)
They got so much things to say (Yo)
Ask Miss Hill, half these critics ain't got half this skill
Often so hungry that they have to steal
If I didn't have my deal, and didn't have this mass appeal
Then I'm back up in that trap, swingin' crack it's real
And that ain't worth the time, so search and find a new nerve
And here's three words: stop working mine
It take a lot more to hurt my pride
Jerk my vibe more than media lies, cry when dirt dog die nigga
The last album wasn't feeling my style
This time my foot up in they ass but they feelin' me now
Cause Tical, he put his heart in every track he do
But somehow y'all find someway to give a whack review
It ain't all good, they writin' that I'm Hollywood
Tryin' to tell you my shit ain't ghetto and they hardly hood
Come on man, until you dudes can write some rhymes
Keep that in mind when you find yourself reciting mines
They've got so much things to say right now
They've got so much things to say
They've got so much things to say right now (Yeah)
They got so much things to say (Yo)
In "Say" by Method Man, he discusses his frustration about the changes in the hip hop industry since he first entered it. He points out that many people have changed and become two-faced, with both labels and radio stations turning their backs on him and the Wu-Tang Clan. He believes that the real essence of hip hop is in the streets, not in the corporate industry, and that people have lost sight of that. He also addresses how critics and other artists have turned against him and the genre, and how he refuses to let their shallow opinions and media lies affect him. In the end, Method Man's message to his haters is that he doesn't care what they say, because he knows his worth and he's going to keep putting his heart into his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Damn, I hate it when it rain
I don't like it when it rains
Ever since I came in the game
Since I started my music career
Some hated on the fame
Some people criticized my success
A lot of niggas done changed
Many of my colleagues have changed
And started actin' strange
They started acting differently
Even labels turning they backs
Record labels are not supporting me anymore
And started backing lames
They're supporting less talented and less reputable artists
Radio is the same, whole lotta speculatin'
Radio is full of rumors and speculation
These mutherfuckas defacatin' on the name
They're disrespecting my name and my group's name
Wu-Tang, if this is where the hip-hop is
Wu-Tang Clan represents real hip-hop
Radio lyin' then, that ain't where hip-hop live
Radio is not a true representation of hip-hop music
It lives in the streets, we eat to live they livin' to eat
Hip-hop belongs to the streets, we create to survive but they only care about the money
I'm fed up, that nigga rides in 'em, givin 'em sleep
I'm tired of hearing fake and boring music that just puts people to sleep
R.I.P., make me the king of all I see
I want to be respected and appreciated as the best rapper among my peers
And when death call I'm good I got call ID
I'm not afraid of death because I'm prepared and experienced
See it was planned in the front, now they just gon' front
People used to plan and scheme against me in the open, now they pretend to be my friends
Like my joints is on proactive, and they just don't bump
People are pretending that my music is not popular when it actually is
Then niggas gon' say I lost my skill
People claim that I'm not as good as I used to be
When in fact they all been programmed
In reality, they've been brainwashed and influenced by the media
And lost they feel, fo' real
They've forgotten what real hip-hop is all about
They've got so much things to say right now
They're talking a lot of nonsense and criticism about me at the moment
Damn, another artist chokes again
Another rapper fails to succeed
They ain't cut as close as him or even broke the skin
They're not as skilled or successful as me
See how niggas ain't yo friends, when there ain't no ends
People are not loyal to their friends when there's no money involved
Don't care who the case offend, don't underrate my pen
I don't care if my lyrics offend anyone, and I want people to appreciate my writing skills
I got what it takes to win, while ya'll are thinking I'm trash
I have the talent and ability to win, while people are underestimating me
Loving the taste of success and this drink in my glass
I love the feeling of being successful and enjoying my life
Watch 'em cosign that whack shit, give it a pass till it's gone
I see people supporting bad music and ignoring it only after it disappears
Quicker than Red, can't get rid of them clubs
These clubs and their bad music will disappear soon, too
When they're wrong, call the cops, they credibility's shot
When they're caught doing something wrong, they lose their credibility
It's time to learn, what hot really is and really is not
It's time to figure out what good music is and what isn't
Off brain niggas, Meth gonna let 'em know off top
I'm going to call out these unintelligent people who don't know good music from bad, right away
Don't get smacked on dvds, trying to show off blocks
Don't act tough in front of cameras and get yourself in trouble
I can't stop cause my enemies plot, or cause the cops want me
I can't stop making music because my enemies are plotting against me, or because the police are after me
Shackled and locked inside the penalty box
I might end up in jail or in trouble, but it won't stop my career
And while they waitin' for my shit to flop
While they're waiting for me to fail
They gettin' pimped like hoes
They're getting taken advantage of and cheated
Sellin' they ass just to get my spot, come on man
They're willing to do anything to take my place, which is not right
Ask Miss Hill, half these critics ain't got half this skill
Ask Lauryn Hill, most critics don't even have half of my talent
Often so hungry that they have to steal
Most critics are desperate and unoriginal, so they have to steal ideas from others
If I didn't have my deal, and didn't have this mass appeal
If I didn't have a record deal or a large fanbase
Then I'm back up in that trap, swingin' crack it's real
Then I would have to go back to selling drugs to survive
And that ain't worth the time, so search and find a new nerve
Selling drugs is not worth my time, so I need to find a new way to make money
And here's three words: stop working mine
Stop copying my style and ideas
It take a lot more to hurt my pride
It takes a lot to make me feel bad about myself
Jerk my vibe more than media lies, cry when dirt dog die nigga
Negative comments and criticism hurt me more than lies from the media, and I get emotional when my friends pass away
The last album wasn't feeling my style
People didn't like my last album
This time my foot up in they ass but they feelin' me now
This time, they're appreciating and enjoying my music
Cause Tical, he put his heart in every track he do
Because I put my heart and soul into every song I create
But somehow y'all find someway to give a whack review
But somehow, critics always find a way to give me a bad review
It ain't all good, they writin' that I'm Hollywood
Critics are writing that I'm trendy and unauthentic
Tryin' to tell you my shit ain't ghetto and they hardly hood
Trying to say that my music is not authentic and not from the streets
Until you dudes can write some rhymes
Until these critics can create their own good music
Keep that in mind when you find yourself reciting mines
Remember to credit me when you're using my ideas or style
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Sentric Music
Written by: JAMES RAYSHAWN SMITH, WIRLIE MORRIS, CHARLIE WILSON, MAHIN WILSON, MICHAEL PARAN, ERIN NOLAN GRANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind