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)
Step By Step
Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This goes out
to all the big head niggaz
And all them big head bitches
Yo yo yo yo
Deadly melodic robotic steez o blur your optic
So you can't see the topic condition combo
Blaze bring the heat to your Mourning like Alonzo
Head honcho like Eastwood gun in my pancho
Another bad desperado trapped inbetween
the hills and the El Dorados but you can't do that
Welcome to the Wheel of Fortune where Pat don't Sajak
Bring it to these cats often, the biggest payback
is when I condemn men, to purgatory
Stick a pen, do em in, eight million stories
in the naked Mr. Method, Blade Runner
Blood stain on my track record, top gunner
Chorus: Method Man
You know it's sick now, just a little bit, aw shit
Can't quit now, hard as a brick, what's this
Make em get down, head where I fit, more grip
Hold this shit down, she don't know you better school her
("Step in the Arena" sample scratched)
Step by Step, inch by inch, piece by piece, bit by bit
Step by Step, inch by inch, piece by piece, bit by bit
[Method Man]
Check my Extinction Agenda, mind bender
No retreat no surrender, head trauma
Death before dishonor, sword and golden armor
Undetected stealth bomber, blow the session
With Immaculate Conception, hit yo' section
with my Def Squad connection, the Green-Eyed Bandit
E Double up dammit, Iron Lung
flow taste like a knuckle sandwich, now you know
It's time that I take advantage, take command yo
Cops caught me red-handed
Blood On the Dance Floor
or was it Michael Jackson
Fuck it, time for some action
Check my Re-Runs an see What's Happening
Chorus 2X
[Method Man]
Before she get her back blown
Jealous men don't understand and get clapped on, now I'm reloadin
Automate and keep it goin, right and exact
Runnin track like I'm Jesse Owens, catch em wit my rap slogan
Jack Frost, leave em frozen
Bust flows and never lay text/latex without my Trojan
Hand writtin ass whippin, I keep spittin
At any head-on collision, throw dart wit precision
And split decision, tell your old folk
and your children what I'm dealin
Good times, and hood rhymes from the villain
Till I see you at the ooh-building motherfuckers
Chorus
This one, is dedicated to my big head niggaz
And all them big head bitches
All them big head bitches
In "Step By Step," Method Man delivers rapid-fire verses filled with wordplay, references to pop culture figures, and boastful lyrics about his skills on the mic. He sets the tone immediately by addressing his message to "all the big head niggaz / And all them big head bitches," referencing the size of their egos. He then boasts about his "deadly melodic robotic steez," which he says will blur the listener's optics so they can't see the topic of his rhymes. He compares himself to Alonzo from the movie Training Day and to Clint Eastwood's character in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
Line by Line Meaning
This goes out
This song is dedicated to
to all the big head niggaz
to all the people with big egos
And all them big head bitches
And all the women with big egos
You know my steez o
You know my style
Deadly melodic robotic steez o blur your optic
My style is deadly and melodic, it blurs your vision
So you can't see the topic condition combo
So you can't understand the situation at hand
Blaze bring the heat to your Mourning like Alonzo
I bring fire to your morning like Alonzo Mourning
Head honcho like Eastwood gun in my pancho
I'm the boss like Eastwood with my gun in my poncho
Another bad desperado trapped inbetween the hills and the El Dorados but you can't do that
I'm a bad outlaw stuck between the hills and El Dorados, but you can't stop me from doing what I do
Welcome to the Wheel of Fortune where Pat don't Sajak
Welcome to a game of chance, where Pat Sajak is not around
Bring it to these cats often, the biggest payback is when I condemn men, to purgatory
I often challenge these people, and the biggest revenge I can get is to send them to purgatory
Stick a pen, do em in, eight million stories
I write about doing people in, I have eight million stories to tell
in the naked Mr. Method, Blade Runner
I'm Method Man, a Blade Runner operating in the open
Blood stain on my track record, top gunner
My reputation is stained with blood, I'm the best gunner around
You know it's sick now, just a little bit, aw shit
You know it's really good now, just a little bit, oh yeah
Can't quit now, hard as a brick, what's this
I can't stop now, it's really difficult, what's going on
Make em get down, head where I fit, more grip
Make them bow down, it's where I belong, I have more power
Hold this shit down, she don't know you better school her
Maintain control, teach her a lesson
Step by Step, inch by inch, piece by piece, bit by bit
Slowly but surely
Check my Extinction Agenda, mind bender
Check what I'm planning, it will blow your mind
No retreat no surrender, head trauma
I won't back down, even if it causes head trauma
Death before dishonor, sword and golden armor
I would rather die than suffer dishonor, I'm strong and well protected
Undetected stealth bomber, blow the session
I'm like an undetected stealth bomber, I'll destroy the session
With Immaculate Conception, hit yo' section
With my perfect plan, I'll hit your area
with my Def Squad connection, the Green-Eyed Bandit E Double up dammit, Iron Lung flow taste like a knuckle sandwich, now you know
With my connections to Def Squad, I have the backing of the Green-Eyed Bandit and E Double. My rap style is tough like a knuckle sandwich.
It's time that I take advantage, take command yo
It's time for me to seize the opportunity and take charge
Cops caught me red-handed Blood On the Dance Floor or was it Michael Jackson
The police caught me in the act, was it for violent crimes or like Michael Jackson's scandal?
Fuck it, time for some action Check my Re-Runs and see What's Happening
Forget that, let's start doing something. Look at my previous actions and see what's been going on
Before she get her back blown Jealous men don't understand and get clapped on, now I'm reloadin
Before she cheats, jealous men get angry and confront me, but now I'm getting ready for their next move
Automate and keep it goin, right and exact Running track like I'm Jesse Owens, catch em wit my rap slogan
Keep it automatic and make it flow, perfect and exact. Run the rap game like Jesse Owens ran the track, catch them with my catchphrase
Jack Frost, leave em frozen Bust flows and never lay text/latex without my Trojan
I'm cold as Jack Frost, leaving my opponents frozen. I spit fire without any censorship or worry, protecting myself like Trojan
Hand writtin ass whippin, I keep spittin At any head-on collision, throw dart wit precision And split decision, tell your old folk and your children what I'm dealin
I put in work with my writing, I never stop spitting game. I can handle any kind of confrontation. With my precise aim, I make split decisions. Tell everyone what I'm up to
Good times, and hood rhymes from the villain Till I see you at the ooh-building motherfuckers
I'm the villain with the good rhymes. Until the next time I see you, motherfuckers.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILEY BROOKS, JERROLYN MEERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thiagosape2738
This goes out
to all the big head niggaz
And all them big head bitches
You know my steez-o
Yo, yo, yo, yo
Deadly melodic, robotic steez-o blur your optic
So you can't see the topic, condition combo
Blaze bring the heat to your Mourning like Alonzo
Head honcho like Eastwood, gun in my pancho
Another bad desperado, trapped inbetween
the hills and the El Dorados, but you can't do that
Welcome to the Wheel of Fortune where Pat don't Sajak
Bring it to these cats often, the biggest payback
is when I condemn men, to purgatory
Stick a pen, do em in, eight million stories
in the naked Mr. Method, Blade Runner
Blood stain on my track record, top gunner
[Chorus: Method Man]
You know it's sick now, just a little bit, aw shit
Can't quit now, hard as a brick, what's this
Make em get down, head where I fit, more grip
Hold this shit down, she don't know you better school her
("Step in the Arena" sample scratched)
Step by Step, inch by inch, piece by piece, bit by bit
Step by Step, inch by inch, piece by piece, bit by bit
[Method Man]
Check my Extinction Agenda, mind bender
No retreat no surrender, head trauma
Death before dishonor, sword and golden armor
Undetected stealth bomber, blow the session
With Immaculate Conception, hit yo' section
with my Def Squad connection, the Green-Eyed Bandit
E Double up dammit, Iron Lung
flow taste like a knuckle sandwich, now you know
It's time that I take advantage, take command yo
Cops caught me red-handed
Blood On the Dance Floor
or was it Michael Jackson
Fuck it, time for some action
Check my Re-Runs an see What's Happening
[Chorus 2X]
[Method Man]
Before she get her back blown
Jealous men don't understand and get clapped on, now I'm reloadin
Automate and keep it goin, right and exact
Runnin track like I'm Jesse Owens, catch em wit my rap slogan
Jack Frost, leave em frozen
Bust flows and never lay text/latex without my Trojan
Hand writtin ass whippin, I keep spittin
At any head-on collision, throw dart wit precision
And split decision, tell your old folk
and your children what I'm dealin
Good times, and hood rhymes from the villain
Till I see you at the ooh-building motherfuckers
@Sensaye25
This is a ill song, and that album seems to have gotten better with time. People didn't appreciate how good it was.
@mattsmiff1753
true, that 'suspect chin music' track...forgetta bout it
@mare_11
Such a timeless classic, the hook is so catchy
@jeissonzamudio510
El mejor rapero!!
@christophernelson1781
Classic! Track. One of my favourite line's was. Stick a pen, do em in, eight million stories in the naked Mr. Method, blade runner blood stain on my track record, top gunner.
@kathleenvines9323
2020 Still🔥💥🔥💥🔥💥🔥💥
@justinjasper2443
Right, Wu is timeless. They are the face of not mainstream nor underground but real hip hop.
@shookrepeatedly6119
this joint never gets old
@posajnejkwahb
Extremely underrated song
@Vendetta760
One of my favorite songs by Method Man.... !!!