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)
Wings of the Morning
Method Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Selassie I every time
I say Jah shall execute judgment and justice
And none shall escape, what me say
Selassie I leave em terrified, what me say
Boy you better put on the wings of de morning and fly
There is no escape from King Selassie I
There is no escape from his Majesty
A long time he a tell you bout the duttie square breed
A long time he a tell you bout the brutality
A long time he a tell you bout the him fantasy
But why yo, boat men shan manakhe
But why yo, a-bout the black he body
But why yo, I vote with equality
But why yo, a-bout Marcus Garvey
We there yo, I feel love his Majesty
Selassie I, soul that kept me
Selassie I, for I the trinity
A ex amount of action been dumped onto me
No stop from wicked them no stop from flee
Ah nowhere to run and there is no void
Boy you better put on the wings of de morning and fly
There is no escape from King Selassie I
Flying on the income must fall to the sea
There is no escape from his Majesty
Here come that rude boy shit, criminology lefit
Legalize dude to get me mega-rich Selassie I
We can all get by if we unify
Gettin' chinky eye off the stimuli, blazin' the gun
And all that good stuff, six-three walk with a strut
On these New York streets like baby what
Anything can happen, it usually does
I'm from Staten, the Island, peep me on G-Street, Ticallion
Everything is real ain't nuttin' fronted
Down a fake rapper haveta bungee
He's in it for the munties, money
But you can't take it witcha when you die, Selassie high
If you put-ta on de wings and tempt to exit
Then no conjure Christ and none gone bullshit
Ay Selai for the righteous but the wicked are to perish
With them burn the gun and them whole poli-tricks
Half the people dem a turn and half the people dem a twist
Now shoot dem, another ear-trick done perish
Get M some 16 and some rusty-matic
After the whole of them from gone then push up them fists
Leave the ship them a strip, you must get punish
Go ahead, speed up your judgment, stand up boy boy
Boy you better put on the wings of de morning and fly
There is no escape from King Selassie I
Flying on the income must fall to the sea
There is no escape from his Majesty
So ahh, and one of these day
When you hear a boy faint then uhh
Where you gonna run too, oh woy
I said they gonna run to the rock
And mountain but they will be no rock, no rock
They're gonna run to the rocks
And mountain but they will be no rock, so what we say
Wu-Tang Clan's in the area, Capleton's in the area
We got Shaolin in the area
Big up yourself black man, my brothers
Hell is the plan for the other, discover, discover, discover, c'mon, c'mon
New lands for you man and your family
Reminisce on back in the days, can it be
It was all so simple then, we all kin
And black-skinned, original Don set the trend
Let's be men, if not for us, then for the babies
The little ones the revolution has now begun
(Put on put on the wings of the morning and fly
There is no escape from King Selassie I)
Now, ow, everybody
Get in where you fit in
For nine-five, the nine-nickel
Cold as an icicle, Method Man
Capleton, representing
Dynamic Duo on the track
The lyrics to Method Man & Capleton's song "Wings of the Morning" are a reflection of their Rastafarian beliefs and their homage to Haile Selassie, the former emperor of Ethiopia who is considered a divine being in the Rastafarian religion. The song starts with the line "And so great is a man goin' to be praised, Selassie I every time," which emphasizes their belief in Selassie as a higher being. The lyrics also mention judgment, justice, and the terror that Selassie I leaves in his wake implying that fear is often used as a tool to keep people in line.
The lyrics ask listeners to put on the "wings of the morning and fly" in order to escape the judgment of King Selassie I. The chorus is a warning to those who do not follow Selassie I's teachings, emphasizing that there is no escape from his judgment, and that those who do not follow his teachings shall perish. The song's lyrics reflect Rastafarian beliefs regarding the struggle against evil and the promotion of unity, peace, and love.
Overall, the song's lyrics are a reflection of Method Man & Capleton's Rastafarian beliefs and their desire to promote peace, love, and unity through their music.
Line by Line Meaning
And so great is a man goin' to be praised
A man's greatness will be praised
Selassie I every time
Referring to King Selassie I
I say Jah shall execute judgment and justice
God will bring justice
And none shall escape, what me say
No one will be able to escape
Selassie I leave em terrified, what me say
King Selassie I is fearsome
Boy you better put on the wings of de morning and fly
You must escape by flying away
There is no escape from King Selassie I
No one can escape from King Selassie I
Flying on the income must fall to the sea
Flying till you reach the sea
A long time he a tell you bout the duttie square breed
They have been warning about the wicked for a long time
A long time he a tell you bout the brutality
Brutality has been a problem for a long time
A long time he a tell you bout the him fantasy
They have been talking about the dream for a long time
But why yo, boat men shan manakhe
Unknown
But why yo, a-bout the black he body
The issue of race is important
But why yo, I vote with equality
Equality is important
But why yo, a-bout Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey is important
We there yo, I feel love his Majesty
They love King Selassie I
Selassie I, soul that kept me
King Selassie I is their inspiration
Selassie I, for I the trinity
King Selassie I is important like the holy trinity
A ex amount of action been dumped onto me
They have undergone many challenges
No stop from wicked them no stop from flee
The wicked continue to run away
Ah nowhere to run and there is no void
There is no escape and no place to hide
Here come that rude boy shit, criminology lefit
Referring to a certain type of music
Legalize dude to get me mega-rich Selassie I
A reference to legalizing marijuana
We can all get by if we unify
Unity is important
Gettin' chinky eye off the stimuli, blazin' the gun
Unknown
And all that good stuff, six-three walk with a strut
Unknown
On these New York streets like baby what
Referring to the streets of New York
Anything can happen, it usually does
Anything can happen
I'm from Staten, the Island, peep me on G-Street, Ticallion
Referring to Staten Island and a street in that area
Everything is real ain't nuttin' fronted
They are honest
Down a fake rapper haveta bungee
They have no patience for fake rappers
He's in it for the munties, money
He is only in it for the money
But you can't take it witcha when you die, Selassie high
You can't take money with you when you die
If you put-ta on de wings and tempt to exit
If you put on wings and try to leave
Then no conjure Christ and none gone bullshit
Unknown
Ay Selai for the righteous but the wicked are to perish
King Selassie I is for the righteous
With them burn the gun and them whole poli-tricks
The gun and politics need to go
Half the people dem a turn and half the people dem a twist
People are divided
Now shoot dem, another ear-trick done perish
Unknown
Get M some 16 and some rusty-matic
Unknown
After the whole of them from gone then push up them fists
Unknown
Leave the ship them a strip, you must get punish
Unknown
Go ahead, speed up your judgment, stand up boy boy
Unknown
So ahh, and one of these day
Unknown
When you hear a boy faint then uhh
Unknown
Where you gonna run too, oh woy
Where will you go?
I said they gonna run to the rock
People will run to the rock
And mountain but they will be no rock, no rock
There will be no refuge
They're gonna run to the rocks
People will run to the rocks
And mountain but they will be no rock, so what we say
There will be no escape
Wu-Tang Clan's in the area, Capleton's in the area
Referring to music groups
We got Shaolin in the area
Referring to a town on Staten Island
Big up yourself black man, my brothers
Respect to black men
Hell is the plan for the other, discover, discover, discover, c'mon, c'mon
Unknown
New lands for you man and your family
Referring to opportunities
Reminisce on back in the days, can it be
Remembering the past
It was all so simple then, we all kin
Things were simpler in the past
And black-skinned, original Don set the trend
Referring to the original trendsetter
Let's be men, if not for us, then for the babies
Be a man for the benefit of future generations
The little ones the revolution has now begun
The younger generation is leading the revolution
(Put on put on the wings of the morning and fly
There is no escape from King Selassie I)
Repeating the idea of escape from earlier
Now, ow, everybody
Unknown
Get in where you fit in
Unknown
For nine-five, the nine-nickel
Referring to a specific time
Cold as an icicle, Method Man
Referring to himself
Capleton, representing
Representing themselves
Dynamic Duo on the track
Referring to themselves on the track
Contributed by London P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tynitty516
Kids today will never no HOW BIG this song actually was......
@HunkyMonkey-ye4hz
Yeah hip hop.
@wolfthuganomics130
Sunday hot 97 down here was lit with Reggae this is one of classics tru classic
@victorventura9164
Yuuuup!
@anthonysavoy298
Straight banger
@adnanojd
Big tune
@terrenceharris-hughes4436
NY Undercover had an underrated soundtrack
@bertabickham7507
NEW YORK UNDERCOVER BROUGHT ME HERE....STILL BUMPING THIS IN THE 2022 & BEYOND...🎶🎶🎶💯💯💯💯👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿🥰🥰
@amora3512
Me too
@darwincharles2787
Me to🇹🇹