About 15 years since starting in the rap game as part of The Wu-Tang clan, Method Man is angry. He is angry with fans, critics, labels and just the general state of rap music these days. That anger has fueled his best solo album to date. To be honest, it wasn't that difficult because he hasn't really produced a solid solo album yet. This album is certainly a return to a darker grimier past and tries to erase all memory of the way overly produced last effort.
unfortunately for Mr Method Man, the content on the album isn't stunningly new or interesting. We get a club song, a anti industry song, a girl song and a few posse cuts. However, Meth is also more charismatic on a mic than most and he manages to stay pretty witty even as he lashes out at everything. Particularly on "say" he unleashes verbal venom at everyone who thinks he is past his prime. See in hip-hop some of the elder statesmen have to worry about what happens to them because for the most part hip-hop is a kids game. In Rap music, we don't have a Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. Our older artists tend to fade out of the picture, even if they make good music and Method Man is entering that dangerous turf.
Even as he swears he has his label's back on one song he also claims "My label is def, that's why I scream." Of course, that's clever if you understand he is Def Jam. This album probably won't win him any new fans, but I imagine his current fanbase is plenty happy. I was pleasantly surprised with the ODB assisted "Dirty Mef" because not only does ODB not ruin the track, he actually adds something to it. Method Man's strongest point is his flow. The way the words come out of his mouth. Not only the delivery but the swagger in which they leave his mouth and enter the ear of the listener. He has a confidence about him but you never think it is over the top nor do you ever doubt it. He has perfectly that grimy sense of style. I guess that's really why I continue to check for Method Man's music. He has an undeniable sense of Likeability. That album is a good album and it has replay value and minimal tracks that you have to skip over which today is fairly rare!
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