Review Summary: Until you dudes can write some rhymes,
keep that in mind when you find yourself reciting mines.
Critics felt Method Man's album
Tical 0: The Prequel had too much influence from P. Diddy, and suffered from a commercialized sound that didn’t embody the outgoing personality Method Man had shown throughout his career. In his next effort, the 2006 album
421... The Day After , the Wu-Tang clan’s Method Man returned to his core, while continuing to innovate his witty and unpredictable rhyme style, and proved to hip hop fans that he still has the skills to be considered more than a has-been movie star rapper.
Right from the start, Meth establishes a theme in the album and attacks his critics with the track “Is It Me”. Throughout the album, Method Man asks if it’s truly him who has fallen off, or if it's the rap game itself that has fallen off? On the track "Say", he says:
“niggas gon' say I lost my skill
When in fact they all been programmed
And lost they feel, fo' real”
He thinks rap critics and fans in 2006 have taken hip hop to a state where people have become hyper critical, even delusional. He lays out a well supported argument for this hypothesis on the album, and backs up the notion that 'it's not him, it's you' with a nothing-less-than stunning display of undeniably gifted musical skill on
421 .
The beats on
421 are dynamic, soulful, enjoyable and stay true to the earliest styles of hip hop. RZA produced three tracks, Erick Sermon of EPMD produced four, and Scott Storch and other lesser-known producers chipped in a song here and there. The high number of producers makes the album suffer from a lack of stylistic cohesion, but the quality of beats is enough to make up for it. After establishing the negative/dark Yin energy with his first two tracks, the positive Yang "Somebody Done ***ed Up" involves an incredibly catchy bass line that bursts with energy and serves as the primary focus of the beat. Method Man spits lighthearted, uplifting and optimistic lyrics like "Life is good... its so good, life it twice if I could!" and takes the listener on an experience of pure euphoria, especially when contrasted to the grumpy feeling established in the first two tracks. The track “Say” features an excellent guest singing appearance from Lauryn Hill on the beat and hook, and the album features many enjoyable features from the usual Wu-Tang clan and associates. O.D.B. makes an appearance from beyond the grave on “Dirty Mef”, giving soul and depth to lyrics that may otherwise be misunderstood as frivolous. Even when Meth is left alone, on tracks like “Problem” and “Somebody Done ***ed Up”, the songs are overflowing with energy and soul that are created both by the charisma of Method Man, and the excellent production.
On the
421 album, Method Man takes his lyrical topics to a more serious place than usual. This album is Method Man telling critics and fans that he is staying with this style whether they like it or not. He doesn't just say it though, he spits on his critics for even suggesting that he change styles, and seems to be saying that changing his style would be a betrayal of his friends, like ODB. This album gets the listener in Method Man’s mind, takes them for a walk in Method Man's shoes, and lets them decide if they still want to be a fan, because hes not changing.
421 has some of Method Man’s and Wu-Tang's best songs of all time, and although it is hurt by four filler tracks, it should be essential listening for any Wu-Tang fan.
