Before there was Method Man, Tical, Johnny Blaze and the rest of his aliases, there was just Clifford Smith. Born on April 1, 1971 in Long Island, NY, Clifford was raised along with two sisters in both Long Island with his mother and Staten Island with his father.
The soon to be Method Man was taught by his father to play the drums and learn poems that began early rap, which had a huge influence on him. That was not the only influence on the soon to be Method Man; he was also a comic book fanatic, imagining himself as characters such as Ghost Rider (not coincidentally, the alter ego of one Johnny Blaze). At age 15 he joined the Five Percent Nation where he converted his father’s namesake, Clifford Smith, to a non-slave name, Shakuan God Allah. “My birth name isn ’t important. That’s still a part of me, but I don’t recognize that part.”
While trying to focus on more positive things, he got a job working at the Statue of Liberty but was quick to quit and turn to selling drugs due to the wages being cheap. “I hated selling that shit. I was a front-line nigga, and I hated that. I don’t talk about that in my rhymes at all.” But he remained optimistic, knowing he wouldn’t be on the streets forever.
Shakuan later met a group of cousins (Wu-Tang’s Rza, Gza and Ol’ Dirty Bastard) where they begin rhyming forming the Wu-Tang Clan. By this time Shakuan already earned a name for himself around Staten Island as Shakuan the Poet, for his rhymes including his first song he wrote called “The Panty Raider”. The name “Method Man” was created upon himself because at that time Staten Island referred to a breed of weed as Method, which he related to.
The group recorded tapes of their rhymes at Rza’s house. Eventually Rza hooked the nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan with studio time. They each had to pay $100 for their tracks to be recorded. Hits like “Protect Ya Neck” and the famous “Method Man” were recorded and the first album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36th Chambers)” was released with Loud Records. Def Jam Records signed Method Man with a solo deal a year later in 1994.
Method Man then released his first solo album, “Tical”. The album sold over one million copies and included his biggest hit to date, “All I Need (I’ll be there for you)”, which was remixed by Puff Daddy and featured Mary J. Blige on the hooks. Method Man earned a Grammy for the song later that year. “ Pop is short for popular. I got a Grammy. I fucked up. I really fucked up.”
Not only is Method Man known for his solo accomplishments or with the Wu-Tang Clan, but he is also known to work with fellow rapper Redman frequently. Like partners in crime or Cheech and Chong, the two first recorded a song together called “How High”, which lead to a duo album “Blackout” in 1999. Fans everywhere already recognize Method Man and Redman as the dynamic duo or rap.
Method Man is a charter member of the Wu-Tang Clan, one of hip-hop’s most celebrated groups. The Grammy-winning solo artist has two solo albums (Tical, Tical 2000:Judgment day), four Wu-Tang Clan albums (Enter the 36th Chamber, Wu-Tang Forever, The W, Iron Flag), and one album with “How High” costar Redman (Blackout!). Is Method Man one of the best MC’s? “I don’t think you could bring me in that shit,” Meth says, “’cause I’m a chameleon anyway and I stay camouflaged. They gon’ come for them first. Being called ‘the best’ is like being a general in the Army-nobody can’t salute you when you’re out in the field because that’s the guy that’s gon’ get hit first. But the sergeant, he’s like the illest one ‘cause he’s out in the trenches all the time. I’ll take whatever they give me. I’m happy to be doing anything at this moment."
The soon to be Method Man was taught by his father to play the drums and learn poems that began early rap, which had a huge influence on him. That was not the only influence on the soon to be Method Man; he was also a comic book fanatic, imagining himself as characters such as Ghost Rider (not coincidentally, the alter ego of one Johnny Blaze). At age 15 he joined the Five Percent Nation where he converted his father’s namesake, Clifford Smith, to a non-slave name, Shakuan God Allah. “My birth name isn ’t important. That’s still a part of me, but I don’t recognize that part.”
While trying to focus on more positive things, he got a job working at the Statue of Liberty but was quick to quit and turn to selling drugs due to the wages being cheap. “I hated selling that shit. I was a front-line nigga, and I hated that. I don’t talk about that in my rhymes at all.” But he remained optimistic, knowing he wouldn’t be on the streets forever.
Shakuan later met a group of cousins (Wu-Tang’s Rza, Gza and Ol’ Dirty Bastard) where they begin rhyming forming the Wu-Tang Clan. By this time Shakuan already earned a name for himself around Staten Island as Shakuan the Poet, for his rhymes including his first song he wrote called “The Panty Raider”. The name “Method Man” was created upon himself because at that time Staten Island referred to a breed of weed as Method, which he related to.
The group recorded tapes of their rhymes at Rza’s house. Eventually Rza hooked the nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan with studio time. They each had to pay $100 for their tracks to be recorded. Hits like “Protect Ya Neck” and the famous “Method Man” were recorded and the first album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36th Chambers)” was released with Loud Records. Def Jam Records signed Method Man with a solo deal a year later in 1994.
Method Man then released his first solo album, “Tical”. The album sold over one million copies and included his biggest hit to date, “All I Need (I’ll be there for you)”, which was remixed by Puff Daddy and featured Mary J. Blige on the hooks. Method Man earned a Grammy for the song later that year. “ Pop is short for popular. I got a Grammy. I fucked up. I really fucked up.”
Not only is Method Man known for his solo accomplishments or with the Wu-Tang Clan, but he is also known to work with fellow rapper Redman frequently. Like partners in crime or Cheech and Chong, the two first recorded a song together called “How High”, which lead to a duo album “Blackout” in 1999. Fans everywhere already recognize Method Man and Redman as the dynamic duo or rap.
Method Man is a charter member of the Wu-Tang Clan, one of hip-hop’s most celebrated groups. The Grammy-winning solo artist has two solo albums (Tical, Tical 2000:Judgment day), four Wu-Tang Clan albums (Enter the 36th Chamber, Wu-Tang Forever, The W, Iron Flag), and one album with “How High” costar Redman (Blackout!). Is Method Man one of the best MC’s? “I don’t think you could bring me in that shit,” Meth says, “’cause I’m a chameleon anyway and I stay camouflaged. They gon’ come for them first. Being called ‘the best’ is like being a general in the Army-nobody can’t salute you when you’re out in the field because that’s the guy that’s gon’ get hit first. But the sergeant, he’s like the illest one ‘cause he’s out in the trenches all the time. I’ll take whatever they give me. I’m happy to be doing anything at this moment."
Website: http://www.method-man.com/
