020: "Pledge Allegiance To The Hip-Hop..."
Method Man and The Clan continue to stay true to their words almost 30 years later
Friends,
Due to a conflicting schedule and a planned holiday, there won’t be a newsletter for July. We’ll see you again in August for the next edition.
But anyway, let’s get back to business…
The Wu-Tang Clan are a dominant centrepiece in the history and advancement of hip-hop. The Clan have given us numerous legendary MCs (a lot which wouldn’t look out of place in any “top 10” list), an iconic sound and style courtesy of The RZA’s production, and a vast catalogue of culturally significant contributions; fashion, video games, documentaries and a whole load of other content that can become too long to list. Their diversified portfolio of fine art has inspired people from all walks of life, creating a truly unique legacy.
“See the logo? A monument in hip-hop,
Carved out in the giant landscape of broken rocks,
Whether heard in herb spots, jukebox or malt shops,
Uncut live, drop eighty-five in one shot,
Spotlight hits the metal mic, majority stare,
Heard the Wu snare, while my iris cut down the glare,
Walk a road the great length you find too long to measure,
My Clan'll make me rhyme like D. Banner under pressure,
No surprise, double disc touched five,
Those elements kept environments colonised,
With the high flying death-defying flow like the rebel,
Right there, but you're one light year from my level…”GZA on Wu Banga 101, from Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele album
The group’s reach has transcended beyond hip-hop’s spheres. A quick Google search recently showed me just how alive and kicking the Wu’s brand is to this day, three decades into their supernova status. A particular highlight for me was seeing that they even manage to inspire chefs in their area of expertise.


A recurring theme in the Bars Of Wisdom newsletter (which is partially by design from yours truly) is that the artists with firm principles, who have a vision to execute by any means, tend to reap additional benefits alongside their musical ventures. My articles on 50 Cent and Skepta in particular highlight this. The Wu-Tang Clan, and Method Man are no different.
On the track “Shadowboxin’” from The GZA’s debut album, “Liquid Swords”, he and Method Man go toe to toe on one of the highlights in a stacked classic album. A soothing beat and a mellow flow from both provide the ultimate hip-hop capsule to lay back into and absorb. But for me, listening to this song retrospectively made me think about something, and it wasn’t any of the lyrics in the verses. Before he took off, Method Man warms himself up as his 16 looms, making a claim that seems fairly easy to ignore at first, but in hindsight proved to be a portal into his outlook on both his lifestyle overall and with his affinity to hip-hop.
“Pledge allegiance to the hip-hop”
Method Man on the intro “Shadowboxin’”
Hearing that back now and seeing what not only he himself, but all of the Wu-Tang Clan have done in their careers since makes for interesting analysis. They’ve all pursued their own avenues whilst keeping music as the bedrock of everything that brings their respective individual ventures together. Of course, disagreements and difficulties amongst the group are no secret, but in the end we seem to find ourselves at a place where the Clan is, by and large, at peace. They cut a more than happy group, who count on one-another in the present day. This was, at least according to their “Of Mics And Men” documentary, very apparent, with an overwhelming sense of positivity and growth, breezing past the small intricacies that may have resulted in heated exchanges back in their youthful days.
Method Man in particular seemed in great spirits. The freestyle aside, Meth has been engrained in a personal challenge he set himself in the previous decade, where he attempts to cut out profanities from his lyrics. For a man so immersed in the craft, with such a virtuoso level of skillset, he continues to push the boundaries for himself at a stage in his career where he could very easily bank on his influence and coast into the sunset. It’s something we see only the true elite do in their domains; push themselves further when comfort could easily be obtained. Think about how Lebron James spends over $1million on his diet and conditioning to stay fit as he edges closer to age 40, or how legendary pop producer David Foster has been trying his hand at breaking into Broadway past the age of 70. These are mindsets to be applauded, and Method Man is no different.
In the end, it all comes full circle. Method Man burst onto the scene as a major cog in the Wu-Tang machine. The GZA’s masterpiece was a perfect place for Meth to pledge allegiance and match his older comrade on a track. After doing solo albums, more group work and establishing himself as an actor, the same pledge he took to an artform and culture fuelled his desire to continue getting more out of himself. And like he said in the clip above:
“I still write my rhymes to impress these dudes here”
For me, this is the beauty of hip-hop.
Do yourself justice, utilise your mind.
WhosAria
A Word On The Song/Artist
Perhaps the most infamous member of The Wu, Method Man has always held the admiration and adulation of fans and peers. In my personal opinion, his best output has come alongside his comrades when recording Wu-Tang projects (not to mention his hall of fame verse on Biggie’s “The What”), but his solo discography is nothing to be messed with. Meth has been and can get busy at any moment. Not only does he hold a special place in my personal favourite hip-hop artists, he was also my favourite character to play with in Def Jam Vendetta. Salute to the one and only, not a gentle man, but The Method Man. Well and truly accepted around these parts.
I have “Shadowboxin” included in my “Vibes x The Lounge” collab playlist which you can listen to on Apple or Spotify alongside other playlists. Like, follow and share my profiles/playlists to stay up-to-date with all of my current and future playlist collections.