Cruise ReviewMUSIC

8

By Sketcher CruiseArtist: Method ManAlbum: TicalLabel: Def JamReleased: 15 Nov 1994Genre: Hip HopFavorite Tracks: “Bring the Pain” (3), “Release Yo’ Delf” (8) & “All I Need” (14)

We are now entering the 37th chamber of the Wu-Tang Clan…allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite hip hop / rap artists of all time…Method Man…and YES, I do mean all time…this was the � rst solo album released by any member of the Clan, hence the 37th chamber…

Here’s a li� le background on Method …he started the Wu-Tang Clan with his cousins GZA, RZA and ODB…a� er the release of 36 Chambers, Method’s presence could not be ig-nored…the tracks that featured him were some of the most well received tracks on the album…this led Method to pursue a solo career…although Wu-Tang was with Loud Records, their contract allowed for their solo albums to be released on what-ever label they chose…so he and RZA headed to Def Jam and decided to make some history…

Tical is a fun and energetic album…my biggest problem with this album is the production…while RZA is obviously very good at what he does, his production work on this album was very raw and o� en drowned out the wordplay of Meth…I always felt that with a cleaner production, Meth would have been a superstar in the rap game…but sadly, he never received too much a� ention outside of the rap community…at this time, rap was not as openly accepted as it is now…but it did reach #4 on the Billboard 200.

Despite what I felt was sub-par production work, the album was incredible…I remember the � rst time I heard this album…I was living in Denton, TX and a friend picked up a few of us to go see a movie…I got in his old Integra and he had this album blaring with the windows down…my � rst reaction was not good…I remember thinking, “what is this noise?”…but by the time we got to the movie, everything had changed…I could not get it out of my head throughout the entire movie…I can not tell you what I saw that day, but I will never forget what I heard…

Have you ever wondered what song you would enter to if you were a boxer?.. Well I have…and “Bring the Pain” is the answer to that question…that is still part of my workout mix for the gym…the whole album de� nitely has an air of energy that makes you feel ready to take on the world…If “Bring the Pain” was my entrance song, then “Release Yo’ Delf ” would be the music montage that played while I was training…then he gives the track “All I Need” which is his version of a love song…it didn’t hurt that he had Mary J throw down the chorus on the remix of this song…

� e album is full of sound clips from old martial arts � lms that seemed to � t in almost seamlessly with the style of the album…this is such a great overall album if you are into hip hop or rap…if not, then this is de� nitely not for you due to how raw the production work on this album is…I know I keep bringing that up, but that is because I really do feel the production work held Method back from being as good as I think he is…but either way, I still put this album on a pre� y high pedestal…

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 ships

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