Method Man - 4:21... The Day After

Title: 4:21... The Day After
Artist: Method Man
Release Date: August 29, 2006
Record Label: Def Jam Recordings
Producers: RZA, Scott Storch, Erick Sermon, Havoc, Kwamé, Mathematics, Kinetic, Mr. Porter, Versitile, The Chairman of the Boards
Executive Producers: The RZA, Erick Sermon & Method Man

4:21... The Day After represented Method Man's last chance. Many people, including myself, had written him off as an ageing, washed-up rapper who sold out. With this album, the rapper resembles a phoenix rising from the ashes. OK, it seems an obligation for any new rap release to have a trademark Scott Storch lead but "Is It Me" is an absolute banger. Storch’s beat is what you expect, a tinkling key sequence placed over a muted but catchy bassline, and Meth rips his verses, dropping cutely clever bursts of wordplay verbally backslapping his critics and reminiscing over better times. Undoubtedly, technically and lyrically, 4:21 finds the rapper close to top form. He is an inherently distinctive emcee with a mushy mouthed voice even casual rap fans can identify within seconds. And lyrically he mixes humour with an implied threat, manifested through smart wordplay, a rapid-fire delivery, and an absolutely divine, versatile flow that is worthy of comparisons with Rakim in his prime.

But what each of the best Wu-Tang albums have (collectively or solo) is a sense of purity: a type of 'for the headphones' basement hip hop that characterised the monumental 36 Chambers. As their fame, status and output has gradually declined both individually and collectively, the Wu-Tang Clan has been striving for over the best part of a decade to recapture this. Aurally, Method Man’s dusky, dirty, gravely voice has always embodied it to a tee, which might explain why he became so popular. With 4:21, the rapper picks a set of beats that, not only complement his voice and style perfectly, but also pushes him further. This paradoxical charge towards a return to an old sound and style is led by the sheer genius of Wu's chief producer, The RZA, ably supported by big name producers such as Storch and Eric Sermon, amongst others.

And I have to say, Sermon’s production on "Problem" is note-perfect with a griiiimy bassline, stabbed keyboard loop and threatening synthesized wails that give it a menacingly catchy head-nod factor. "Konichiwa Bitches" might well be crowned the album's best beat courtesy of the re-invigorated RZA; gracefully spooky string pulls and ticking percussion give it a cinematic horror feel reminiscent of Mobb Deep's Hell On Earth or Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

Meth simply delivers lyrical fire: "The French call it faux-pas when fucking with son / the odds a hundred to none / Too many flavors, y'all ain't fucking with one". A hypnotically stripped-down key chime illuminates the album's title track, and despite "Fall Out's" status as the depressingly familiar 'East Coast rapper jumps on the Duuurty Souf crunk bandwagon' token joint, the pleasant surprise is that the emcee's adaptable flow makes it a fantastic song. But perhaps the album's best song (and my personal favourite) is "Dirty Mef". King of the Wu's grime, the deceased Ol' Dirty Bastard, jumps on the track ranting, hollering and screaming in his inimitable fashion; while Meth's slippery flow and combative all-action style meshes perfectly with a dirty joint Sermon and Allah Mathematics production.

Method Man has always been a solo artist, a front-man, but just like Tical 4:21 features the precocious synergy of the Wu collective ‘forming like Voltron’ while delivering their individual talents within this. Spitting rhythmically and precisely, the Rebel INS blows his verse to smithereens on "Everything". Raekwon and RZA drop by on the incredibly dark, dingy and eerie RZA-produced "Presidential MC". Meth's erstwhile partner Redman drops trademark off-the-wall crazyness on "Walk On", which finds the MCs chemistry sizzling and a big and brassy instrumental from producer Versitile. And Meth ultimately has the least trouble handling the abhorrent wackness of Fat Joe on "Ya’Meen". Luckily, the more competent Styles P does bring a nice bit of variety to proceedings.

Joe's verse is nearly 4:21's only flaw. ThI can find only two other negatives with this album: too many skits and the insipid Ginuwine collaboration "Let's Ride". This is a rare commercial misstep, for Meth even succeeds on the radio-friendly, Lauryn Hill-featuring "Say". Perhaps it's fitting to start wrapping this review up with more Volton-inspired subject matter: the energetic and graceful "The Glide". Accompanied by a swooping, haunting RZA production, Raekwon flows like it's '93 all over again and Tical's verse is one of the album's best. Flowing with verve, and an assured confidence I haven’t heard since "Gravel Pit", Meth sounds like the rapper of old:

"So be advised, that wack niggaz need not apply
S.I., represent til we die, this track is pitchin’ to fry
Enter the Dragon, I be spittin' that fire
Keep ya paws off, start by calling your dogs off
Cause word to these jeans hanging off of my ass, I never fall off
The sensei, with this pen I slay
Pick up a queen in Miami, then get M.I.A."

So 4:21...The Day After is a defiant (last?) stand by one of the Wu-Tang Clan's heavyweights. Method Man will probably go down as one of raps's biggest wastes of talent ever, but with this album he proves he can still make a damn good one. And when you think about it, 4:21...The Day After is one track away - perhaps a "Shadowboxin'" sequel? - from being a modern day classic Wu-Tang solo album. In these dark days for the rap game, what Method Man has put together will do me.