Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (March 1, 1995)

God, that is a long-ass name for an album.

When one discusses an artistic act such as the Wu-Tang Clan, said discussion will always highlight various appealing or distracting characteristics of said act. In the Wu's case, one of its main characteristics is their unmatched success as a group at nailing the "comic book factor". What I mean by that is the very nature of the modern comic book is built around various colorful characters that can be used to tell a story both collectively and individually. I mean, just look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Every major comic book publisher has been writing these impressive stories for at least three decades now. All of that refreshing material is built on the healthy diversity of characters in each comicverse and the limitless potential to sink one's teeth into the minute details of every character's story. Enough to fuel OCD obsessions for generations, really.

And that is what the Wu have been able to relay so successfully with their nine original members, their offshoots and the offshoots of their offshoots. For the sake of everyone's sanity, I'll just stop right there. And within all that, it is very hard to argue that there's a character in the whole Wu family tree that is more vivid than the late great Russell Jones bka Ol' Dirty Bastard.

From my point of view, no one believed more in the Wu brand than the three co-founders: Russell and his cousins Gary Grice and Robert Diggs, bka GZA & RZA respectively. And out of those three, ODB was undisputedly the most passionate in his belief. Just YouTube any Wu documentary from their rookie days and simply gaze in awe at how he takes your breath away with his confidence. Everyone else sounded green by comparison, even Mef, while GZA was very calm and calculated with his responses and RZA was babbling incoherently about details of what makes the Wu work. (He may very well be the first nerd in hardcore hip hop.) Not ODB, though. I especially can't forget his expression when he states 'Watch me now.' after describing the early hurdles when shopping their product to label execs.

So, after cultivating Mef to solo career superstardom (because duh), it made sense that the Wu would usher the Big Baby Jesus era next, right? Yeah, on paper. See, ODB's true love for the brand wouldn't be fully understood until you fully comprehend the following: the majority of Russell Jones' life was not spent in a drunken stupor and drug-fueled rampages against the police resulting in him getting fucking blasted on numerous occasions. (incidents he miraculously survived by the way) Confused? This will explain.

Prior to being ODB, Russell was Ason Unique: a very collected, righteous individual who was fiery in being so. Think early Jeru the Damaja x3. Then, Cousin RZA came with the Wu-Tang idea and introduced Ason's role in it: An entertaing madman who will stop at nothing to give the crowd what they want. The rest is well-documented history. Russell flew into this role without a moment's hesitation, even though it stood against everything he believed in prior. And here is where the seeds of his untimely demise were planted, in my worthless opinion. No disrespect to the dead, but there were a million and one ways one could've pulled it off without the destructive behavior. Furthermore, the Wu mythos already had one antagonist in Raekwon, with his lyrical tales of violence flowing out of him till this very day. It definitely did not need to show someone in real life succumbing to the evils of the ghetto to enforce the messages they were trying to relay through their music. 

Naturally, things started to go downhill from the very get-go, as ODB would give worthy contributions to only one Wu album, and the less said about his guest appearances on all the following Wu solos, the better. Hell, every single album of his released during his lifetime, including this very album I'm reviewing here, took miracles to finish. The reason? ODB was too addicted to various substances by this stage to properly function within the group. I must clarify at this time that in no way am I blaming Russell for any of this. Without sufficient help, people with addiction problems have virtually no willpower by themselves and will succumb to them EVERY. FUCKING. TIME. This rings especially true for myself because some of my loved ones have been directly affected by addiction, in one form or another. RIP, Russell Jones, man. RIP. (Side note: DMX, my thoughts are with you and your loved ones. Hope you successfully pull through.)

On to more lighthearted matters, ODB was truly the life of the party everywhere he went, especially when surrounded by his Wu brethren. Check any of their 90s live performances and see if anyone can rein in the tour-de-force that he was. A testament to his vibrant star power during their years on top. To capture all that energy into a 17-track album (Yes, I'm reviewing the CD version. Fuck off.), you need a sonic genius behind the boards. Fortunately enough back then, Cousin RZA was on hand all the time for such a task. And this being the 5-year plan n'all, RZA made sure ODB came out looking as best as he possibly can. So, of course, he decides to let another dude produce his own cousin's lead single. Way to demonstrate unity, RZA. I will admit that Brooklyn Zoo is a masterpiece of a song, though.

After Brooklyn Zoo took off, the world clamored for the drunken one's debut, which RZA decides to give the most unoriginal, needlessly long and overall frustrating name of all the Wu solos during the 5-year plan: Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version. Friggin nobody thought that was a tad bit of a mouthful, huh? I will give the Wu props, though, for designing the cover around ODB's welfare card. That truly was a stroke of genius, Bobby.

Shall we dig in?

INTRO
God DAMN, I miss this guy! (Insert crying face here). Normally, I'm not a big fan of skits, but I'll gobble this dude's shit up any day of the week.

SHIMMY SHIMMY YA
RZA blends a sample from the standup king himself, Richard Pryor, with a thumping self-crafted piano loop and sets the stage for ODB to deliver his most quotable verse yet. You will not care that he repeats the verse on the album version because you'll be too busy singing along his lyrics. They're that catchy. Some versions contain extra adlibs that are very entertaining on his part. Love this track!

BABY, C'MON
The Richard Pryor sample ends the previous song and segways into this one seamlessly, where you're presented with a beat that surpasses its predecessor's winning form. It must be mentioned that RZA improves throughout this album upon the sonic accomplishments he achieved on Method Man's Tical in every conceivable way. For his part, ODB sounds as good as ever, with two verses that are as energetic as you can get. Love this track even more than the previous one!

BROOKLYN ZOO
ODB's debut single, Derek Harris bka True Master's debut production and my second-favorite ODB solo performance ever. I'll choose to reveal my favorite at a more opportune time. Note: True Master, along with 4th Disciple, DJ Mathematics and, surprise, full-time Wu general Inspectah Deck comprise the Wu-Elements: a group tutored exclusively by RZA to continue his sound after he concluded the 5-year plan. Y'know, people to pin the blame on just in case someone fucked up behind the boards. Some people might add Goldfinghaz to that group, but I don't dwell too much on it. Of all these guys, True Master might be my favorite. Maybe because his sound is the most melodic out of the bunch, Anyway, here he proves his worth by flipping a single Bobby Ellis note multiple times, rhe result being one of the more hardcore beats in the entire Wu catalog. Trust me, this is some shit Onyx would sound at home on. Pity those guys didn't get to work with ODB before he passed. Speaking of ODB, Many Wu members said on multiple occasions that ODB used GZA's rhymes on many occasions on this album. This song is, I'm very pleased to report, not one of those songs. For those same Wu members attest to the fact that this was the Russell Jones show all the way. And what a show it was! ODB flips out in a single verse extravaganza that ranks with some of the best work any Wu member has done. In short: This my shit right here!

HIPPA TO DA HOPPA
This beat is probably RZA's most complex production to date. Built around some unorthodox keys an a roaring Booker T guitar lick, this was one perfect opportunity for ODB to rip shit. And rip shit he indeed does. My dude went all the way the fuck in with his bars. The best part about this song is the fact that, instead of a hook or a scratch, RZA really fucks with you with his beatswitching. Really done to masterful effect. Again: There is a very valid reason why this album is considered RZA's entry into the elite class of production. I didn't think this before the review, but I'm currently convinced that this beat is RZA's best production on the album.

RAW HIDE (FEATURING METHOD MAN & RAEKWON)
At this point, the only way RZA will surprise you behind the boards is if he utilizes some traceable samples. It just a given now that he will go to ridiculous lengths to keep his sources as obscure as possible. And I wouldn't have it any other way. (Suck on that, Bobby Digital.) Fellow Wu bros Method Man and Raekwon drop by to give the obligatory-yet-refreshingly-organic Wu assist, while ODB miraculously keeps up in terms of consistently giving energetic performances, even though actually getting him in the studio was a fucking chore. Not bad at all. I loved how Mef and Rae sound genuinely excited to spit alongside their brother.

DAMAGE (FEATURING GZA)
OK. Let's get this shit straight out of the way: This is so obviously a GZA solo song. ODB has been unfortunately known to spit Cousin GZA's old freestyles that he burned into memory when drunk off his ass. I present Exhibit A. And yet I still enjoy listening to this song simply because of how much fun these two are having together. Truly heartwarming shit, o' poor soul who's reading this. RZA is also having the time of his life behind the boards as well, mixing up both MCs' voices to sound as if they were spitting the world's hypest rap duet ever. I must say that there are many similar instances on the album that clearly show just how much the Wu loved their wild-ass brother, including this one and Raw Hide

DON'T U KNOW (FEATURING KILLAH PRIEST)
One thing that was very common knowledge about Mr. Jones was that he loved women. I mean, he loved women. There were many instances during live shows where, in the middle of the performance, ODB would grab one of the females and basically grope the shit out of her. Funny thing was, those women went crazy for him every time he did such a thing! So, of course, there was going to be a raunchy sex rap in this guy's album. And, as if starting a trend here, it's not even his rhymes. GZA mentions in an interview that he wrote these lyrics in his teens. And they sure as hell do sound like teen rap lyrics. I shudder to imagine a teenage GZA fantasizing about his teacher. (Insert projectile vomiting here.) Top that with a perverse verse by Walter Reed bka Killah Priest and you've got yourself something to truly abhor. In closing: Yeah, not a fan at all.

THE STOMP
Ah, that's much more like it! And they're Russell's lyrics, too! RZA commemorates the return to gritty rap with a similarly-gritty instrumental for ODB to rock over, which he does in that way that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Furthermore, he bigs up Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg along the way. Gawrsh, that's mighty nice of him. This song will blow out your speakers in the best way possible.

GOIN' DOWN
RZA provides a beat so mean and evil that it would've felt right at home on Tical. Unfortunately, this song is one where ODB just gives up trying to record a proper song, just starting verses then cutting them off and doing basically whatever the fuck he wanted. Even though those lyrics were his, he spits a bar from the previous song, something that almost ruins the experience for me. Fuck it, I'm just happy that he's spitting from his own rap sheet again.

DRUNK GAME (SWEET SUGAR PIE)
The producer of this song is Ethan Ryman. Whoever he is, he deserves to get smacked for OKing this shit. It also lists our host as a co-producer, and while he normally can freak the boards if necessary, I have a hunch that he was too indisposed at the time of this song's making. Anyways, ODB is known for singing his sweet little heart out in the most off-key of performances during shows. While that is awesome in these venues, it sure as shit does NOT mean a song should be made out of such occasions in the studio. If there was one track that did not belong on any album even remotely associated with the Wu, it's this one. Scratch that, I think Black Shampoo has even worse credentials. Ugh.

SNAKES (FEATURING KILLAH PRIEST, RZA, MASTA KILLA & BUDDHA MONK)
You cannot fathom how soothing that kung-fu sample felt after the horse barf that was the previous song. A majestic RZA production follows, one with the chipmunk sound aped so shamelessly behind the boards in the mid-00s by dudes like Kanye West, even though they did come with very interesting results. Well, this is where all them cats got it from. Given that, this would be a surefire knockout right? Well, kind of. See, Killah Priest turns in one of his best performances ever, a harrowing tale of mourning. RZA follows with a trademark blistering Bobby Steels tale. But the song truly goes to Masta Killa's debut performance on a Wu solo. Keep in mind that this is the very first time people heard this guy since his lone scorcher on Da Mystery Of Chessboxin', so it's been at least a year since anyone caught a glimpse of what he can do on that mic. Given the circumstances, I loved the results, where he tells the best tale heard on the song so far. Unfortunately, all the lyrical praise ends here because that is the last tale you hear on the track. What follows is an ODB whose so out of his element that he can't finish his verse. By then, his cousin Buddha Monk (I don't really know if he's also RZA & GZA's cousin because they never mention him otside of an ODB-related discussion.) swoops in and screams some pretty lame adlibs before spitting some bars of his own to try and save the day. Too late, b. I swear, that final Buddha Monk performance is for damn sure a last minute addition. Shame that fiasco happened at the end because the rest of the song is one of the very best Wu posse cuts ever recorded.

BROOKLYN ZOO II (TIGER CRANE) (FEATURING GHOSTFACE KILLAH)
Going into this review, I was extremely divided on what to make of this song. On one hand, you have a smacking RZA beat from the very top shelf and a Ghostface Killah who genuinely sounds like he might combust from waiting to spit alongside his Wu brother before unloading a crazy dope performance. Key word: crazy. And on the other hand, we got ODB jacking GZA's rhymes from Damage wholesale. Not only that, he was so drunk he didn't even finish the verse. RZA then adds insult to injury by playing various snippets from previous songs on the album as if displaying a highlight reel, making the song very unnecessarily bloated. I'll only recommend this track to diehard Ghost stans. Fans of ODB can sink their teeth into much more worthy songs on this album.

PROTECT YA NECK II THE ZOO (FEATURING BROOKLYN ZU & SUNZ OF MAN)
You thought the posse cuts were done? The naivete! RZA once again gives us a beat that'll cave out your chest from a single Willie Mitchell lick that doesn't even last the second. Thankfully, the ODB we get here is wide awake and ready to rumble, and rumble he does. His weed carrier group Brooklyn Zu, made up of his real-life brother 12 O'Clock (by far the most talented member of the group), Buddha Monk (a close second) Murdoc, Zu Keeper and Shorty Shitstain (these three are pretty fucking worthless, especially Shorty Shitstain, who sounds every bit as irritating as his putrid nickname suggests.), are split between impressive performances in 12 O'Clock and Buddha Monk's case, and horrid showings that deserved to be left on the cutting room floor in Murdoc and especially Shorty Shitstain's case. Zu Keeper didn't even make the final cut. Sharing the stage with ODB and his cohorts are fellow Brooklynites Sunz Of Man, in their second showing on a Wu-related project, after their impressive-yet-partial debut on Prince Paul's masterpiece. Killah Priest keeps up his usual excellent standard while Vergil Ruff bka Prodigal Sunn and Frederick Cuffie Jr. bka 60 Second Assassin (Sunz Of Man's ODB-type character) give convincing debuts. Yeah, this was mostly pretty fucking insane in the best way possible. Shorty Shitstain should've never picked up any type of mic. EVER.

CUTTIN' HEADZ (FEATURING RZA)
Unlike Damage, this rap duet between cousin and cousin is entirely organic. A testament to how close these two once were, they bounce off each other seamlessly. Surprisingly, ODB takes the lyrical shine away from his cousin, who feebly attempts to prevail simply by spitting more bars than his partner. This is simply due to the fact that Russell was in his Ason Unique days, and the transformation is jarring, trust me. Remember what Cousin GZA said, Robbie: Make it brief, son. Half short and twice strong. This impressive display is backed by a Thelonious Monk piano loop and Synthetic Substitution. RZA, you do know that there are many equally impressive drum loops out there, right? Oh, who am I kidding? I friggin love Synthetic Substitution. Bring it on, Bobby! This track was the original end of the album.

DIRTY DANCIN' (FEATURING METHOD MAN)
The first of two bonus track on the CD version, this ruined what was supposed to be a perfect ending to this album. In very jarring contrast to the rest of his work on the album, RZA sounds like he wasn't even trying here. I don't care if the beat was minimalist, it has to be good. Fuck that, by Bobby's fucking standards, it has to be goddamn masterful. Instead, we get an instrumental that sounds like one of his demo sessions for the Words Of The Genius bonus tracks he produced. To top it off, ODB was drunk as fuck on this shit, so that leaves Mef as the only one who seems invested in delivering a presentable product to you. Shame, his lyrics were pretty good. As for our host: do I even need to elaborate on whether he was comprehensible or not? I do? Fine. He was too drunk or high or fucking both to finish a thought. Happy?

HARLEM WORLD
The third song on the album not handled by RZA, Big Dore presents us with a beat that you'll forget halfway into this song, which is a shame since ODB finally decides to wake up and spit some venomous lyrics. Hold on. Are you absolutely sure he's awake? Because some of those lyris sound like... God DAMN it, Russell. You used GZA's lyrics again! No, really: In the first verse, he spits the first bars of a very well-known GZA chorus. It doesn't matter that ODB used the lyrics prior to his cousin. Matter of fact, that makes what happened here even worse. See how disappointing that revelation can be?

FINAL THOUGHTS
Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (God, I do not regret using that name merely twice in this review whatsoever.) is, without doubt, the most uneven of the Wu solos during the 5-year plan. And I counted at least five songs that had absolutely no place on the album. I can only imagine how difficult this album was to complete, and therein I give props to RZA for making it sound as seamless as one can possibly get with such material.

Speaking of RZA, I said it in the review and I'll say it again: This album is his production magnum opus. Most of the beats on display here are the most complex, most dense and most unorthodox he's ever done. With the exception of Dirty Dancin'. I said most, didn't I? The rest of the Wu brethren were pretty goddamn stellar here, as their very real appreciation of our host shone through every time they shared mic time with him.

So, how did ODB himself fare, you ask? This, obviously is his best album, bar none. That being said, he varies greatly here between the entertainment legend we know him to be and a guy too hooked on substances to realize what's going on around him. And yes, that has gotten in the way of his artistry many times on this album. Where this guy really shines is on group efforts and live shows, And that is where his legacy is most cemented.

Now, indulge me in the following, if you please: What did ODB's solo debut really accomplish that couldn't be accomplished elsewhere? Entertainment? That can be found in his very-documented live performances. RZA's production savvy? That can be demonstrated on any other Wu album. Establishing ODB as a lyrical wizard? Ason Unique had a much better shot at accomplishing that feat, as you clearly saw in Cuttin' Headz. And I ask: Why, in God's name, wasn't the solo nod given to Inspectah Deck first?

I am not against an ODB album, not in any way, shape or form. But there weren't many Clansmen who were readier than the Rebel, who positively bodied  anyone he shared a track with during that period. Maybe that's why he's missing from this album here. Hell, Masta Killa started dropping incendiary guest verses on Snakes and only got better on the rest of his guest verses during the 5-year plan, so he might've been ready, as well. Although fans might be justified in arguing against him but surely INS had the potential to come up with a masterpiece when directed by a guy who was on fire like RZA was behind the boards then, right?

I thought so.

WORTH IT? I know I came off quite strong in that last part, but this album deserves to be in your collection. It's rare to see a guy like ODB contained in one artistic statement, so when it happens, you should know better to appreciate that shit. Even more so now that he's tragically no longer with us. Once again RIP Russell Jones.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
GIVE IT TO YA RAW
Now this song's omission from the album baffles me to no end. First, we have an instrumental by RZA that is positively majestic in its left-field approach. Second, we have a fully alert ODB who delivers not one, but TWO long-ass verses of demented wonder. You would figure that RZA had the brains to include this instead of his shitty Dirty Dancin' beat. And he could've added Mef here, who could've combined all three of his interrupted verses into one long. impressive showing. We could've had a proper Sub Crazy sequel, dammit! But, y'know, life, right? And we're done

Delve deeper into the vaults of Wu here, and the remainder of ODB's works can be found here.

Method Man - Tical (November 15, 1994)

Finally, I get to one of the two guys who introduced me to hip hop! (exhausted groan)

You know, for a guy whose popularity was unstoppably skyrocketing at the time of this shit's release, Cliffy Clifford Smith bka Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan sure hates the spotlight. And he hates that sex symbol status he's been stuck with even more. Whatever makes you sleep at night, Mef.

I've already went to length regarding how Mef introduced me to hip hop in general, through his stellar showing on the Monstars Anthem, a song that I still friggin' love. Him & B-Real stuck with me for the longest time during my days of hip hop aloofness, especially in their roles in the one entertainment medium I truly love more than any other, video games. Various Method Man appearances in particular came my way through his participation in the Def Jam-AKI gems and on radio stations of both GTA: Liberty City Stories for the PSP and True Crime: NYC for the PS2. Had I been more attentive to Protect Ya Neck at the time, I would've began my Wu journey much sooner than I have. But I guess it was meant to be as it happened since I already read a review of their 1998 game, Shaolin Style, that very same year and still didn't connect the dots. A fact that's still funny as shit to me. Anyways, on my various PSP rampages through Liberty City, I've always been drawn to Mef's appearances on the Liberty Jam, the hip hop station,  in which two songs he absolutely smoked were chosen: One was the forever-underrated Do What Ya Feel off of his cohort Reggie Noble bka Redman's classic Muddy Waters.

The other is much more relevant to this post, as it is the album cut of All I Need. This song is one of the select few tracks that effectively cater to hardcore hip hop heads and couples who don't know shit about hip hop simultaneously. This might be the only song your wife might enjoy with you if she's utterly disgusted with this thing you're constantly listening to and reading about online. (And somehow refusing to comment on these posts, even after 10 fucking months!) I'll talk about the song more in the proper review, but for a year and a half these two songs were all I played from Mef's entire discography. That is until YouTube and Wikipedia changed that shit forever. I was taken into the 36 Chambers, following which I properly began my twisted journey into Wu-stannery. So, after regrettably skipping the Gravediggaz classic N****mortis/6 Feet Deep for a short while, I immediately jumped into the next step: Tical.

Before that, let me take you to a time when Robert "RZA" Diggs was still concocting his plot for Wu domination. 1992, specifically. Even though he had every Wu member on board by then, he conceded that he didn't yet have a proper business plan to initiate his takeover. The other members then wisely advised him that not every business move they made needed to be original, just enough. Somehow, this made sense to ol' Rizzy so he made the choice of replicating the business moves of the most influential hip hop group up to that point, EPMD's legendary Hit Squad.

Just to put things in perspective, the Hit Squad had been the first group with all four acts under its banner experiencing both critical and commercial success. Definitely nothing to be scoffed at. EPMD recognized everyone's talents and assigned them the proper position for them. Take the aforementioned Redman for example: EPMD assigned him the position of "punchline guy", even though Das EFX were both equally proficient therein. (You don't listen to Das EFX for the punchlines, though. Right?) To this date, his solo success has eclipsed that of his fellow Squadmates because of that particular decision. Not one to miss details that important, RZA adapted the whole plan hook, line and sinker, and chose Shaquan aka Mef to be his Redman. No, really. That's how fellow DMD member Raekwon explains it on a particularly interesting Combat Jack Show interview. All Bobby needed to add to that melting pot now was the element of concept and the rest would be history, which was what happened sure enough.

So since it's now established that Method Man is the resident punchline expert (even though guys like GZA and especially Inspectah Deck have quite the repertoire of zingers themselves), Bobby needed to surround him with the right beats that fit the aesthetic he wanted Mef to go for. And since witty wordplay and clever use of flow is the most basic form of this shit we love, it was only right for RZA to use beats that were grimier than his last major showing on the boards. I'll leave it to the review to decide if he accomplished that goal. Now from Mef's point of view, it is a very huge plus that the man solely responsible for his group's entire aesthetic was now focusing on making his album sound like that of the chosen torchbearer, a position given to him not just by RZA, but the rest of the Wu members as well. Did this next step in the overall gamble pay off? Well, from a commercial standout, Tical was an undisputed success, selling a million copies in the US alone. But what do bloggers like myself think about this shit twenty two years later?

Mef's debut, people:

TICAL
Leave it to RZA to start off a punchline hip hop album with the opening notes from the classical piece Pictures at an Exhibition. Anyways, a very competent beat dissolves into the distance after a quick display, making room for an equally crafted beat with extra doses of I'ma fuck you up. Mef makes his mission statement very clear: to blow your socks off with his punchlines. And blow my socks off, he did. This album's off to a rocketing start, with this monster of a song segwaying directly into...

BISCUITS
Where RZA steals Mef's thunder big time. The crafting of the instrumental is absolutely genius and the punchlines are beyond inspired, and yet I still have a major problem: I can't hear what the fuck Mef is spitting. Bobby takes full blame for this, as Mef's lyrics are actually really fucking good. Shame, that.

BRING THE PAIN (FEATURING BOOSTER)
The lead single, and a good choice at that. Dear God RZA's digging deep with these samples, looping an unrecognizable Jerry Butler voice bit that lasts less than a second and milking said loop for all its worth. The result is winter sewage levels of grimy boom bap, which is apparently the type of beat the star attraction's most comfortable performing over. And you bet your fucking butthole, he lets you know what time it is. Mef brings it all, baby: Wordplay, punchlines, flow, you name it. Dancehall aficionado Booster quotes some patois from troubled reggae artist Ninjaman after Mef finishes his lines, an act which neither added nor detracted from the overall end product so, yay? This song is a home run, no doubt.

ALL I NEED
May I present to you a main factor in Cliffy Clifford Smith's sex symbol status enduring to this very day, and the very first solo Mef song I've ever heard. Apparently, Mef never wanted this song on any type of album. However during their promotion of their group's classic debut, RZA noticed that Mef was getting a little extra attention from the ladies. Because he had eyes, you see. What he also had was a brain. So, as soon as he caught wind of these lyrics, he aggressively begged Mef to record them on wax. RZA plays the notes from a Marvin Gaye 60s classic and couples them with, once again, some Synthetic Substitution. Upon hearing the result, Mef flies into his dedication to his significant other in a manner he typically reserves for some hardcore shittalking. And therein, my fellow lonely soul, lies the importance of delivery in our chosen genre. Because otherwise, the lyrics to this shit would've completely derailed the track. Instead, we have arguably the greatest love song in hip hop history. Further begging was needed when RZA suggested to Mef that this shit be his third single. And that's how Method Man ended up with a Grammy, folks. Another common mistake is that Sean John Combs, known on this site as the revolting Comby, produced the Mary J. Blige-assisted remix of this song that won the Grammy while in truth: The highly-superior-to-both-cuts Razor Sharp Remix, of RZA's making, is the real culprit. I liked where he hilariously placed some opening notes from a corny Earl Klugh song as a prelude to that particular beat, as if to say: "That's not how we do love songs over here." The shit also featured Blige, of course. Furthermore, the Comby remix wasn't even Comby's own work. It was done by the Trackmasters (According to Trackmaster Poke, anyway), who admittedly did an interesting job, even though they looped the Marvin Gaye trademark sample wholesale (which was per the status quo at Bad Boy HQ). And the vocals for the Trackmasters version were redone by Mef, losing the earnestness of his original performance along the way. A problem the RZA remix never had because he smartly used the original take. I vastly prefer the RZA remix, as you can tell, but the album cut's fine by itself.

WHAT THE BLOOD CLOT
Mef switches up the lyrics this time by mixing a dash of thuggery with his usual dose of punchlines, which works better than you'd think. Apparently, Mef was royally pissed at his fellow Clansmen after an argument on some plane, after which he fired up All In The Mind by Erick Sermon on his Walkman and wrote the bars you hear here dissing the hell outta them! All set to another RZA recipe from the leftest of left fields. I guess I ended up feeling a bit disappointed that this track is merely a one-verse wonder followed by Mef contracting RZA's shoutout virus. Impressed that he snapped out of shoutout zone quicker than his Wu brother, though. I'm also particularly cracked up that RZA still found a way to throw in some shoutouts of his own. Anyways, this song remains infinitely more significant than that new 2 chainz/lil wayne collabo album you're waiting for, which is the least amount of praise I can give it.

METH VS. CHEF (FEATURING RAEKWON)
There's that beat from the intro again! Bobby, what're you doing? Let Mef tear that beat a new digestive system, already! Of course the beat is cut off, never to be heard on this album again, and we get a spacey beat from RZA set to a famous Joe Tex drumline. RZA chooses this moment to include a battle he recorded in the studio between Mef & Chef. (Kudos to that title, seriously.) Rumor has it that this track is why Mef was the one who received his eponymous solo outing on the group's debut, the only one besides GZA's Clan In Da Front, and not the others but I don't believe that for a second. Mef & Rae impressed, but Rae's fuckup slightly detracts from the experience. Still a very good song, though. Side note: Rae. When it comes to punchlines, never fuck with Mef again.

SUB CRAZY
RZA presents his weirdest production up to that point, assisted by a certain Selwyn Bougard bka 4th Disciple. He's really attempting to surprise everyone listening to these records with his choices as much as he possibly can. Most surprising of all, the beat still works! Mef responds by playing his imagery card this time, while still giving you his regular serving of punchlines. He also experiments with wordplay for three bars in the second verse and succeeds ingeniously. I friggin love this song!

RELEASE YO' DELF (FEATURING BLUE RASPBERRY)
The second single. I never cared for Blue Raspberry's interpolation of I Will Survive, especially in the intro to the track. Everything else on here elevates this song to being my absolute favorite Method Man solo performance on this album, bar none. The Herb Alpert trumpet loop with the sped up Make It Funky drum sample, previously used on the Wu's classic 7th Chamber, combine beautifully act as the perfect punching bag to Mef's lyrics, which he gifts to you via his loudest delivery to date. This shit tops his performance on the aforementioned 7th Chamber, trust me. Mef presents the listener with two beautifully venomous verses filled to the brim with everything a Wu stan likes from him. The reasons why I cherish this track are uniquely similar to Bring The Pain's, yet I edge this song out as the superior one because I enjoyed Mef's delivery and RZA's beat here much more than their work on the preceding single, even though Booster's choice for interpolation far exceeds Blue Raspberry's. I am of the opinion that this song as the lead single would've made that much more sense, even though Bring The Pain is perfectly fine. Moving on.

P.L.O. STYLE (FEATURING CARLTON FISK)
The lone remaining co-production on this album, and it's RZA and Mef in a repeat of their efforts on Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit. I've always dug how the slowed Al Green sample (with, again, the Joe Tex drumline) now sounds straight out of a kung fu flick. Mef introduces George Cooney who goes by the rap name of Carlton Fisk from Inspectah Deck's weed carrier group Housegang (Note that they were called that before every rapper in Slaughterhouse began their fucking careers. Shoutout to Slaughterhouse, though) In fans' minds, Fisky here would forever be associated with Mef instead because of his showings on this album. Translation: He sounds fulfillingly good, with his thuggery complimenting Mef's braggadocio. Next up...

I GET MY THANG IN ACTION
RZA brings the listener back to the grimy side of his nature behind the boards, and Mef is all too excited to unload a year's worth of punchlines on the resulting beat, incinerating it to kingdom fucking come. Adding insult to injury, Mef simplifies his flow enough to make his bars catchy as shit. The Bo Diddley drums sampled here really elevate the adrenaline pumping through you during this experience. Tied with the title track as my second-favorite solo track.

MR. SANDMAN (FEATURING RZA, INSPECTAH DECK, STREETLIFE, CARLTON FISK & BLUE RASPBERRY)
A rendition of the Chordettes' famed classic as a hardcore hip hop posse cut? Genius! Why do I keep distinguishing solo tracks from posse cuts, you ask? Because the Wu have forever made me a posse cut fiend, that's why. Thanks to them, I will always favor good posse cuts to good solo joints, no matter how varying the quality of the beat is. Just so happens that the beat for this track here is my absolute favorite on the entire album.  When a sampler alters one second of a Lyn Collins classic interpretation to sound like theme music to a swarm of bees, you know you're dealing with someone gifted. RZA certainly proves he's precisely that, yet he doesn't stop there. He also sets shit off with his verse brimming with imagery that'll leave marks on your psyche for days. That is, until Deck swoops in with a blistering verse that ruins any chance the remaining MCs have in stealing his thunder.  You have to appreciate the frequency in which the Rebel was accomplishing this feat, especially during the 5-year plan. Not to say Mef and the remaining weed carriers don't leave their mark, hell no. Mef reverts to punchline mode, which is always welcome and Carlton Fisk and a debuting Streetlife impress you enough to give a shit about them when they turn up on future Wu albums. Although in Fisk's case, you had to wait a long-ass fucking time. Fisk would get locked up for at least 10 years shortly after dropping a dope-as-shit freestyle which went by the name Common Denominator with two of his co-stars on Mr. Sandman: Streetlife & the Rebel INS, with Mef conducting the shit. Yes, the one where INS drops the deleted verse he adlibbed bits from on 2Pac's Got My Mind Made Up. May I add how fucking awesome Blue Raspberry is here with her creepy falsetto rendition of the Chordettes' household chorus. By far my favorite track on this album. Scratch that, by far my favorite track of Mef's entire solo career. This shit's that friggin' good.

STIMULATION (FEATURING BLUE RASPBERRY)
You absolutely can NOT top the previous track. No matter what you do, the following tracks will come up short, which is why I'm pissed at Bobby for not ending the album with Mr. Sandman. I will admit though, the speeding up of the opening violins of the Sarah Vaughan record throughout is nifty and very nicely done. Mef's lyrics make this song pitch perfect for a live audience, which is why the fact that he never performs this song live in recent years puzzles me to no end. Maybe it's because of Blue Raspberry's smelly-ass performance of Stimulation's horrid hook. How can you top possibly your best career performance immediately with one of your absolute worst?! Shit's not computing, boo. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine with this song.

METHOD MAN (SKUNK MIX)
My opinion of this song has not changed since I reviewed it here. I will say that RZA completely blew the tracklisting of the last two songs. Everything prior was copacetic.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This album's status as the first solo album from the Wu camp was a master move. It accomplished every goal it was intended to make. Allowing Mef's talent to be noticeable by mainstream entertainment in general by selling a shitload of copies? Check. Exposing everyone debuting on this album to a much wider audience? Check. Cementing RZA's growing reputation as a producer? Check. Most impressive of all, these two did it on their own terms. That's right, I said the two of them. For I think it's essential that this album be identified as a collaboration (Y'know, just like the rest of the Wu solos during RZA's five-year-plan.) more than a true solo album, where all final decisions are the artist's to make. I love the fact, though, that this album is a strong candidate for most consistent Wu solo ever. Ingenious, unorthodox production choices came in droves, the punchlines struck the right balance of quantity vs. quality and there was not a single radio-friendly track in sight. Even the "ladies song" had to be remixed while adding Mary J. friggin' Blige to the proceedings for it to win the dreaded Grammy. And it was the grimy-ass RZA remix that did it, not the polished Trackmasters version. Oh. you thought I was gonna credit Comby? Yeah, and I eat raw camel liver for my daily source of protein.

WORTH IT? Go get this shit, and if you see RZA these days: Shove this album in his face, tell him to stop fucking around with Kanye's diva finger-free ass and let him know that this is what we need to hear from him in the present.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
THE RIDDLER
I'm a Jim Carrey stan, I admit it. There's something about his 93-04 slapstick movie performances, even when stealing the scenes in movies as shitty as Batman Forever, that resonates with me on a corporeal level. Naturally, I never bought the movie's soundtrack because I was too busy reciting his lines from the movie word for word or staring at Nicole Kidman's then-fine ass through my teenage-hormonial-raging-hardon-influenced eyes. As I got into the Wu much later I discovered that the flick's OST contained a theme for Jim Carrey's Riddler by Mef that was not included in the movie, so I had to hear the shit. I was blown away by the beat, in which RZA interpolates the corny '66 Batman cartoon theme into a demented hymn fitting Jim Carrey's performance like a glove. Delighting in the resulting music, Mef immerses himself completely into the mythos portrayed in the movie by filling his first two verses with imagery befitting of the subject then dedicating the final verse to a story depicting him as the Riddler during a crime-filled night in his life. The verse ends with the Batman hot on his heels. I find this shit worthy of my time and definitely of yours.

NO HOOK (SHAQUILLE O'NEAL FEATURING RZA AND METHOD MAN)
Since I'm not likely to review any Shaq album anytime soon, I'll highlight this track of his that he did with Mef and RZA. I may do this with other artists in the future, depending on the significance of the song to the review. In this case, this song was surely recorded during the Tical sessions so it fits the bill. RZA crafts another grimy self-made beat around a famous Labi Siffre drum sample, then starts off the song by spitting a verse that is damn underwhelming. Fortunately though, Shaq and Mef pick up the remains admirably with Mef predictably coming out on top as the best of the three. I really did not expect to write the following words: Shaq lyrically trumped RZA on a track. Still a fine song, though. And we're done.

The Wu saga continues here, and the rest of Mef's solo shit is here.