Method Man "4:21 The Day After" Album Review

[dren]

Track by track review of Meth’s new CD: 4:21 The Day After

1. Intro – Starts off with samples of protesters screaming to legalize weed. The beat kicks in and is straight grimy. Something you would hear on an old Wu release, RZA must be on the beat here. It is just so raw, it happens to be the best beat on the CD. This is Tical Method Man. Enjoy it because this is all you will get from the Meth of old. Why tempt me with this? This should have been a full track with that beat. 9/10

2. Is It Me – Scott Storch is on the keys here with his trademark high pitch notes and sparse Dr. Dre type drums. This beat sounds like it belongs on a G-Unit album. It isn’t like Meth is bad here or that the beat is bad, it just is not what I want or am used to. “oh yeah dig it, I talk about it and I live it, been there did it, shitted and wiped my ass with it” 5/10

3. Problems – This sounds like a Redman Meth track right here, but Red is missing. You don’t want no problems with Meth, as he so proclaims. Not a bad hip hop track here. 6/10

4. Somebody Done Fucked Up – Sounds like one of those annoying rising beats that Jay-Z rapped over on his Volume series of CDs. He tells how hard his hood is and that he’s the real shit and now he’s back to show the critics that they fucked up. Meth is fine, I don’t like the beat. 4/10

5. Shaolin Soldier – Skit, skip it. Why do they put stupid shit like this on CDs?

6. Fall Out – Oh god, did Pharrel get with the Ying Tang twins to come up with the beat? It actually sounds like it would fit on the old Meth and Red CD. Meth rides it fine and sounds kind of hot on it. As much as I hate to say it, I sort of like it. I’ll put money on this being the second single. 6.5/10

7. Dirty Mef – Wooooooooooo the Wu is really representing here. ODB shows up, RIP, and kills a beat reminiscent of RZA’s work on Return to the 36 Champers: The Dirty Version. Both Meth and and ODB ride the track well. The only drawback is the repeated “fuck you” that is panned back and forth at the end. That kept the track from getting a 9. 8/10

8. 4:20 – Hmmm, what do you think this track is about? Well Meth goes off on talking about wack rappers and how he’s great and here to shit on the critics. The hook lets us know that we need to roll it up, light it, and um smoke it. The beat is what you would expect for such a track, the typical light bells are floating around with sound FX here and there. The hook is weak. 6/10

9. Let’s Ride ft Genuine – This is the “Ex Girlfriend” track of the album. The beat really isn’t great and it just doesn’t fit. I don’t like it. Maybe the “bitches” will love this, I mean it has Genuine on it for all that matters. 2/10

10. The Glide – The first single off of the CD. It has an up beat RZA sounding drum loop with a string loop that Mobb Deep would use, think “Gravel Pit” meets the Scarface OST. Sounds like U-God shows up second and is that Rae on the first verse? Meth lays the best verse of the track and also one of his best on the CD so far. Very nice upbeat track right here. I can’t help but nod my head. 7.5/10

11. Kids – Another skit, skip it.

12. Got To Have It – Hmm, I don’t like this beat, it is already getting annoying after the first loop. Meth goes on about what he “got to have”. Materialistic shit right here. The track is dumb. I’d rather listen to him spit his usual BS. This is a track 50 Cent would do. 3/10

13. Say – Hey, this acoustic guitar driven track makes you smile before Meth even says something. This is where he really speaks out on the evils of the rap game and critics. He has done so already all over the CD but this track is purely dedicated to it. “When death call I’m good, I got caller ID” is a notable line. The hook sounds like Lauren Hill but I could be wrong. Not a bad song, something to chill to. It is easy to listen to the lyrics here. Something that would have fit well on Tical 2000. 6/10

14. Ya’Meen – Fat Joe and Styles P show up here. It was hard for me to pick out Fat Joe at first since he comes with an Eminemish delivery. The beat is hype and boarders on some MOP type shit. Meth rides it well and adds a nice hook but this just isn’t really Meth to me. It’s not bad, he shows up the guests. 5/10

15. Konichiwa Bitches – Hmm, another rising beat. This is just ehhh to me. He’s saying good-bye to bitches for some odd reason. He rides the beat well once again but this song is so/so. 5/10

16. Everything – Streetlife and The INS show up to bless this track. The beat isn’t bad but the vocal sample is too chopped up and gets annoying. I can’t concentrate on Meth spitting because of it. The beat kills the track. This track has potential but just doesn’t deliver. Nice INS verse, he stands out on the beat with his harder, crisper delivery on the kicks. This would fit better on a INS CD. 5/10

17. Walk On – Redman shows up on a heavy guitar and organ beat. I am guessing this is from Just Blaze. I love beats like this but I would never expect Red and Meth to rock this. Red has an OK verse but I have heard better from him. They should have used the “Problems” beat for the duo track rather than this. Beats nice, but Jay-Z would sound much better here. Few nice Meth lines. 6/10

18. Pimpin – Skit, I have a feeling this is a joke with his wife. This is dumb, skip it.

19. Presidential MC – Dope dark ass RZA beat. This is some Tical shit right here. RZA comes with a good verse and so does Rae and Meth. One of my favorite tracks on the CD. This is what I like when it comes to Method Man. The hook is so/so. 7/10

20. 4 Ever – Smile and sing along to this jam right here. Where is the J-Lo remix??? This is another love track right here. The hook and cadence sounds ripped off of an older track, trying to put my finger on it. This isn’t my steez but it is done fairly well. 4/10

Meth is one of the best emcees to grace the mic. No, he’s not in my top 10 but he is a nice all around emcee. He has had a very hard time jumping into the mainstream after his success with the RZA crafted Wu-Tang sound. For fans of good hip hop music, check out this CD. It has all of the typical type tracks you expect to find on a release these days. The beats are all decent for the most part and Meth’s skills on the mic are undeniable. For fans of the Wu-Tang of the past, I recommend just downloading the “Intro”, “Dirty Mef”, “The Glide”, and “Presidential MC”. You’ll enjoy those tracks without having to put up with the rest. Overall this is a better release than Meth’s previous album but it doesn’t surpass Tical 2000 and is not even close to the classic album Tical. I give this an overall 6/10

[Aines]

just d.l this

listening now

[C.Wrighter]

it sound like its just wack

[Meters]

shut the fuck up, this is something of a return to form. it's understandable to compare this to meths catalog, but fact is, what else in hip hop is touching this right now? wu's coming strong. cuban linx 2 is going to be the truth. after all the rza tracks were curbed on that disasterous last meth joint, this is some promising shit..he has it in him to make another classic, that's what i get out of this. cop this one, wu needs some support. this is real hip hop

[Oxymoron]

this shit is a little better than what you reviewed it at

[dren]

Nah, Meth is dope, the beats are so/so for the most part. They just don't mesh at all. When comparing this to other Meth CDs, I had to keep the ratings relative. I had some higher and then I had to go back and lower a bunch. You have to remember, I have been a fan of Meth from when Wu-Tang's Enter the 36 Chambers was new. The first time I heard M.E.T.H.O.D. Man I had to hit the back button time and time again. This new Meth CD will appeal to the casual mainstream hip hop head. A big fan of Meth, not as much.

And the RZA did not produce most of Meth's last album, he did the intro and maybe one or two more songs. The production on his last CD, while all meshing, was bad minus the lead single.

A 10/10 should be for a perfect CD. In my eyes, very few CDs warrant this. The Wu-Tang's Enter the 36 Chambers does along with Doggystyle.

Tical - 9.5/10 A classic but just one or two tracks short of perfect.

Tical 2000 - 7/10 Not a bad album, but a departure from the Meth we knew before it.

Tical 0 - 4.5/10 Meth is on top of his game with the lyrics, but the beats are weak.

4:21 The Day After - 6/10 A solid peformance from Meth but the tracks and beats are cliche. A few hidden gems.

Blackout - 8/10 The Meth and Redman collabo CD. A dope CD with some standout tracks.

[Brother Blue Collar]

wow you're off by long shot with this review in my eyes, but i respect your opinion.

somebody done fucked up is not a 4 tho, seriously. They say was more than what you rated it, got to have it is mroe then just materialistic shit.

i'll review you can check it out then.

[dren]

What was "got to have it" then? He says shit he wants and then says "i gots to haaaaaave it".

I give lower ratings based on the entire track. If the beat is bad I will give it a low rating. A 4 is not really bad, it just isn't good or great. A 1 or a 2 is horrid. I'd say a 5 or higher would not get skipped if I threw the CD in, anything less would. A 7 or higher would get repeat plays.

Much respect though, just opinions.

[Aristocrat]

Method is dope, very underrated.

[locknes]

this is so underrated dren we all know that meth has a party style so i dont know why your hating on his tracks and that storch beat is dope

[dren]

I never said that beat was bad, I liked it, but it doesn't fit well with Meth.

I think this review is very fair. I gave it an overall 6/10. Compare this to his other CDs, I think it is right on point with where it should be. A 6/10 is slightly above average. That is as a whole CD...Meth is a lot better emcee but this CD is just slightly above average as a whole package, mainly for beat choices and a few wack tracks. He should have cut a few of the tracks and left the skits off, but the record label is trying to sell albums and went with the wide variety of cliche tracks to achieve it. Hell Obie's second album meshed better than this one and it was the epitome of cliche. Meth can put out a better album, he's a damn good emcee, this was just slightly above par.

[Jay Walker]

walk on is dope.

[Brother Blue Collar]

What was "got to have it" then? He says shit he wants and then says "i gots to haaaaaave it".

I give lower ratings based on the entire track. If the beat is bad I will give it a low rating. A 4 is not really bad, it just isn't good or great. A 1 or a 2 is horrid. I'd say a 5 or higher would not get skipped if I threw the CD in, anything less would. A 7 or higher would get repeat plays.

Much respect though, just opinions.

a entire track isn't about the beat only, 4 outta 10 is bad, anything below 6 is bad cuz that's below average.

i'll admit he's names some materialistic shit, but basically he just wants to enjoy life, so yea to do so he's gotta have sum prime weed, nice hoes, and whatnot.

[Mr.Burnz]

this album is way better then ya'll are giveing him lightyears past his last one
and that scott storch track is fire

[dren]

I like the Scott Storch track, I like Meth, but Meth doesn't fit on that beat. That's why I gave it the score that I did.

This is just a review. If you like the CD then go buy it. If not, download the few good tracks and pass on.

I have a lower rating scheme than most of you guys do. It seems like on here if a CD is anywhere near good it ends up with 8s and 9s but if it sucks it gets 2s and 3s. This CD is not great, it's not bad. It is above average, but it isn't THAT good or great. That is why I gave it a 6/10. Take or leave what you want from that.