Sitting down for an interview session with Cypress Hill rapper B-Real, Method Man described plans to develop a new How High sequel with fellow rapper/actor Redman, why he likes to perform as a part of a group on stage and how technology has affected the public life of many artists.
Speaking to his long career in the industry, Method Man described his not wanting to engage in the type of industry politics that many younger artists are forced into. “As far as sitting at award shows and being in these fucking ‘fanzines’ and blogging, the bullshit that comes with it, paparazzi jumping out the bushes on you and shit, we not built like that,” he said. “We don’t get down like that. It comes to a certain age, where, especially if you have kids, you gotta dial your shit down in the public eye to a point where it’s like, ‘Yeah, I do smoke, but I smoke in the house.’”
Meth added that contemporary artists keeping their public feuds to music represents a big change from the ’90s. “The shit they do now as far as disrespecting each other on records and when they see each other everybody popping bottles, dudes used to fight, man,” Meth said. “I remember going to Jack the Rapper and dudes was fighting at that shit, and I ain’t talking about the goons, the actual artists was out there fucking thumping. How Can I Be Down? and all that shit. These dudes is just exposed to a lot more shit where they gotta be on their pivot and on they game a little bit more ‘cause there’s more cameras on now. And TMZ—remember when they wouldn’t even fuck with rappers?—now they don’t give a fuck.”
Method Man Describes Wu-Tang Clan Anniversary Performances
Referencing their recent celebration of 20 years since the drop of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Method Man described what it was like reuniting with the crew onstage. “Wu-Tang [Clan] twentieth anniversary,” he said. “We had fun, man. It was amazing. I’m always the last one to know anything, and there was a point in time in the show where these big fucking Wu-Tang balloons—they was like balls, huge fucking balls my G, pause—the crowd was just pushing these shits around, I wanted one of them things so bad, I couldn’t get my hand on one. It was a great fucking experience.”
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Adding why he prefers to perform alongside his Wu-Tang brethren or frequent collaborator Redman, Meth detailed the excitement in playing shows together. “I told my manager this, and I’ve told a few people this, I’d rather do shows with Wu-Tang and Redman then do shows by myself,” he said. “Not saying I can’t do shows by myself ‘cause I have fun up there…but those, it’s like springboarding off of somebody else’s energy, there’s nothing like that.”
Method Man Talks New Wu-Tang Clan Album & “How High” Sequel
When asked about the group’s long history of releasing collective as well as individual material, Method Man referenced past “label obligations” putting a damper on the writing process. “We don’t have that problem no more,” he said. “So, now, my writing, I could take more time with it ‘cause I don’t have a date hanging over my fucking head and shit. The pen is just so much mightier now, I think that I’m at my writing peak, there is no age-limit on spitting. But there is an age-limit on this business as far as being an artist and jumping your ass up on stage and doing your thing. By the time we get to the age that we’re at, yes, we’re touring and shit like, but we’re touring because there’s a want and need for that aspect of the music at that point in time.”
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Describing the possibility of a sequel to their cult film How High, Method Man said that, alongside Redman, he has plans to meet with script-writers to continue the franchise. “Funny you said that ‘cause we got a meeting tonight, with some guys that are writers, and they’re pretty hot right now,” he said. “I don’t wanna give they resume. I’m not a name dropper, but yeah, hopefully, something will come out of that because we’re gonna crash our ideas together tonight. I wanna see it get done, but I wanna see it get done right. ‘Cause if we do it and we just throw it out there, it has to [live up to the first one] or it’s gonna kill our bread. Hopefully we could springboard off that and do more ‘weed-esque’ movies. Like Cheech and Chong when they was doing it, you gotta have a Dazed and Confused movie every two years.”
Referencing B-Real’s own small role in the original, Meth added the movie will “need another Cypress Hill cameo.”
The rapper also told B-Real that fans can expect new music from the How High duo collectively down the line. “As a matter of fact, [Redman’s] gonna drop a mix joint, then he’s gonna drop his Muddy joint,” he said. “I’m gonna drop with this Wu-Tang shit, and then my last shit and my mix shit. And then, we’re gonna go in and do the Blackout 3. It’s going to be epic I believe, ‘cause Doc is where he need to be and I’m where I need to be right now. We just gotta get it together.”
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