13 REASONS METHOD MAN & REDMAN ARE HIP HOP'S UNSUNG SUPERHEROES

Underrated, underpaid, and under-mf-appreciated. LET ME LEARNS YOU SOME ABOUT ACTUAL HIP HOP MUSIC AND WHAT A REAL MC DOES ON THE MICROPHONE!!! TRUST ME, Y'ALL NEED A REFRESHER COURSE...[[WARNING: CONTAINS REAL HIP HOP MUSIC]]

HIP HOP IS IMPORTANT

The reason hip hop music is looked at as a joke by many who are not involved in the culture today, is because the industry has become one.

At it's inception Hip Hop was self-expression, creativity and originality. It was about expressing just wtf you and your crew are about, and just wtf you're going through in your life/neighborhood. It was about listening to, seeing, what everyone else around you was going through and how it was making them feel.. and ultimately about the shared understanding and respect of it all.

Hip Hop was about flavor, funk and originality. It was about scratching records, creating new music with your hands. About feeling the beats, interpreting them individually, and then expressing that either vocally through rap, physically through break-dancing, or visually through graffiti and artwork.

It was about the culture. About the life that people from oppressed ethnic groups or underprivileged neighborhoods were experiencing, and about creating something that matched it. Hip Hop is the result of oppressed, poverty-stricken peoples inability to remain docile. You aren't giving us help: we have no healthcare, a crack-epidemic is running rampant, violence is on every corner, my kids are hungry, I never finished school, can't get a job, and there's a million people around me who feel the same way and no one gives a f*ck. We don't have access to good education and we damn sure aren't getting any musical instruments or formal lessons, but it doesn't mean people are just going to be silent and still. Where Reaganomics starved the urban centers of money, it fed the soul. Hip Hop is the result of that soul refusing to be silent. In hip hop, the human is the instrument.

Into the 90's, Rap and Hip Hop became familiarized throughout cities and neighborhoods, and had spread all around the country- coast to coast. Now, you were getting all kinds of different flavors and personalities putting their spin on what they were going through, and ultimately it was uniting. Not only that, it propagated the movement further, and now people were getting GOOD at it.

The dancing and MCing and DJing battles taking place at block-parties were cultural cesspools for Hip Hop. It became so that only the ones who were REALLY good at it were doing it, all others were the critics. Many had some skills, but you weren't gonna grab the mic and battle if you didn't think you could win. So those who won over the crowds, their name would spread and that's how they would get known. That's how they'd get a record deal, and thats how they'd get paid. For being ORIGINAL. For being FRESH. For having unstoppable FLOW. For being the best.

Nowadays, hardly anybody is out scratching vinyls, making real music with their hands. And even fewer are out perfecting b-boy skills to those non-existent breaks that the DJ's ARENT out there scratching. Most of the graffiti has turned into turf tags and un-inspirational name writing. Those integral parts that represent the WHOLENESS of Hip Hop have been minimized and become almost obsolete.

Today, Hip Hop seems to just be about trying to string words together that hardly rhyme to an over-processed, hyper-tempo beat that has the same sound and feel as last week's "hit" single.

Everybody is inside making simple "beats" on their computers, and mumbling into their built-in microphone about cars and sex and money and guns and drugs and jewelry. And then a whole bunch of other ignorant, little snots are glued to their computers, and so brainwashed by this generation's rap songs that they start promoting these whack songs (e.g. New Rae Sremmurd joint straight FIRE *flames emoji*flames emoji* flames emoji*) on their social media, and by blowing up WorldStar. It spreads virally (much like herpes) to more un-intelligent people who see how many likes it has, and they end up "liking" it too without even activating a brain cell. Because 'ya bro, shit BUMPS in the whip'.

And that is how we have ended up here, with an industry loaded with untalented NON-MC's gaining fame, fortune and opportunities they have not rightfully earned, and definitely do not deserve.

Hip Hop is not about blasting bass-injected beats over mumbling and moaning nonsensical, weak lyrics by dudes who drink so much lean their brain has taken on a straight syrup-consistency (s/o Young Thug, s/o French Montana, s/o 2chainz, s/o migos, s/o trinidad james s/o wayne s/o Rick Ross).

Hip hop is not about liking a song just because it bumps in your '96 regal on that new-used system you just put in using this week's and next week's paycheck.

Hip Hop was about doing something unprecedented with the beat, with your mouth, with your words, or with your whole body. It was music that could get you through the day, and a way to enjoy the night.

Hip Hop, in its Golden Age, was about sending a message, or telling a story. It was about sharing a philosophy on life, or sharing your struggles so that people could hear it as an outlet for their own lives. It was about showcasing your skills.

And that's because not everyone has the gift of being able to express those feelings and emotions like that. Instead they leave it to those who can, and support the ones that are doing it RIGHT. So they left it to the REAL MC's, out of the appreciation for the music. Out of a shared respect for the craft.

Lastly, Hip Hop is DEFINITELY not about someone who can recite the lyrics somebody ELSE has written them (s/o Iggy Azalea). It's about YOU saying the LYRICS because YOU have been through it and you MEAN it, and YOU want to be heard, AND you have the TALENT.

Just the ability to deliver lyrics in a dope way is not what Rap and Hip Hop Music is supposed to be. Cool, you have great rhythm AND an affinity for Hip Hop. And yes, the ability to recite some rhymes with some style is part of what makes a good MC, but that is not even the half of it. How about you go into producing some great tracks? Or, you know, take up ACTUAL DJing and learn how to scratch vinyl in a way that is so original you make everybody wanna get down to it. And I do not mean just pushing buttons on your laptop in the club guys, thats not effing DJing.

Or, you know what? You could start dancing. Or creating artwork. You could start designing clothing lines, or shoes. Make a MF slipper line, i don't care.. anything else. Best yet, you could just stay a fan and allow the people who are gifted, talented, and the best to do it professionally. Use your "dope" recitation to sing along to your stereo. Go on and get funky on the mic during karaoke night. But if you can't write good songs, have nothing to say, and are okay with being a puppet for record companies... you should stick to karaoke, or start cover band. Because that's all you are.

I am not saying don't try. Hip Hop is about self-confidence and putting your shit out there, so go ahead and see if you got it. But as a society we have GOT to stop allowing stupid people to get famous.

We are rewarding the business-savvy over the musical-savvy. I'm not trying to knock the hustle, good for you .. gotta do you, booboo..But we have a serious responsibility as hip hop fans and as a part of the culture to uphold a certain (very, very high) standard and level of respect for those who did it before us.

We have got to STOP promoting the non-MC's on the microphone, and start steering hip hop back to what it SHOULD be. It's seriously disgracing hip hop and rap's roots and slapping those who started it and did it correctly right in the face.

Hip Hop is not a style of music. It's a style of LIFE.

Quit watering it down.

Consider this an INTERVENTION. Sit up, open your mind and allow Method Man, Redman and I to remind you about real hip hop music. MF.

1. REDMAN & METHOD MAN AROSE FROM HIP HOPS ROOTS

Super Power Number One: Rising to be the king of their blocks in the early 90's was no simple feat, but a true testament to their background, abilities and dedication to the craft.

At a time when block parties were bumping from corner to corner, and MC's were hungry for their chance to prove their worth on the mic, only the best of the best won, and only the best of that got notoriety.

It wasnt luck, and it wasnt because they were begging for a record deal. It was because they WERE the real deal.

This was at a time when word of mouth spread the gossip, not cell phones and internet. It was personal.. all day, every day. You looked a dude in his eye and you spit it off the dome, and the crowd would let you know if you were hot or not.

They are the opposite of the Studio artists we have popularized today, who have only practiced what they have been writing to the same beats over and over, and never been truly putting their MC skills to test.

Not only were they successful in gaining notoriety throughout the blocks for being witty with the rhymes, but they were coming at it with such raw, intense, uncut flow. That's why they slayed MC's. Not just because they talked about having 'swag' but because they were creating the definition of the word before anyone even knew about it.

Here is an early freestyle from Redman with his fellow Def Squad member Keith Murray (whom I didn't trim out because he is better than almost all the rappers you listen to today) and it shows what's up.

That's what true flow on the microphone does, and Red and Meth both had it.. and still do.

2. MAKE BANGING HIP HOP RECORDS

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Super Power Number Two: Not only are they good in a freestyle battle, they can spit track after track of that hardcore, original flow.

They incorporate their rough, rugged rapping into sounds and beat styles that are marketable to all different types of crowds.

They are able to do this because they make well-rounded hip hop records, with appealing production and purposeful lyrics. They are infectious, catchy, clever and impressive... and it makes you want to listen to them again and again.

Each of they're unique, original sound is comparable to NONE and could never be duplicated.

When you make good music, the songs can never be over-played or out-dated. (within reason.. I know I can play the shit out of some tracks, but once you cool it for a minute eventually they come back around and they'll still bump fresh)

Here's a classic single from each of them, to remind you exactly what it is I am talking about that is completely vacant from the hip hop game today:

This is Redman- Tonight's Da Night



And here's Method Man- Bring The Pain



Some people are great at Battle Rapping and Freestyling. Some people are great at song writing and story telling. And there are a few people great at both.. and two of em are Red and Meth.

Also noteworthy in this hiphop superhero tool belt, is the fact that Redman does a lot of the producing on their records as well. He puts together all the skits and perfects the album down to the last details, which is just another thing that make them lethal weapons in the hip hop world and true to their craft.

3. THE GREATEST SUPER HEROES ARE DUOS

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So since we have established that they are independently successful, talented and original... How about we address the fact they link together to form one of the greatest Hip Hop duos of ALL TIME.

We all know that Batman had Robin.. and they did quite well. But Robin was all like, comfortable being in the shadows and sh*t. And Batman had most of the skill set, Robin would just come into play where Batman lacked.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THIS IN THE METHOD MAN AND REDMAN DYNAMIC.

Both have sustainable skill level and talent to be their own act, but the fact that they have come together and successfully blended their unique styles together and created something even GREATER is seriously awesome.

It's like having Yin AND Yang. But then Yin becomes Yang, and Yang becomes Yin.

Or having Earth and Wind and when they come together they make ICE-COLD FIRE.

Fa reeaalll though. It's everything.

It's like the Ultimate Dualism of the Nature of the Universe. They come together and creating the MF infinity sign. Out of space-time. Transcending astro-planes.

Or like having two accepted gods of the universe. Where both are equally powerful, equally likable and equally the shit.. and no one could ever choose one over the other, because together they are the ultimate. The Alpha & the Omega, and everything in between.

Together, their energy and talent feeds off each other, and the result is elevated ingenuity, flavor and execution.

It's like the mic is a wrestling ring, and they were a tag team. One dude is in there just going hard as hell, beating MF ass. Then he tags the other guy in, and he jumps down and just continues the annihilation in a whole different way but is whooping that ASS just as supremely. A real life Dynamic Duo.

Insane, untamed and unbeatable.

4. TICAL

Next up in the Super arsenal that requires further examination is the Method Man himself.

We talked about his rise in Hip Hop during a time when you had to be the best of the best, and how he can spit fire into hit records.

HOW-mf-EVER, the way that Johnny Blaze controls the beat with every word he is spitting is a whole other category in itself. Meth invents insane ways to go up, down, around, inside and outside the beat..all while he is rhyming. It's unique, sick, and unlike anything we have ever heard. Sometimes it's not just inner rhyming, it's multiple inner rhymes that may end up in a different spot in the beat on the next bar, and it works out effing incredibly. He creates an entirely unheard of dynamic within his own flow. It's difficulty to fully digest the complexity of the shit he is doing with such ease... and attitude. His mind is doing very strange and amazing things with the music he hears.

Oh and the content in his lyrics? Just as psycho as their placement.

Violent, complex, fully-loaded, clever and the nothing shy of the works of a genius. When he lets loose, his rhymes creep through your skull and it's like a hip hop nuclear blast to your undeserving neurons.

His delivery dances all over the beat, but its done with near-perfect purpose and oozes personality. If you watch him rap he is dipping and ducking and stepping to the half beat, and criss-crossing long arms across the beat and you know can see how deeply, and uniquely he is feeling the music and what he is saying. All the while he is eying you up and down like he knows he 's got the power to kill you with what he's got coming off his tongue next.

The Method Tical One controls his words so expertly; He's just patiently slinging bars at you with a thick, slashing tongue and a snarled lip. His voice is deep, raw while still retaining warmth. He is changing pitch and manipulating syllables all with his throat, and then he's making the rest of the sound with is tongue. AND:

An absolutely crucial, LETHAL aspect of the Method Man's vocals is the lisp.

Yo, Meth rocks that lisp so hard and so sexually that it needs to be honored in museums and studied by leading scientists, of this planet and all the others, in a quest to discover the true origin of the 'Tical' and his powers.

No, but in all honesty, the reason his voice has such a distinct touch of smooth off the end of his rough rhyming style is that beautiful, perfect front tooth that justtttttt gets in the way. Magic. Pure magic.

An additional testament to the unearthly skills of the Ticallion Stallion is the fact that he is of of the only artists to appear on the albums of both of Hip Hops most coveted artists: Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. I believe Bone Thugs were featured on one of both artists albums, but I know the only featured artist besides Biggie Smalls himself on his debut album Ready to Die was Method Man. And since we no longer are able to cherish and appreciate those two legends live and current, we should AT LEAST be taking special notice of their posthumous message, which I take to be: Method Man is the MF truth.



And since we are lucky enough to still be blessed with Meth, this under-appreciation, failure to recognize and the lack of active praise of the man needs to stop.

Understand?

5. FUNK DOCTA SPOCK

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Now we must OF COURSE examine the Funk Doctor's powers on the mic as well.

Redman has a flow that is so smooth and just flirtatious as f*ck with the beat. He is ALL OVER the beat, sprinkling it with ridiculous amounts of fat, nasty funk. He jams seriously clever combinations and metaphors into his rhymes. He is sending punch line after punch line at you live, direct and straight for your MF neck.... He gives it to you raw and dirty, but at the same time is able to manipulate them in such a way that it still gives off a sense of humor. It makes his records contagious and fun to listen to.

There is something about the way air flows through his mouth and nasal cavity that's extraordinary. I dont know if it is something he had to play with and perfect over time; if it's a chronic sinus issue, or a deviated septum, if he doesn't like taking allergy medication and stays around dogs, or if it is just a miraculous gift to us from the sweet, sweet, Universe.. but the acoustic resonation of his voice is appealing and hits hella easy on the ears, especially when you consider the hard, dirty manner in which he is giving it to you. Truly one of a kind.

When the Doc is spitting at you the amount of vocal control coming from his throat is phenomenal. Whether its on purpose, a natural born godsend or further proof of his galactic origins-- it feels a little like magic. You can tell the rhymes are coming from his stomach, and he is echoing his lyrics at you with a loud mouth that is somehow able to keep up and keep a steady, strong voice throughout his flow. I don't know how he's able to manipulate the air flow to accommodate that insane lyrical delivery, but the result is a well-executed regurgitation of filthy, funky fire. He taps his fingers in the air like the beat is a piano.. and it looks like he's playing the shit out of it. It just shows how intricate, controlled and complex his lyrics and delivery are.

The energy that transmits from his rhymes cuts so clear and distinct through the speakers it penetrates even the most dense of skulls, which is a tricky characteristic to perfect. Oftentimes if you spit too complex and quick a lot of people are too slow to comprehend just how sick the rhymes are, and how deep the lyrics are turning around internally and externally.

This isn't just someone saying rhymes. These are things called skills. Something that apparently has become easily overlooked in hip hop today.

Funk Doc's grimy flow- when coupled with that appealing tone that one cannot help but perceive- is truly an otherworldly paradox, and will never be fully understood but will always be admired.

Here is one of his earliest freestyles to give you a peak at Red's raw, dirty flavor and the ingenuity of his lyrics so enjoy.



In an interview with Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg & Cipha Sounds Juan Epsteins Show they stated that Redman is "every rapper's favorite rapper" and that he is on everybody who comes through their show's top five.

So anyone who knows what the f*ck is up, recognizes Red got it.

6. SHAOLIN MASTERS OF THE WU-TANG SWORD

As if the idea of Red and Meth fighting battles with their backs to one another isn't intimidating enough to ward off all those who may attempt to combat the dynamic super duo, the looming threat of a Clan of the fiercest warriors will always play on any challengers' decision to attempt to face the Method Man and Redman.

For the mighty Wu-Tang will ALWAYS have their back.

If Red and Meth are the Super Hero Duo of Hip Hop, then Wu-Tang Clan is like the Justice League. Or the Avengers. Or the Guardians of the Galaxy. Whichever you find most lethal..

Method Man is an original member of the infamous Wu-Tang Clan. Together, the Wu Tang have established themselves worldwide (in this dimension and the next, if you ask ODB) as the greatest, most influential Hip Hop Group of all time.

Wu Tang is loaded top to bottom with mighty warriors from the slums of Shaolin. They wield the Wu Tang sword viciously and violently at anyone who attempts to breach the brotherhood of the Clan. The Wu Tang have fought and conquered many battles, and have risen to victory and success from nothing but their minds, spirits and unity. No entity, no matter it's origin, could ever come between to break the bond between the brothers of the Wu.

Although rumors have surfaced several times over their more that 20 year span of dominance, those who know the Wu Tang way, know that Wu Tang is FOREVER (and Drake needs to STFU with that sh*t).

In an interview last spring Method Man was asked if he was still down with the Wu, and if everything was all good with the Clan. He replied by saying,

"That's funny everybody always ask that cause they don't actually see us together. But yeah, I mean we grandfathered in... there ain't no out of Wu Tang."

In an interview done November 25, 2014 by Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone, RZA addressed questions about Wu Tang's status to which he answered:

"There's a [Wu-Tang] tattoo right here [pats left shoulder]. Where I grew up, they said, "Don't put no tattoos on your body." It was all strict, strict shit. But if I get to heaven and God says, "You have a tattoo," I'll say "My left arm was Wu-Tang's. Take my arm — I'll go without it."

So. Obviously people underestimate the intelligence and integrity of the Wu Tang if they keep doubting the solidarity and brotherhood that grounds them together, no matter the physical or emotional distance between them today.

I heard rumors that when most of the Clan was living in the Wu mansion back in the golden era, a Kung Fu master would visit the house and teach them all ancient warrior battle and peace teachings. So if anyone thinks these guys are just calling themselves a Clan cause they came up together is ignorant. Wu Tang adopted many of the teachings of Islam, Mathematics, and even studied under Chess Masters. These guys adopted a mentality and way of approaching life- and all of it's obstacles- that is deeper and more withstanding than any business disagreement or creative tiff that may arise.

In that same interview, RZA was quoted as saying, "..Wu Tang is before us and will be after us."

Wu Tang is a true brotherhood- a CHOSEN brotherhood- and that shit is forever. (once again, f*ck you Drake).

To strengthen the connections our Super Duo have with the Shaolin Warriors, Wu Tang Clan has openly embraced Redman as being as close to a member as one could ever be.

In addition to Wu Tang affiliation, Redman is a member of the Def Squad, which includes hip hop heavyweights Erick Sermon and Keith Murray. They have adopted Method as a honorary brother as well, and the hip hop force of them together is enough to disintegrate... well anyone who'd be dumb enough to try to take them on, I guess.

Def Squad + RED&MEF + WuTang = most lethal squad on Earth (and beyond)

7. GREATEST LIVE PERFORMERS... OF ALL TIME

Oooo yeah I used the words 'of all time'... and guess what? HELL YEAH I MEANT IT.

Without a doubt. Ever. The Greatest Hip Hop performance. Of. All. Time.

As one of the most obvious Super Powers in the Meth & Red Super tool belt, their live performance is seriously LEGENDARY.

Where today people are more focused on things like pyrotechnics, sexy background dancers and over-paid hype-men.. Meth and Red require none of that superfluous noise.

At a Method Man and Redman Show there are ZERO stage props, ZERO dazzling (distractive) pyrotechnic displays, and ZERO costumes and fancy outfits.

Meth and Red are some of the last artists to pay homage to and respect GENUINE showmanship.

All Mef and Red need is TWO TURNTABLES AND A MICROPHONE (each).. sooo FOUR TURNTABLES AND TWO MICROPHONES.

And a DOPE crowd. As long as you SHOW UP, they are gonna SHOW OUT.

It is with those things and ONLY those things, they put on the GREATEST LIVE HIP HOP SHOW THAT WILL EVER TRANSPIRE.

They are true artists, and true showmen. Meth and Red focus on the MUSIC. They focus on the ENERGY they can harness from the crowd, and then happily hurl the energy right back in their face. They have genuine respect for their craft, and understand the value and importance in putting on a great show.

That rhythm (and them crotch grabs) though..

8. GREATEST LIVE PERFORMERS: PART TWO

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Well. I had to break it into segments for easier digestion AND because live performance is. EVERYTHING.

As you could clearly absorb from that last little clip from their concert, these dudes require little special effects and rely solely on the energy of the crowd (this just screams 'Super Power' ..am i right?)

EVEN GREATER on their list of powers is the FLAWLESS EXECUTION and DELIVERY of their INSANE rhymes.

It's one thing to be able to come up with the shit they are saying once. But its even greater to be able to perfect and add to it each time you spit it. These dudes KILL the songs EVERY TIME. It's probably because they aren't from here. They are from outer (deep) space and just visiting our unworthy selves to give us the gracious gift of real hip hop. So APPRECIATE this greatness while we have it. And GOOD GAWD just watch this shit:

THAT is what an MC does.

Meth and Red have stated that they like to perform at smaller venues. They appreciate a more intimate setting, love to make it personal with the crowd, and are always interacting with them; they are going to have as good of a time as you let them. When a shared understanding of good hip hop and real MC's is understood, the love and energy transferred within the venue is beyond electric.. more like straight magic.

Meth and Red are always jumping around, baiting the audience, and having them help finish the lyrics.. if the energy from the crowd is worthy-enough it seems like a Meth and Red concert is just one big party where everyone shares and flourishes in the love and the vibes of great Hip Hop music. And just JAMS TF out.

Meth and Red are on stage ebbing and flowing, dipping, diving, two-stepping, doing funky, grimy moves I don't even know how to describe; They are zigging, zagging, ripping verses, jumping up and down, kicking, punching, popping, snapping, screaming... it has got to be impossible to sit still through a Redman Method Man concert.

If you don't get on your feet and groove-- and aren't paraplegic-- you are bad at this thing called life, and need to just come visit me so I can help you out. And if that's the case, I'm guessing you probably listen to a lot of Taylor Swift. And Miley Cyrus' Bangerz album was hella ill, right? Got that Soulja Boy poster on your wall too, I'm guessing? No.. just a hand-drawn 'Free Chief Keef' one? Oh yea.. you cold.



Meth and Red are throwing gallons of water, sweat towels, t-shirts, sweatbands, bandanas, hats, bracelets into the crowd... and eventually even THEMSELVES-- Literally putting everything into their shows.

Front row at a Meth and Red show is at the top of my bucket list, and it should be at the top of yours too.



They want to give as much back to the fans as the fans have given up to them, and that is awesome, honorable and WTF music should really be about.

My personal favorite part of a Red and Meth concert is the fact that they ARE NOT AFRAID TO SHAKE. THAT. ASS.



A TRUE MC not only rocks the mic, but he sets the tone of the entire building, controls and interacts with the crowd, tears the roof off the joint AND has a GREAT MF time while he's doing it.

Red and Mef epitomize this.

9. GREATEST LIVE SHOW PART 3

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Like I said, the ability to perform live is EVERYTHING. And the ability to do it so well is something that needs to be recognized, awarded and praised. Repeatedly, and for EVER.

Aside from the energy, items/bodies fortuitously thrown around, and the lyrical execution that a Redman and Method Man concert delivers each time, what else could there possibly be?

Hmm. Idk, how about the most jam packed, stacked, loaded and cocked back set list that could ever be rightfully constructed for one show.. ??

First from the arsenal is the always great, and ever-lasting solo hits that each Redman and Method Man have contributed to our Earth.

Just stopping right there makes a mad decent list, in and of itself.

But then, once we consider the number of hit records they have collaborated on as a DUO the possible set list to choose from triples. Their collaborative material is equally-- and, in my opinion, even more so-- significant and heavy-weighted as the hits from their respective solo projects.

As if that already stacked list doesn't help limit the difficult choices... Consider the open relationships Red and Meth have had with other artists, and you've created an over-whelming amount of serious HITS to choose from.

There's just a few little songy-songs.. maybe you've heard of them, IDK?



ANDDD



Never. Forget.



Ohhhh ANDDDDD yes, yes my children: Anything Wu-Tang is not off the table:



PS I might have to check out wherever TF Bristol is sometime.. damn.

WE INTERRUPT THIS IMPORTANT FEED: FIRE ALERT! RING THE ALARM! WE GOT A FIRE NEW TRACK FROM HIP HOPS FAVE NEW RAP DUO! SHIT IS HOT!!

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Nope. Can't.

If you watched more than 20 seconds I hate you.

Not rapping. Not pleasant sounding. NOT ANYTHING but bad. NONONO.

If you aren't picking up on what I am talking about yet.. that awful moaning and mumbling over non-decent, over-produced beats to compensate for a complete lack of musicianship from the artists.. well, then you need help. Mentally. And a lot of it. More than I can give you.

Moving Right Along...

10. Ambassadors of Kush

WestFestTV / Via youtu.be

The Funk Doc and Johnny Blaze also come equipped with the super power of smoking mad, maaad tree.

The ability to blaze to their level is nice, but the more important aspect of this one lies more in the mentality behind the blunt than the actual iron lungs performing the french inhale.

Before anyone else in Hip Hop was doing it- publicly at least- Red and Meth, along with B.Real and Snoop Dogg, were the first ones to throw up the middle finger and do what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it.

Risking their careers, money, potential endorsements, and their overall public image to stand up for smoking weed, Red and Meth embraced marijuana and never allowed outside pressures to change their lifestyle. This shows that they keep it 100, all the time, and are never giving you a fake Red and Meth.. but you're getting real dudes, who just happen to smoke real amounts of bud.

Once more I would like to remind you that Mef and Red are not real-life, regular people. They are artists (and Super Heroes). An artist is someone who perceives the world in different, unorthodox ways and is able to translate and express them creatively to boring, average people like us. They see, breathe, walk, talk, think as artists. If smoking gas helps them identify and perceive and express stuff.. Everyone should just leave it at that and mind their own business. They are delivering artistic music and amazing performances to us, and if burning tree happens to be a part of their creative process, it is of their opinion (and mine) that they have the right to spark the blunt.. and inhale, deeply.

Better yet, the strongest "drugs" they talk about in their music is rolling up, lighting and smoking some backwoods. I have seen several interviews where they speak out against drug use. Red and Meth said that they do not do any other drugs, and only smoke weed. They also make it clear that they find weed as herbal medicine, not just a drug, and maintain that it's not for children. So they aren't just mindlessly thuggin' through life trying to get your kids to smoke weed and do all kinds of drugs and have them eating somebody's face off, okay Paranoid Pam?

Method Man said in an interview about weed one time, "I wish somebody would have put a book in my hand instead of a blunt."

Redman has also spoken into the camera, "Do not do drugs. Drugs are bad," that kids need to "leave it to adults and professionals only."

What you all should really be worried about are "rappers" big in the industry right now who are glorifying 'popping mollies' and drinking 'molly water'. Molly can seriously mess with your brain chemistry and neurotransmitters, and has way stronger and much riskier side-effects than marijuana.

Most of these clowns are also endorsing 'lean' like crazy. And almost ALL of those people have syrup for brain-matter now, could never rap to begin with, and are just moaning into an auto-tuner making terrible music.

If you ask me, thats the real danger: Your kids might grow up listening to awful music, and drinking so much codeine they lose any hopes of having a good fashion sense, clever lyrics, or fully-functional cognition of any type. And then they'll probs just have a seizure on the airplane or jet-ski (s/o Rick Ross, s/o Wayne, s/o Sean Kingston) and that'll be really special, I'm sure.

Red and Meth are ambassadors of marijuana and marijuana only. Since they have brought weed into the open in the hip hop culture, the marijuana game has been way turned up. By familiarizing the world with their green (sometimes chocolate) marijuana lifestyle, laws have been catching up and weed is now perfectly legal in several US states. I think we can attribute the path to legalization to people like Meth and Red for standing tall and smoking that loud.

The Super Heroes of the High Life even made an instant cult-classic movie based on smoking dank and getting great results from doing so. It is super funny, and proves they have the power to rule on-screen, as well as on the mic. It also further solidifies their role and value in society as artists. These some Multi-MF-faceted individuals, aiiight?? So quit sleeping on em!

In a different approach to their weed-enhanced lifestyles, there is a large part of me that is not entirely convinced that the weed that they smoke is not equivalent to what spinach is to Popeye. And that their kryptonite tree does the exact opposite of what the kryptonite ore from Krypton does to the Superman. Perhaps the origin of all the incomprehensible, incomparable aspects of Redman and Method Man resides within' the confines of a blunt wrap.

Could the chronic be the mystery ingredient that, when mixed with their blood, gives their minds the super-power to formulate unprecedented freaky funk on the microphone?

PERHAPS it is the harsh rips of the kryptonite smoke which gives Method Man that raspy, god-like, baritone element to his voice.

PERHAPS the smoke is what gives Redman's vocal chords that dry warmth; that extra dimension to his voice that us mortal-minded inferiors have yet to be able to describe, or fully understand.

Could it be that chiefin' the reefer is what gives Meth and Red that guttural, grimy sound which makes our world a better place?

There is no way to know for sure, but if there's even a chance that their mystical powers are enhanced by the dank smoke upon which they blaze... I vote: smoke cheeba cheeba smoke cheeba cheeba


And in the immortal, sage rhetoric of the Redman himself:

IF YOU SEE A BAG OF WEED ON THE FLOOR MF, WTF YOU GON' DO??

Pick it up! Pick it up!

11. STILL DOWN WITH THE UNDERGROUND

Though they saw success early on in their careers-- for being the shit-- both Red and Meth have never allowed the money and fame (though to me they haven't gotten nearly as much as they deserve) to change their lifestyle or their musical style.

Many times after gaining any type of success in the music industry, and especially hip hop artists, the first step once you start getting paid is to move out of the hood. Some artists put down tracks as a ticket out of the hood.

Redman and Method Man still reside in the heart of their original stomping grounds. This helps them to maintain a level of humbleness and hunger, and with that their skills have only sharpened over time.

The ability to remain in the hood is a super power in itself. A lot of artists are subject to beefs in the hood from jealous cats bitter at seeing someone not from their block or that they aren't cool with getting paid and eating. Or you could stick around and get caught up in some stuff that isn't even about you and end up like Big L. But somehow Red and Meth have been able to not only stay in the hood, but they are respected and comfortable.

Smack DVD followed Redman through Brick City one night just a few years ago, and that shit was real. Redman definitely stayed in the hood, and it's how he stays fresh and relevant to this day. You can look it up on YouTube if you wanna get a taste for yourself.

A lighter look (should still check out the Smack DVD) at how Redman keeps it real is by watching his episode of MTV Cribs. If you don't remember, or didn't watch the original episode, MTV did a Retro Rewind episode and filmed his place again last year. It gives you the highlights from 2001 too, and it's pretty awesome. Go to Retro MTV if you want to check out just how real Red has been staying!

Even though Method Man could probably be dubbed as the most commercially successful member of the Wu Tang Clan, he is still one hundred percent the same dude. He has dabbled into acting in movies and television series, yet still resides in his native Staten Island. Even though he has a wife and kids, his musical style, and just all around vibe have always remained more loyal to the underground than commercial/mainstream.

This was filmed last year, and Meth takes you through Park Hill Projects where he grew up and where Wu Tang got it's roots.

Red and Meth never sacrificed their music for sales and popular trends. They have kept it with the style that they respect and want to put out (solid lyrics, original flow), and continued in faith that the music industry is going to turn around and the real MC's will be honored- as they should be- once more. And it's not that they haven't progressed their music, when people say "oh it sounds 90's": a) that's a good thing b) it probably is just well-rounded and not all hyphae, auto-tuned and pop-saturated. Like I said, Red and Meth have stayed in the hood, they know what's relevant with the underground. And honestly underground is where all the talent is right now.

The time is wayy overdue to get the real music back on top, so we gotta start giving it back to the guys who have stayed hungry, stayed grinding, stayed talented and stayed loyal to the game.

12. RIDE OR DIE

Hip Hop DX / Via youtu.be

Soooo it's pretty awesome that two of the greatest MC's can come together and create such a creative dynamic. The ability to throw it back and forth on the mic, and springboard such high-powered energy off one another on stage is rare... and to do it as well as Method Man and Redman.. well it has never been done before, period.

Creatively, there have been several comparable collaborations that come together and create a period in music history that echoes around the world. Guns N Roses, Rage Against the Machine, Journey, and all the other bands and groups in history that came together and created a new, unique sound.. only too disband after changing the game. Typically, groups and duos as stacked as GNR, Rage, Journey etc. are too volatile, loaded with too much talent. Though they came together to make something GREAT and unprecedented, they ultimately cannot withstand the test of time.

Red and Meth are a special case. They do their own albums, and do their own stuff on the side, but are able to maintain that same bond and same chemistry that they have had since day one. And if anything, since they have been riding so long together it's only getting stronger. Just like Wu-Tang, I'm thinking Red and Meth ain't nothing to f*ck with just as seriously.

Because they are true friends-- real ride or die -- they are able to make their stage presence so powerful, so kinetic, and so unbelievable. They respect each other and their work, they are fans of each others skill, and they know they are both the shit.. but there is never any ego, negativity or envy. Only love.

That is what makes their collaboration so hot, and what makes their live performance and stage presence the greatest of all time. They aren't just doing it for the paycheck, or just because they make good music together. Meth and Red are doing it because together on stage tearing the roof off the place is when they feel most alive. It's when they have the most fun, and when they are at their best.. and their performances attest to this.

Here is a fun clip from MTV Diaries back in the day that gives some insight to what the chemistry is like between them backstage and behind the scenes:

13. STILL KILLING THE GAME

Out4Fame.TV / Via youtu.be

What may be the MOST IMPORTANT reason on this list is that these dudes are still- to this day - putting out new music and tearing up stages all over the world.

Almost all other artists from the 90's era with the same type of skills level have either become too saturated, moved out of the hood, completely fell off, went crack-crazy, are doing some iron vacationing or are dead*. Mef and Red have avoided all of that.

The fact that Red and Meth aren't the highest paid and most sought after concert in America is crazy. Everybody is still riding all over Jay Z and Eminem.. and Red and Meth are in the exact same category; Red and Meth have just kept it more true to the underground flavor. They kept it grimey, but in my opinion that should be selling out just as many, if not more, stadiums.

It's almost like-- with the way they are slaying these smaller venues and niche tours-- if you make it to a Redman and Method Man concert you're a part of Hip Hop's best kept secret.

Sometimes I wonder if problems at Def Jam, and a lack of proper representation and promotion is to blame for how underrated and overlooked Redman and Method Man have become. Or if they are too rugged and raw for everyone to pick up on? Or everybody is just brainwashed by the terrible music people are polluting our streets with nowadays? But regardless of the reason we need to find the solution.. yesterday. You guys are letting the most unconscious, simple stuff win awards and get the most play... let's start using our heads a little more.

I have seen footage from concerts in America, and sometimes the love and energy is there... and sometimes I can't even watch because I am so embarrassed. You all need to start GIVING IT UP for Red and Meth or I am seriously moving to Europe. Which I don't exactly want to do. I just need y'all to step your game up and start honoring the real MC's. If we give Macklemore one more Grammy, I'm out.

They just did that concert^^^ in Berlin, and the crowd and energy was a tsunami of love and respect, and the fact that Meth and Red have to go overseas to get the energy and love they deserve is WHACK. House of Blues Cleveland gave it up, and Smoker's Club looked wild. But nothing like this. Guys.. German people? Come onnnn.

Wake up, get it together, and start giving it up for Method Man and Redman.

Quit supporting the whack wannabes, and lets SHOW UP and SHOW OUT for Redman and Method Man cause they are overdue, and well-deserving.

Or you can remain with your head in your ass, whichever you prefer.

They just did The Smoker's Club Tour with B.Real so I don't know if we'll be lucky enough to get another tour before their next stuff drops, but regardless y'all need to start f*cking with them A LOT more. Everybody should be bowing down to the super heroes of hip hop and making sure they are feeling the love they deserve.

SO that means all you better buy their albums and start tearing up their social media with love, accolades and some MF appreciation.

Method Man is working on getting his Crystal Meth album finished and put out. So MAYBE if you assholes would start showing more love, we could throw a little wood (or gas) on the fire and get him AND RZA back in the lab boiling up that sick shit so they can throw it in our faces like a Heisenberg meth lab explosion and melt us into shriveled, disfigured little hip hop creatures ready to accept the transition into the next, higher phase of life. Orrrr just so we can have something to bump to and knock some sense back into the rest of hip hop, and rejuvenate the mf game..turn it on it's head. Whichever you're feeling.

Redman has a Muddy Waters 2 on the way, and it is available right now for pre-order on his website. If you order it you get a BUNCH of sweet shit included with it, so you HAVE TO go check it out and get you some at redmansworld.com ... he is doing it RIGHT.

Here is a little taste from his Muddy Waters 2 Mixtape, the prelude:

Mef and Red have also announced that they are working on a Blackout 3 album, which is fantastic news. Now, let's all start paying homage to the realest in the game, and start sending the love and energy Redman and Method Man's way so they can get us a sick hip hop album to bump in 2015, and f*ck the world up.

Let them W's fly high, shoot some giant infraRed laser beams into the sky, or start barking at the moon and howling Suuuuuuuu...Do something, anything to get hip hop's superheroes back in full-effect to save America.

AND REMEMBER: Only YOU Can Prevent Whack MC's From Getting Famous

HIP HOP 911: RED ALERT**DR. DRE**PAGING DR. DRE**WE ARE AT A DEFCON 1*THIS IS NOT A DRILL**I REPEAT; PAGING DR. DRE WE ARE AT DEFCON-1 **IT IS TIME TO RELEASE THE DETOX*** DR. DRE WE ARE AT DEFCON 1 : RELEASE THE DETOX** THIS IS NOT A DRILL*

CALLING ALL REAL HIP HOP HEADS TO JOIN ME IN INCITING A RAP RENAISSANCE.

Anyone can write rhymes. Seriously. (lol oh wait I forgot.. apparently Iggy Azalea can't)

But it's what you are saying that lets another person see what you are about, and the type of person you are. That's the beauty of originality, and the purpose and importance of hip hop music.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good party track. But I am going to need a little more substance every once in a while, and the game has got me starving right now.

With the Grammy's on the way, I would also like to galvanize a campaign to actually move to Germany if Iggy Azalea wins best rap album this year.That Berlin crowd looked wild, I think i could deal. It was bad enough that THRIFT SHOP KIDS BOP CLOWN TOWN beat out 'GOOD KIID, MAAD CITY' last year, and I cannot take another blow like that. And i will have seriously given up on all of you, except those who are coming with me overseas. It'll be like Thug Mansion: Euro-style.

Some people that I would like shout out, because nice:

K.Dot Ab-Soul (s/o all of Black Hippy/TDE really) Mick Jenkins Joey Bada$$ Freddie GIbbs A La $oul A$AP Ferg A$AP Nast (the rest of A$AP MOB doing alright too; RIP Yams) ... and that's about all i can stomach to name. Few others are on the right track, but imma need a little more.

Fame used to be the by-product of success, and now it has become the purpose.

Making it in the industry no longer has anything to do with your skills, but has become all about your marketability and potential sales. We should be doing it like Death Row was doing it:

AND NOW that we are in the computer era, people are able to bypass the traditional institutions that were once the road blocks capable of filtering out the garbage, and the power has been put in OUR hands. Sites like WorldStar and HotNewHipHop have become free-market platforms, which enable artists to spread their music virally without a record deal. In theory this seems like a great benefit for the up-and-coming, but as I said in the beginning of this post, the result has been shallow, non-talented, and hardly-musical "artists" emitting a diarrhea of awful SINGLES, as opposed to a coordinated body of masterful work.. you know, those ancient things called LP's?!

That being said, we ALL need to act as our OWN Suge Knight and become the enormous, angry, cocky middle-man that determines if someone deserves to be put on or not. Ask yourself if this homie is able to serve Kurupt. Serve Redman, or Method Man. Could they even last 10 seconds with Nas, Snoop, Jay Z, Eminem, etc. The answer is 99% of the time going to be a hard no. If we all embrace our inner Suge, and activate some (even just a few) MF brain cells while listening to these non-MC's, we can help raise the industry standard and get the quality of Hip Hop back up to where it should be.

***Do not get me started on Tity Boi. I am saving that mess of a topic for it's own Feed***

Music- hip hop- is too important to let it remain cheapened by record labels and big businesses. Exploiting the culture for a paycheck is the furthest thing from what Hip Hop truly is.

Rap(ture): 1) an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion 2) a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion 3) a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things

The Renaissance of Rap is long overdue. Let it finally begin.

NOW: LET US PRAY TO THE 90S HIP HOP GODS

FOR

AND KEEP SCREAMING FOR IT

UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT

UNTIL THEN...

WE ONLY DOWN WITH REAL HIP HOP