People’s Party once again takes place via video chat for the latest episode with special guest Method Man. After The RZA recounted the origins of Wu-Tang Clan on People’s Party Live in April, Method Man gives his own take on the iconic hip-hop supergroup’s formation, as well as explaining how he got his own start as a solo artist before his fateful meeting with The RZA.
Meth explains how he wrote “Method Man,” his formal introduction to the world from Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the group’s groundbreaking debut album. He says the inspiration came to him while he and Cappadonna were on an all-night drug trip listening to Hall & Oates. The chorus of “Method Of Love” became the basis for the hook on “Method Man,” while the rhymes derived from Meth incorporating pop culture references like Fat Albert.
He also explains how comic books and Saturday matinees of Shaw Brothers kung-fu movies opened the group’s minds to RZA’s Eastern philosophies and approach to “strength in numbers.” “I’ll let you in on a little Wu-Tang trivia,” he says. “Wu-Tang originally was just supposed to be GZA, RZA, and Ol’ Dirty… [“Protect Ya Neck”] was supposed to be a bunch of friends from around the way spitting on this record. Being the scientist that he is, RZA said, “Let’s see if we can attack it like that.” RZA had to overcome some dissent from GZA, who snuck subliminal shots at RZA’s process into their debut, but eventually the crew became the foundation for an entire movement of grimy, lyrically-focused hip-hop from New York. The rest, as they say, is history.
Watch a preview of Method Man’s People’s Party interview above and catch the full episode on Monday, June 29.
People’s Party is a weekly interview show hosted by Talib Kweli with big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. Subscribe via Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.