Wu Tang Clan: The Avengers of Hip Hop - with Method Man

Summary

Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know - Episode Summary

Episode Title: Wu Tang Clan: The Avengers of Hip Hop - with Method Man
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Host: 186k Films
Guest: Method Man

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1. Introduction

In this engaging episode of Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know, Hasan sits down with the legendary hip hop artist Method Man of the Wu Tang Clan to delve deep into the origins, evolution, and enduring legacy of hip hop. The conversation spans from the cultural significance of Wu Tang Clan to personal anecdotes about aging in the music industry, personal health, and the dynamics of maintaining a groundbreaking group over decades.

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2. Wu Tang Clan and Hip Hop Legacy

Method Man opens the discussion by likening the Wu Tang Clan to "the Avengers of hip hop," highlighting their influential role in redefining the genre. Hasan emphasizes the multifaceted career of Method Man, noting his transition from music to acting with roles in acclaimed series and films such as The Wire, Oz, and Poker Face.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (00:46):

"Stay dangerous, because when you are, you're aware. And if you're part of the danger, you can see the danger around you as well."

This metaphor encapsulates the proactive and vigilant nature of the group's approach to their craft and legacy.

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3. Origin and Evolution of Hip Hop

The conversation shifts to the 50th anniversary of hip hop, tracing its roots back to DJ Kool Herc's seminal party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx on August 11, 1973. Method Man reflects on the unique confluence of cultural, social, and economic factors in New York City that birthed hip hop as a powerful outlet for creativity and expression amidst hardship.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (04:37):

"What better outlet to have than something that you can call your own. And at that point in time, hip hop was something that New York could call its own."

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4. Hip Hop Culture vs. Punk Rock

Hasan draws parallels between hip hop and punk rock, particularly their shared anti-establishment ethos and DIY spirit. Method Man agrees, discussing how both genres provided a raw and irreverent platform for youth to express their frustrations and aspirations.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (09:40):

"I'm tired of folks... it's like we got a demo tape and don't nobody want to hear. But it's like this. The south got something to say."

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5. Aging in Hip Hop

A significant portion of the dialogue centers on aging within a genre often associated with youth. Method Man shares his experiences of staying relevant by engaging with younger artists and maintaining an active presence in both music and fitness. He underscores the importance of bridging generational gaps to preserve the culture.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (11:58):

"I fall in love with it because it made me feel like I wasn't a loser, you know, it made me feel like I had some discipline."

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6. Personal Health and Self-Preservation

Method Man candidly discusses his fitness journey, emphasizing self-preservation as a cornerstone of his personal philosophy. He reflects on how discipline in maintaining physical health translates to mental resilience and the ability to support his community.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (12:19):

"Self preservation first and foremost. Yeah. And I know that's it's not selfish, because if you can't take care of yourself, there's no way you can take care of the people around you."

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7. Family and Legacy

The conversation takes a heartfelt turn as Method Man shares moments about his family, including his grandchild meeting his great-grandmother. These personal stories underscore the importance of legacy and the continuity of family across generations.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (26:36):

"You have an incredible career, not only working on it. Yeah. Your acting career truly is blossoming."

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8. Wu Tang’s Business Model and Group Dynamics

Delving into the business side, Method Man explains the innovative structure of Wu Tang Enterprises, allowing individual members to pursue solo careers while maintaining the unity of the group. This strategy revolutionized artist collectives, enabling greater creative and financial autonomy.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (30:00):

"We literally changed the game because there was no deal like that prior to us."

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9. Hip Hop and Beef Culture

Addressing the often tumultuous landscape of hip hop rivalries, Method Man advocates for keeping conflicts contained and elevating competition to artistic expression rather than personal animosity. He reminisces about past tensions, emphasizing the need for mediation and understanding to prevent escalation.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (37:15):

"It's always been there. But again, we've always had people that can mediate and bring the sides together."

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10. Current Projects and Musical Interests

Method Man discusses his ongoing projects, including acting roles and new musical collaborations. He also reveals unexpected musical interests, such as his appreciation for Frankie Valli and 80s glam rock, showcasing his diverse tastes beyond hip hop.

Notable Quote:
Method Man (43:07):

"That's a guilty pleasure of mine. Grease too."

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11. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with reflections on Wu Tang Clan's final tour, celebrating their 30-year legacy in hip hop. Hasan and Method Man express mutual appreciation for each other's contributions to their respective fields, leaving listeners with a sense of admiration for Wu Tang's enduring impact.

Final Notable Quote:
Method Man (44:42):

"Yeah, man. This was such a beautiful conversation."

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This episode offers a comprehensive exploration of hip hop's roots, its cultural significance, and the personal journeys of those who have shaped the genre. Method Man's insights provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the complexities and triumphs within the world of hip hop.

Transcript

[Hasan Minhaj]

Hey, it's Hasan. If you're like me, you're always looking for conversations that go beyond the headlines. Something smarter, deeper, and more honest about the way politics, identity, and power show up in our daily lives. That's why I want to tell you about say More, the chart Topping podcast from the Boston Globe. It's hosted by Shirley Leung, a journalist who's not afraid to ask the tough questions or being real to the mic. Every week, she sits down with fellow journalists, columnists, and change makers to break down what's happening in Boston and how it connects to bigger issues we're all facing across the country. Follow say More from the Boston Globe. Wherever you get your podcasts. Lemonada.

[Method Man]

We had a saying where, you know, we would be like, peace, be safe. But then we heard Nipsey say, stay dangerous. And I never understood it for a minute. Right. But then when I finally understood, hit me like a ton of bricks. Stay dangerous, because when you are, you're aware. And if you're part of the danger, you can see the danger around you as well. When you carry yourself like a king, you will be.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I don't need to get you up to speed on Method Man's illustrious music career. He is a hip hop legend who redefined the genre as a part of the Wu Tang Clan. But music isn't even Method Man's main gig anymore. My man has been killing it as an actor. He has starred in the Wire, Oz, Power, Book 2 Ghost, and just this year, you can see him in Poker Face and the new film Bad Shabbos. So we talked a little bit about acting, but come on, it's Method Man. I had some burning questions about hip hop that had to be addressed. Like, what is it like getting old in a music genre so associated with youth? What really happened at the 95 Source Awards? In what music would people be shocked to know that Method man with. Give you a hint, it rhymes with Grease 2. It's Grease 2. I couldn't figure out a rhyme there. Look, Method man loves the Grease 2 soundtrack. I think it's safe to say you guys are the Avengers of hip hop.

[Method Man]

I love that. I love that. I love that. Before that, we were the X Men, in my opinion.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Really?

[Method Man]

Yeah. Yeah. Because you never. I mean, Wu Tang is such a huge crew. There are members that people aren't even familiar with. And not to mention, we have kids now that are following on the legacy, so. Right. You never know.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So it's almost like, yeah, like the Charleston years.

[Method Man]

Every time they mature, they turn into this Wu Tang. Killer beat. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah. Well, also, by the way, fun fact, you're literally in the mcu. You're in season one of Luke Cage. I am canon, where you play yourself.

[Method Man]

I am canon in the mcu. That was dope, though. That was chaos. Hadari Koka, he. He hooked me up with that right there. But, you know, I was eventually gonna get there anyway in some capacity.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Two years ago, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop. Hip hop came out of a very specific place at a very specific time. The day, literally, August 11, 1973.

[Method Man]

Wow.

[Hasan Minhaj]

At 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc threw a party and played breakbeats on turntables. What do you think it was about that place in that time that led to that moment? Because I'm just blown away that it's actually documented.

[Method Man]

Oh, I. You know what? It was something about the New York mystique in those years. I say even the 60s through the 80s, it was a lot of things happening. It was like New York was the mecca of all things. Not just the fact that we were a melting pot for, you know, everything that came from Europe comes through New York, period. Not just that, but fashion, music, lingo, everything was flowing through New York. A beautiful time to be a creative. So you have all this. All these things happening at once. What was the question again?

[Hasan Minhaj]

My question was, what do you think it was about New York City in that place and time? Because meth. The reason why this is important is I don't know if there's a documented start time of rock and roll music.

[Method Man]

Okay.

[Hasan Minhaj]

A start time of jazz.

[Method Man]

Like, yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You know, people are like, yeah, yeah, during this era it existed. Or when Elvis Presley performed. Yeah, this was rockin. But this is so interesting that it was actually identified of like, this is.

[Method Man]

The big point I'm trying to make.

[Hasan Minhaj]

The big bang moment.

[Method Man]

This is the point I'm trying to make. Okay, so it was a lot of gang activity going on at this time too. Right. And a lot of struggle going on. And they say some of the best music comes out of struggle. Now, the amazing part is these are just kids with ideas. Herc was just a kid. Think about it. And he had an epiphany or maybe an idea or just something. Just a light went off and there was this moment. I love the fact that it's documented, but that's just the documented part of it. We don't know if it started there, but it was documented at that point, which is a great lifting point. For or launch. Launching point for this genre. Now, he had an idea, and the kids, the people that identified with that, loved it. Because we're in a time of hardship right now. Nobody's really eating, everybody's broke. And partying is an outlet. Let's just say that music is an outlet. It always is. What better outlet to have than. Than something that you can call your own? And at that point in time, hip hop was something that New York could call its own. And the fact that it's branched out to where it is now just speaks volumes. Not to just, you know, the people that started it, but the movement itself.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah. And it was seen as a fad.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

For decades.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Like this thing isn't gonna last.

[Method Man]

Absolutely.

[Hasan Minhaj]

At its core, what is hip hop to you?

[Method Man]

Hip hop to me, first off, is a culture. It's a way of life. It's the way you talk, it's the way you dress, it's the way you act, it's the way present yourself. And the beauty of it is, as an emcee, sometimes you only get 16 bars to tell your story. How well can you do that in 16 bars? And there are some people that have done some incredible 16 bar verses that we know who they are now. You know what I mean? Hip hop to me is the embodiment of the struggle that it came from. Hip hop to me is black music. Black music, let's just say it right now. This is music. Okay. Now it's black music, man. And it came from kids. That's the most. That's the part I want everyone to really think about.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah. DJ Kool Herc was essentially a child. Yeah. Young man.

[Method Man]

Absolutely. And even us as OGs now in the game, I still listen to some of the young cats. This is the correlation that I'm trying to make right now, where it's like there's a divide between the young and the old in the hip hop game. I wish there was a category for older hip hop, because as we get older, we get wiser and we get better, but that we don't have an audience with us or our audience has moved on and their grandfathers and grandmothers now, things of that nature. But these kids have the ears now if they're a way to plug in with them or at least listen to them. Right. Then we could bridge a lot of those gaps. Yeah. This is why I listen to a lot of the younger cats.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Were you at Nas's 50th birthday?

[Method Man]

No.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay, I want to give a quick shout out to Nas. But my man Chris Rock. Chris Rock gave this speech at Nas's 50th birthday.

[Method Man]

Chris is good at that, about what.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Hip hop music is to him. And I'd love your opinion on that. Okay, let's take a look.

[Method Man]

Hip hop music.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Rap music, always remember the first art form created by free black men. Everything else, rock and roll, jazz, the blues, created by slaves or niggas living in slave like conditions. Hip hop is created by free black men. And no one, no one lives their.

[Method Man]

Freedom like the black men and women in this room right now. Okay, killed that, killed that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Is that what it means to you?

[Method Man]

Absolutely. You can't dispute the truth, man. And. And it's funny because there are a lot of people that claim to be the inventors of rock and roll. And then you have people that say that rock and roll was born from jazz, and then you say jazz, people that say jazz was born from blues. And it just goes on and on and on. But what is the foundation of it? And no one can tell you, this is why it's wonderful that we can document where hip hop started at. Yeah. And where it's going. I mean, Chris, he murdered that right there. Free black men. That's amazing. And he's right.

[Hasan Minhaj]

We were talking about this before, which was I had a lot of friends growing up that were into punk music. And punk music was very much about in your face, in your face, irreverent, raw expression, but also a little anarchistic.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Like fuck the system.

[Method Man]

Yeah. Fuck the establishment.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Fuck the establishment, Absolutely. I felt like. And I don't know if you feel this way. Do you feel like Wu Tang was very much like punk music in that way? It was a very DIY experiment.

[Method Man]

I think that punk music was at a point where it was like such an underground genre that was getting so huge that it affected hip hop in the way that we got a Public enemy. You know what I mean? People that used the music to talk against the establishment. I remember a time where there was a group of MCs that came together. They were different groups, but they all came together for one message. Black Love, Red, Black and Green. We were all wearing beads and things. Native tongues, just to keep it a Buck De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Moni Love, Queen, Latif, a bunch of them, Q Tip, Tribe Called Quest, all of them. Beautiful movement right there. But then something flipped, you know what I mean? But again, you had a Public Enemy, you had even Chub Rock, you had a plethora of dudes like Lakim Shabazz, Poor Righteous teachers that were teaching the truth through music. And again, punk rock with them going against the establishment, it just had a nice beat to it. And kids could just wig the fuck out and do what the fuck they wanted to do. But they had that same feeling, that same fucking rage, right, that made them want to lash out at the people that were causing them said rage or the people that they felt were the culprits of their misery. You know what I mean? And this is the only way we can lash out. So be it. And it's a great fucking release, man. I love that correlation.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So you're 54, and one of the things I love about what you're saying is you want to tap in. You're like, I still listen to what the young musicians are doing.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I was telling. We were chatting before you got here, where I was like, man, hip hop is old enough to now have to go get a colonoscopy. Like, honestly, like, it's got to take blood pressure medication. It's got to stretch out. Got to do stuff for the lumbar support, right? Yeah, it's real, but it's just like seeing old punk heads. Like, there is something weird about seeing a dude in his, you know, maybe 50s or 60s with a Mohawk. It'd be a weird thing.

[Method Man]

It's crazy. A lot of their skin look like leather, bro. I ain't gonna lie. Yeah, yeah, Facts.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But what do you do with that? So there is this youth, you know, anti system movement that you feel in your 20s, but now that you're in your 50s, you have wisdom on your side as well. What would you say to that rage that you felt as a young man in your 20s, now that you have that wisdom? This is where I feel like that bridge could happen.

[Method Man]

Shit, you know what I say? Embrace that shit. I remember we used to. We had a saying where, you know, we would be like, peace, be safe. But then we heard Nipsey say, stay dangerous. And I never understood it for a minute, right? But then when I finally understood, hit me like a ton of bricks. Stay dangerous. Because when you are, you're aware. And if you're part of the danger, you can see the danger around you as well, right? So when we taken out of our element, I'm losing it here. But when we're taken out of our element and we have to assimilate into this society, we have to stay dangerous. Because if we're not, we're gonna get caught unaware, and then we're just a pawn being used. When you carry yourself Like a king you will be.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It's interesting, man. There's a lot of conversation about where America's at. And I have a lot of people that have given up on the idea of America. And one of the things I've always wanted to tell those people, especially in, I would call it progressive politics of like, where are we going? If you should ask anybody, you should ask Black Americ America because they're the. The only ones to tell you as true Americans what America is and where the we are going. I'm asking you for you personally, Method man. When you look at the what, what is the point and where are we going?

[Method Man]

I don't know. You know what? It's scary.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I'm kind of asking you like your master shifu in Canada, but for real.

[Method Man]

Like, I don't do politics or anything like that. But I could say this. I had a sense of calm the four years prior to this establishment coming in. It was a sense of calm. I felt. I didn't feel overwhelmed like I do now, and the four years before, the last four years, I felt a bit overwhelmed. The world is changing. And the thing that scares me the most is you're just one person. How do you fix it? You can't. How do you get allies to help you fix it? Who the fuck knows? Because if they're. If they were there, it would already be an effect of what's happening. But I do trust that there are some people with our best interests at heart. And I never like putting my life in the hands of another person. But sometimes it's necessary. I mean, we take planes, you know, shit like that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah, yeah.

[Method Man]

There are people that can speak truth to power, that are way more articulate than I am and can convey my thoughts in a manner that is understandable in a political forum. So I don't know where we're at right now. Right now I'm like everyone else. I'm sitting on the. On the. On the edge of my seat with the popcorn, waiting for the next ball to drop. Like, what's going to happen next? Right? Or what's going to. What are they going to do next? You know, angry. Absolutely angry. Angry at the fact that people have this choice and they squander it with emotions, not intellect. People will vote angry as opposed to voting with their heads. And I'm not. This is just a matter of opinion, by the way, because you never know and shit. But I feel like we're doing ourself an injustice. Every time we don't speak truth to power, people will Definitely take advantage of you. It's like working in a working environment and you're doing your job exceptionally well, thinking, well, I'm going to advance in the company. But what actually happens is you get all the work piled on you because they feel like you can handle it, and you get no promotion or any credit for it. You're just a worker that works extra hard. That's. That's pretty much it. And you can't. I hate to say it, but the way things are looking, it's only gonna get worse. I'm not a pessimist or an optimist.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Well, you don't even have the option to be pessimist. You literally have kids and grandkids.

[Method Man]

Absolutely.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You know, like, nihilism isn't a choice anymore. Look, man, I'm asking you this because I'm asking myself this question, to be honest, which is, you know, I'm a child of immigrants, so we came here by choice. But I'm really trying to figure out what am I building towards and what is my personal responsibility?

[Method Man]

Well, self preservation, first and foremost. Yeah. And I know that's it's not selfish, because if you can't take care of yourself, there's no way you can take care of the people around you. So your tribe, you keep your tribe tight. You keep your tribe informed. And as the years goes on and whoever your tribe comes into contact with, they still have that moral code that you instilled in them and maybe it spreads, who knows? And I think that's part of it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So for you, you're like, I set up myself and my family.

[Method Man]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Kindness to others, kindness to oneself.

[Method Man]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And that's your community and tribe that you have.

[Method Man]

Self preservation first brother.

[Hasan Minhaj]

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[Hasan Minhaj]

Speaking of self preservation, I gotta give you props. I don't know if you're doing this by design, but on ig, you're flooding it. You doing workouts? Yeah. Pull down. You're doing pull ups, full extension.

[Method Man]

I feel so motivated, right, That I just want to make it simple enough for everybody to just say, why the fuck not? Because that's how I approached it. Like, why, why, why aren't I in the gym?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Were you an athlete?

[Method Man]

No. Well, when I was younger, like, as a young man, I played lacrosse and I played football. I did. I did.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Method Man]

Four years of lacrosse, five years of football.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Holy.

[Method Man]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Long. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Oh, long. Oh, with some sticks, baby. Oh, all right. Okay.

[Method Man]

So, I mean, and I didn't take to working out, like, off top like everybody else did, you know, like, some guys are just built for that, like, they have that mentality. Honestly, I was lazy. But something just when that 40 hit, something in me just said, you know what? I need to set some goals for myself. Because this is when I'm seeing social media getting big and everybody, goals, goals, goals. Go. What are my goals? So when New Year's came around, I said, you know what? I'm gonna take care of my taxes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

We're putting that on the record. IRS says on the record taxes.

[Method Man]

I'm going to get my high school diploma because my kids were about to graduate and I'm going to get more fit if I can. And the fitness thing was off and on, but everything else fell into place. Got my diploma, got the whole tax thing settled, everything. Then I'm going through this insomnia stuff and I'm thinking to myself, I have a membership at the gym. Maybe I should just go to the gym, work some of this shit off. Maybe I'll get some rest. One day turned into two, two days turned into three. And I'm talking 4am in the morning, brother, every day. And I had no routine. I didn't have anything. But I had the mentality of there's 24 hours in a day. If I can sit down and watch Game of Thrones for an hour and make sure that I'm there to watch Game of Thrones. No commercials, by the way. Game of Thrones for an hour. I can go in the gym and do something for myself for an hour, whether it be lift the barbell, whatever. And three days turned into five. And then this routine started happening and I fell in love with it because it made me feel like I wasn't a loser, you know, it made me feel like I had some discipline. I could pat myself on the back for accomplishing something. And I did something with my day that day, as opposed to being on Call of Duty or playing Madden. Yeah. Or NBA 2K, you know, now I don't feel as bad when I play Madden or NBA 2K, you know? Yeah. But, yeah, I mean, I think I would love to promote a healthy lifestyle for anybody that came from my era or anybody that's in my age range and tell them that it's not as hard as they think it is. The hardest part is, or the hardest hump to get over is doing your workout before you actually get in the gym. This is gonna suck. It's gonna hurt. I'm gonna throw up. I'm gonna do this. Yeah. It's not always like that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

How do you get over leg day?

[Method Man]

Leg day. You never get over leg day. If you find anybody that loves leg day, stay away from them. They're crazy. Pretty much.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Man, I gotta. Yeah, man, like you. You really get after it.

[Method Man]

Yeah. And.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And by the way, you're not like a machine, dude. I'm talking about hardcore free weight.

[Method Man]

Yeah. Free weights.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You're moving metal.

[Method Man]

I'm up to 500 on a deadlift. 335 is my max on a bench now. Now, just to keep it a buck with everybody. Heavy weight is all ego. I don't recommend it at all because you can hurt yourself and over time, your joints are going to give out on you. Especially at my age. What I would recommend is lower your weight, go up in reps, and do the perfect reps. That's the cheat code. Your reps, your contraction and your stretch. The weight is just there for the resistance in between the two points. You're trying to do. Have that mentality 24 hours in a day. Take an hour for yourself. Go in there, stretch contract, stretch contract. Get the. About it. You're.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You're doing 60. You're like 60. That's it.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Gotcha. How do you feel about all those people with the. They're on the phone and the whole.

[Method Man]

I don't care. I don't care. When I'm in there and I'm focused. I have a. I have a different kind of gym etiquette.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Method Man]

Which is consideration for everybody. You can't hold someone accountable for what they don't know, only what they do know. And some people aren't aware of this.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Gotcha.

[Method Man]

A lot of us live in our own little bubbles, especially when it comes to them phones. People have gotten hit by cars because they're in their phone and not paying attention. I pretty much just wait my turn or I find something else to do. In the meantime, you do it first.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Thing in the morning.

[Method Man]

Well, not anymore.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Method Man]

I. I'm. I'm elite now, so I can go at any time.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Oh, great.

[Method Man]

So. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

No, I was going to say, man. I mean, for. For me, this is going to sound weird, but I'm starting to see my mother get older and I'm realizing you.

[Method Man]

Don'T think about those. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

My own health or even her. Her health.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's certain things. You know, she got her second knee replaced. I was like, man, every decision I make now to preserve my own health is one less thing. Someone who loves me, it's one less thing they have to worry about.

[Method Man]

Right.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Like I've taken myself off the burden table.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Like, you don't got to worry about me getting up the stairs or you don't got to worry about me needing to.

[Method Man]

There were some parents that hold on because they're worried about their children, if they're going to be okay. Right. So that's, that's noble as hell right there. Yeah. But the thing about it is we don't notice when they're getting older. We still viewed even when they physically look older. Yeah, we still.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Is your mom still here?

[Method Man]

Yeah, she's still my mom and my dad, but we still viewed him as this heroic figure that we came to when we scraped our knee or when we were hungry or when we had a problem. And they, they, they're still that in every capacity, just not as physical as physically or mentally. Always there for some people.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Did you have a moment, by the way? Don't mind me. You don't have to answer, by the way, but your. Your grandchild meeting their great grandmother.

[Method Man]

Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. My majority. He met his grandma. Yes. She comes over frequently enough. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Have you contextualized what that is? That's four generation, you know. Yeah, that's a, That's a wild thing.

[Method Man]

You know what, it's crazy because my dad, he. He only had one brother, five sisters. And as far as our family name, him and his brother was the only ones that can carry it on. And his brother had all girls. My dad had one son, and now I'm carrying it on. I got a grandbaby now and another one on the way coming really soon. So.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Congratulations.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Is it a surreal feeling, though, to.

[Method Man]

It is. Well, I mean, you take it all into perspective. It's like, yeah, this is, this is the way it's supposed to be. This is evolution here, you know, And I'm good with that. That's beautiful.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I took my. I took my daughter to meet her great grandfather in India. Yeah, man, it was a surreal. A very surreal thing.

[Method Man]

Wow. Yeah. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And it's just a beautiful.

[Method Man]

The interaction was great. I can only imagine what he felt because I like to live vicariously through other people and shit like that. I can only imagine what that felt like for him.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It really did feel like this. I feel like he was able to feel an incredible lightness. Like, oh, man, I can't believe these two small children are like my great grandchildren. They are my daughter's daughter's children. So there. You know, you talk about a superhero character. There was zero percent anger. If I had to look at like the, like the stat line, like, yeah, there is no anger. There is no, like, discipline at zero. Like, I'm not here to discipline you. I'm not here to get mad at you. I'm just, like, literally here to give you, like, hugs and love. And it was just a beautiful. But it's also like, hey, take. Take this in. And I hope my children were taking that moment in of, like, this person was born in the early 1900s.

[Method Man]

Right?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Take that in.

[Method Man]

They've seen.

[Hasan Minhaj]

They've seen a lot.

[Method Man]

Yeah. Trains turned into cars and planes. Planes. TVs, radio turned into TS. A lot. It's a lot. Wow.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So that was just. And maybe it was just. It was a moment for me to take it. And I don't know. I don't know. I don't know the cosmic meaning of it, bro.

[Method Man]

But it was just.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

[Method Man]

I don't know. We don't have that connection. And in the States like that, in my opinion, I think by the time you reach great grandmother, and this is sad, you're pretty much being etched out the picture. You know, some people revere Big Mama. That's who Big Mama is. Yeah. Grandma's grandma, Nana. Big mom is great Grandma. But by this point, you pretty much etched out of the picture. And now you just watch or even just stay in contact with your greats. That's all. Because those people, they. A lot of times they're forgotten about before they're even passed on, you know, and then you regret the time that you didn't spend with them. So that's a beautiful thing right there for him to meet his great grandbaby.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Do you feel very blessed in your life, what you've been able to accomplish? You have no regrets?

[Method Man]

No, none.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I was thinking about your life specifically, and. And the fact that you got to be a part of this incredible thing. Now you guys are going back on tour. Wu Tang Clan. This is the final tour.

[Method Man]

This is unheard of, unheard of.

[Hasan Minhaj]

30 years, but I. I call it, now that we've talked about health, we've talked about punk music, but I think you guys actually, to give you really your flowers, you were the first hip hop organic artist collective.

[Method Man]

Yeah. No, no, you know what? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, I'll take that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I mean, the total. The total active members was nine, right? That was the primary group.

[Method Man]

Yes, sir.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Try to get nine people to agree on a lunch order. There's nine people here, like, off camera, be like, what are we getting for lunch? And that, that's how you get sweet.

[Method Man]

Green, you know what I mean?

[Hasan Minhaj]

You couldn't get anybody. Just the Google Calendar coordination of it is incredible. And we're artists.

[Method Man]

Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And it's because people would expect it to be chaotic because of so many individuals. But again, we had that understanding and we had that brotherhood and we always spoke as men. Have you ever heard of a Wu Tang breakup?

[Hasan Minhaj]

No, not that I'm aware of.

[Method Man]

Yeah, there you go. Because it's never happened and I don't think it's ever going to.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Can you break this down for me, man? This was a very important detail. And, and I know this working with writers collectives and artist collectives, which was break this down for me. But from what I read was that the. The idea was Wu Tang Enterprises to be this all encompassing movement with the nine of you, but then you guys were simultaneously allowed to go break off and do your own.

[Method Man]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Solo records.

[Method Man]

Yeah, that was a master plan there that just kept. I think it kind of came into fruition. Into fruition by itself because the deal was offered that way. I don't think it was something that was presented. Or maybe I could be wrong. You would have to speak to RZA if it was presented that way. He's a fucking genius. But yeah, I mean, we literally changed the game because there was no deal like that prior to us. You know, sign as a group with the option to sign with. With other labels. Yeah. So this is where the Empire thing comes in, I think as we're signing with other labels. But Loud has the option to sign us as well as we're signing with these other labels who would never even dream of working together. Now they are. And for who? Us. It's crazy. That's where the Empire comes in because you got the group on Loud. Method Man's on Def Jam, Chisel's on Geffen, Ghost is on Sony, Raekwon is signed Aloud. We got all these labels working together who normally would not. Would not. Yeah. And they're not just working together, they're working for us. Amazing. Change the game. Was it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It was, it was. It was by design or it wasn't by design.

[Method Man]

I had. Look, I'm.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You're like. You're like.

[Method Man]

I don't think that that part of it was by design, but it was.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Definitely genius because to me I was like, I don't know if. And I gotta ask RZA this. If this was 4D, chess, Wu Tang shell corporation, you guys were the original. Like, all right, we're gonna create the parent entity and then all these like, sub entities underneath, which was just like.

[Method Man]

Because I remember having meetings prior to us even being signed at Loud where we sat down with Russell Simmons. But he wanted three individuals, I think, out of the group. I'm not gonna give the names of who, but three individuals out of the group. And RZA said, no, it's either all of us or none of us. So. Yeah. And then once we got our deal. Oh, Dirty signed first with Elektra, and I think my deal was next. Dirty wanted that deal, though. He was like, get a contract back to Elektra. Fuck that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Man. The 90s were a crazy time.

[Method Man]

Yeah, it was.

[Hasan Minhaj]

They really were a crazy time for. It was record labels and all these deals.

[Method Man]

Well, it was a crazy. The 90s were a crazy time for a lot of things because we had a big comic book boom at the time as well. Yeah. I mean, all these variant covers. I mean, Marvel was caking up by. They were printing money so many different ways of. You know what I mean? And then it all came crashing down. Right, right. Hip hop didn't get that at first. Once the streaming and stuff, Napster and all of that stuff started to come into play. Yeah. The labels didn't know how to adjust. Like, what is. This Ought to go away. Don't worry about it. No, it didn't. No, it didn't.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Let me ask you a question about you. You've talked about this before, but I wanted to know more about it. I think you were on Drink Champs. You were talking about the 95 Source Awards.

[Method Man]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't like that any artists out there want to be an artist and want to stay a star. Don't want to have to worry about the executive producer trying to be all in the video, all on the record, dancing come to Death Row.

[Hasan Minhaj]

What. What was going on with that?

[Method Man]

It was just something different in the air. And I'm. Keep it a buck. New York was very arrogant that night. Very, very arrogant. Because I remember outkast being booed, you know, And I liked outkast. And I was very disappointed at seeing that shit. The tension. The reason why the tension was there. We. It was, you know, the bad boy dudes is here, you know, the Death Row. And we didn't know that it was. Nobody knew at this point in time, like, there was any friction between the two camps whatsoever. And until the Tupac interview or whatever, and not even a Tupac interview, it was like I wasn't privy to it. But then I seen the bandana and the Tupac thing and the thing, and I'm like, oh, okay. That's what's going on. And then Sug goes on, and he says that. And it was already 10. I told you. It was already tense in there. New York was on one that night for some reason. And it was just. We were showing our whole entire ass. And I did not like the fact that we had all these different people from different places coming to New York, and we did not show them any kind of hospitality. Whereas us, as a group, everywhere we went, we got love, whether it was down south, west coast. So I didn't like that. I ain't like that at all. And. But in our defense, dude went up there and pulled some. Seriously. And. And, like, yeah, sure, he went up there and pulled some. And the way that tension was in there, it was bad. It could have gotten even worse. It could have got really, really bad in there, you know? And that's when the line was drawn in the sand, in my opinion, where it was like, what side you taking? And it should have never been any sides, because anybody that was in the streets knew that's them against them. Leave that shit alone. That shit ain't got nothing to do with them over there and ain't got shit to do with us over here.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah, I never really understood it because I was like, what does the West Coast? Yeah, but what does the Atlantic Ocean have to do with the Pacific Ocean? This is like Star wars versus Star Trek. Like, we could have the debate, but it's this weird, amorphous. You know what I mean?

[Method Man]

When Pac passed away, I was in la. I was in a freaking van with ugk, Pimpsy, and fucking Bun B listening to the radio, and it got announced on the radio when he passed, and we was all sitting there like, damn, it's fucked up. And we were out there when Big got killed. We were living there in la. Yu Tang.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So for you, as a musician, then, what's your thought on Beef? Like, for me, as a comedian, yeah. I like when. And we're competitive people, but I like when the competition is contained. So we're gonna do a roast battle. Kind of like verses.

[Method Man]

We're gonna do it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And people love them, right? Tom Brady Roast. Like, you contain it to the thing.

[Method Man]

Thing. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And then, like, you shake hands, and it's. It's like sports. Yeah, but in hip hop, from what I've read and seen and heard people and musicians talk about it, which is, like, beef is just part of it. Is that true?

[Method Man]

No, no, no, no. Because if we learned anything from Andre 3000 when he said the South Got something to say at that same Source Awards. But it's like this though. I'm tired of folks, you know what I'm saying? Closed minded folks, you know what I'm saying? It's like we got a demo tape and don't nobody want to hear. But it's like this. The south got something to say.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That's all I got to say.

[Method Man]

All those was networking with each other. Didn't matter what state they was from, they was down south and they all fucked with each other rappers. Only place where I felt the divide was at was in New York. Cause it was so competitive. It was so many of us in such a dense space and everybody jockeying for a position to the point where you ain't getting along with these. So you definitely ain't gonna get along with anybody from any place else. This is where the arrogance comes in at. And it played its part in our demise, if you ask me. As far as the spectrum of hip hop goes. Because New York ain't running. We not running the game. Or even close to being where we were at in the 90s or in the 70s or in the 80s when we could say it was our own, you know. Right. And I wouldn't want it to just be our own. I love where it's gone. I love that it found its way to St. Louis. I love that it found its way to Cleveland. Love that it's found its way to the west coast and so on and so forth. Even Albuquerque, New Mexico, you know, it's supposed to grow. But as far as that beef, man, I'm from an era where when it was beef, that that was a big word and that meant somebody. I was going to die or get hurt really bad. Right. So we need to find a new word for it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Do you feel like kind of what we saw with the super bowl, like that's where it needs to go of like, hey, let's just keep it about records.

[Method Man]

No, that was fun. That shit was funny as hell. We in a viral era where social media distorts every fucking message and shit. What I got out of that was a lot of pride out of that performance. I got a lot of subliminals saying we still matter. Things like that. That was speaking to a certain community. What other people got out of it was they not like us. Oh, hey, dissing Drake and. Which is fun. I mean, again, it's fun especially when it stays above water. Once you start dragging people down, then it gets a little messy. Right, Right.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You're saying keep the art about the art, make it in, the articulate it all in the performance.

[Method Man]

Yeah, but a lot of times it's not even the artists that are getting into the confrontations. It's the entourages, you know, and this has been going on for a long time. I mean, you take it back to when Ice Cube had a problem with. He had a problem with a lot of people or even snooping them with Luke. They even documented that Straight Outta Compton where Ice Cube got into it with. I forgot who it was. And they all started fighting and shit. You know what I mean? Lynch mob against these dudes, whatever. But it's always been there. But again, we've always had people that can mediate and come in and play a mediator and bring the sides together and remind them we not savages, we men. If we talk these things out and make sure that this misunderstanding doesn't go any further.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Also, man, it's a byproduct of just rolling deep, deep. You came here with two. It was you and one other person that you're with on your team. Like, this is a great situation, but if you would roll here with 6, 8, 10, you. It just. It starts to get complicated.

[Method Man]

I get it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's too many variables.

[Method Man]

I get it. But I say you can roll a hundred people deep and not one of you got a gun. I bust one shot, you see a hundred run by myself. That kind of thing, you know, it all stems from ego machismo. I'm the best. You.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You ever been to an Indian wedding You've been to? Nah, there's too many people. This is what I'm saying. Okay, so the allegory you're talking about, about cruise fighting. This is an Indian wedding. This is the Indian wedding problem.

[Method Man]

There's two.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's too many people with too many opinions, man.

[Method Man]

Y' all be jamming, bro.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah, we have great weddings. And I'm saying the vibe is incredible for you as a guest, for me as someone who has to host it. You got families. And a cousin said this, like, well, you're a third cousin.

[Method Man]

Why are you even.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Why are you even a part of this? You have nothing to do with this.

[Method Man]

I get it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That's how I feel, man. Listen, man, you have. You have an incredible career, not only working on it. Yeah. Your acting career truly is blossoming. Take me through the stuff that you're working on right now, whether it's Poker Face, your current film that you're promoting right now.

[Method Man]

Well, I mean, I just rapped on a movie with Kelly Rowland called Relationship Goals. Kelly is dope. You know, I've learned something about my peers from the 90s that were in the music game that they came to play. Not just in the music game, but creatively all around. So I just rapped on that movie. Great experience. I did a movie with Michael Jai White, which is like. Like, bucket list for me. For people that aren't familiar with Michael Jai White as a comic book fan, he played Spawn. He's done lots of things.

[Hasan Minhaj]

No, he's a legend.

[Method Man]

Very, very much so. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Super accomplished actor.

[Method Man]

The poker face thing, Natasha Leone. I mean, Natasha is genuine. She's the real deal as well, man. Very, very intelligent woman, but quirky as.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Super quirky.

[Method Man]

Love that about her. And I mean, like, did you know.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That you could ask? Because you've always had. I feel like you have a thing that you can't teach, which is gravitas.

[Method Man]

I still don't think I can act. I'm still working on it, bro.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You've played an attorney. You played an attorney.

[Method Man]

I did. I did. You've done everything I did. You know what? I like to look at myself as a person that's willing to do the work to improve. Pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. And I take all the compliments and everything. I'll take them with a grain of salt, but I love it because it makes me push harder.

[Hasan Minhaj]

What is a musical artist or genre of music that people would be surprised to hear that Method man is into?

[Method Man]

Oh, I love Frankie Valli, man.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Method Man]

I like Frankie Valli. I don't know. Cause, you know, I'm a big system of a down fan. I mean, but people would know because Chavo's family, that's like, that's our bro right there. Oh, wow.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Method Man]

But, yeah, I'm an 80s glam rock dude and shit.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Really?

[Method Man]

Yeah. Because back in those days when we watched the videos, in order to see one hip hop video, you had to sit through 80 rock bands. Bon Jovi, Poison, White Snake, Rat. Yeah, we used to. You know, every now and then you get a bop from those guys and shit, you know, and then that turns into Metallica and Sword and, you know, Queens of the Stone Age and shit like that. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Do you have a guilty pleasure that you'd be like, all right, man, I don't want to say this. Grease 2, okay?

[Method Man]

The movie Grease 2 is a guilty pleasure of mine. I heard somebody laughing. Yeah. Young Michelle Pfeiffer. Come on now.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Of course.

[Method Man]

Yeah. Max Caulfield. I think his name was Max Caulfield. He played the cool rider. Yeah, yeah. Adrian Zemed, my dude. Come on, man.

[Hasan Minhaj]

All right.

[Method Man]

Yeah. That's a guilty pleasure of mine. Grease too.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Beautiful. All right, man. I'm gonna finish with this Butane Clan Final Chamber Tour. Is it for real? Is this really final?

[Method Man]

It's definitely final tour, but, you know, RZA is a legend at marketing. Yeah. So I would say this is the final tour five years from now to be a reunion tour. Great.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Get your tickets right now. Ticketmaster.com to vote. Hey, man. This was such a beautiful conversation.

[Method Man]

Yeah, man.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I appreciate you coming out and having this combo, man. Really, really appreciate it. So, ladies and gentlemen, Method Man Appreciation. If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Premium yet, now's the perfect time. Because guess what? You can listen completely ad free. Plus you'll unlock exclusive bonus content like Halle Berry on how to be a good partner during menopause, or Mehdi Hassan on the dumbing down of media clips you won't hear anywhere else. Just tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or head to lemonadapremium.com to subscribe on any other app that's lemonadapremium.com. don't miss out.