In the last five years, Method Man was a driving force on Wu-Tang Clan’s The Saga Continues album. He also released two installments of his Meth Lab series with Hanz On. Looking to 2020, Iron Lung is already slated to be teaming up with longtime affiliate Streetlife for a collaborative LP. However, as the decade comes to a close, Method Man insists that he’s over cursing in his raps. A few years back, the Wu wordsmith explained that change from the ’90s and 2000s.

“That’s how I write ’em now,” Meth’ told Ambrosia For Heads in mid-2015 near the 30:00-mark. It was in promotion of the first Meth Lab compilation. “I haven’t cursed in my rhymes since Wu-Massacre.” “So if you hear a rhyme where I curse, just know that’s before [2010’s] Wu-Massacre. Listen to the whole Wu album, A Better Tomorrow—not one curse word [from me].” That was true on The Saga Continues, The Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium, and other recent feature spots alongside Black Moon, Ghostface Killah, E-40, and Bun B & Statik Selektah.

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As Tical Turns 25, Method Man Brings The Pain To A Havoc Beat (Video)

Expounding on that decision, Method Man said, “I just wanted to separate myself from the pack, for one. For two, I challenged myself to see if I could do it. I was writin’ for somebody, and they didn’t want curse words in the record. So I was sayin’, “You know what? Let’s see if I can write something hard without putting curse words in it, and don’t tell nobody and see if they notice.”

Meth’, who spent part of his upbringing on Long Island, is not the only lyrical legend from the area who has spoken openly in recent years about trying to reduce the profanity. Rakim recently told The Breakfast Club about his motivation to keep it cleaner than some of his peers.

Black Moon Make Their Return And Bring Method Man With Them (Audio)

“I got away with a couple,” Rakim admitted to Charlamagne Tha God. “In the beginning, I would go home [and] make a tape, and [my parents] would probably be the first ones to hear it. I found myself trying to please them; ‘I wonder what my moms or my pops gonna say when they hear this.'” Rakim says he shifted his writing given [that] circumstance. “I didn’t put the cursing in, for that reason. In the beginning, it was just like subconsciously. Like, I wasn’t trying not to curse, it’s just that I didn’t curse…because I knew if it came out right [my parents were] gonna be my biggest fans.”

For Rakim, his parents were instrumental in his creative gifts. “All my insight, all my musical background came straight from them. I think my moms gave it to me genetically, and I think my pops instilled it me because he loved me so much.”

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There is video featuring Method Man available at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions. New music featuring Method Man is currently on the official AFH Playlist.

#BonusBeat: In honor of Tical‘s 25th-anniversary, DJ Philthy Rich made a tribute mix to Meth’s 1994 debut: