is method man on tour

• Client login
• See all Celebrity

• See all Nightlife

• See all Editorials

• See all News

• See all Food

• See all Fashion

• See all Weekend Guide

• See all Video

Method Man Host The Official N.Y. State Of Mind Tour Afterparty At The Urban

Miami, FL – September 22, 2023 – The Official N.Y. State of Mind Tour Afterparty Hosted by Method Man . Wu-Tang & Nas are coming to a city near you. On Monday (Feb. 27), the rap collective announced a series of concert dates for 2023 titled the N.Y. State of Mind Tour that will take place alongside the “One Mic” M.C. in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. “The Saga Continues Worldwide! The #NewYorkStateofMindTour is back – coming to a stage near you,” Wu-Tang shared on its Instagram page with an official poster for the global trek.

Fly Guy & Method Man

Method Man & Mike Gardner

Recommended Posts

Florida Panthers at E11EVEN

Mon Cheri Mondays at Swan

Tim Hardway Jr. & Rick Ross at Kiki on the River Sundays

• Manage Account

Method Man & Redman to Headline 4/20 Bud Drop NYC Concert

Styles P will serve as a special guest at the weed-friendly celebration.

By Michael Saponara

Michael Saponara

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on Pinterest
• + additional share options added
• Share on Reddit
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Whats App
• Send an Email
• Print this article
• Post a Comment
• Share on Tumblr

Method Man and Redman will be ringing in the kush-blowing holiday together as the How High co-stars have been tapped to headline the 4/20 Bud Drop concert in NYC.

Mustard Reveals Kendrick Lamar's Reaction to Hearing 'Not Like Us' Beat

See latest videos, charts and news

Trending on Billboard

Those arriving with the munchies are in luck as popular NYC restaurant Sei Less is slated to provide delicious wild fusion eats for the night.

“I just fell in love with it when I felt that high for the first time,” Meth reminisced on smoking weed for the first time in an interview with Forbes last year. “There’s just something about it, you know? And I’ve tried other things since, and it just didn’t hit me the same. Now with the laws we have today, it’s proven that I wasn’t doing anything bad.”

“Smoking was part of everyday life in the multi-hyphenate’s household growing up. “But I’ve been around it all my life,” he added. “My mother smoked, my father smoked, their friends smoked, my uncles smoked.”

This won’t be the only time Redman and Method Man reunite on stage in 2024. The “Y.O.U.” rappers are also set to perform joint sets at Las Vegas’ Lovers & Friends in May and at June’s Roots Picnic Festival.

Find the Bud Drop concert flyer here.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

• Billboard Hot 100™
• Billboard 200™
• Hits Of The World™
• TikTok Billboard Top 50
• Songs Of The Summer
• Song Breaker
• Year-End Charts
• Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

• R&B/Hip-Hop

Videos Expand videos menu

Culture expand culture menu, media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

• Business News
• Record Labels
• View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

• Songwriters & Producers
• Artist Index
• Royalty Calculator
• Market Watch
• Industry Events Calendar

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

• Cultura y Entretenimiento

Get Up Anthems by Tres Expand get-up-anthems-by-tres menu

Honda music expand honda-music menu.

site categories

Method man, redman make surprise appearance on wu-tang-nas tour.

Method Man brought out Redman during the tour's last stop.

By Marc Griffin

Marc Griffin

Staff Writer, News

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Print this article
• Share this article on Print

Method Man brought out Redman for a surprise performance during Wu-Tang Clan and Nas ‘ “NY State Of Mind” tour. During Tuesday night’s (Sept. 13) stop at New Jersey’s Prudential Center, fans were shocked to see the duo live on stage. 

Meth, alongside his Wu-Tang brethren , performed iterations of “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F**k Wit” and “M.E.T.H.O.D Man.” Additionally, the MC-turned-actor invited Redman to the stage, as the duo performed “Da Rockwilder” from the 1999 classic album  Blackout!

@methodman pulled up to the @WuTangClan @Nas @BustaRhymes @DJScratch Newark, NJ Show!!! Shout to my man Lauggo showing me the proof!!! pic.twitter.com/cVXEP5BPXi — DJ Premier (@REALDJPREMIER) September 14, 2022

Shaq Sharing Official Version Of Unreleased Jay-Z And Nas Collab On Forthcoming Album

“But to be dissatisfied or to even blame me for your experience is unfair. Very f**king unfair,” he continued. “My brothers are super-duper talented, with or without me. And I know a lot of people, or a few people, have paid their money to see me perform, but that bill said Wu-Tang Clan.”

The “NY State of Mind” tour is co-headlined by Nas and Wu-Tang Clan members RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna. “NY State of Mind” tour also features Busta Rhymes as a special guest.

Watch Method Man and Redman’s special performance below. 

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Vibe is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Vibe Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

News expand news menu.

• Movies & TV
• Entertainment

Music Expand music menu

• Music Premieres

Features Expand features menu

• Digital Covers

Lifestyle Expand lifestyle menu

Method Man Verified

Concerts and tour dates.

Live Photos of Method Man

Fan Reviews

Fans Also Follow

About method man.

Method Man and Redman

All upcoming events.

The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre | Detroit, MI

L'olympia | montreal, qc, method man & redman.

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists

Method Man  

• On tour: yes
• Method Man is not playing near you. View all concerts
• Moscow, Russian Federation Change location

378,610 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track Method Man and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Nearest concert to you

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Touring outside your city

Be the first to know when they tour near Moscow, Russian Federation

Join 378,610 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Upcoming concerts (1)

Similar artists with upcoming concerts, tours most with.

Born Clifford Smith but known artistically as Method Man, this artist is an American rapper who hails from Staten Island, New York. He is known as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan and half of the duo Method Man & Redman.

As a kid, Smith was exposed to music through his father who taught him how to play drums and write poetry. His favorite super hero was Ghost Rider. Smith got off to a rough start and was involved with drug dealing to get by. His only saving grace was his ability to rap and rhyme and eventually he and 8 other friends came together to form the Wu-Tang Clan. They released their first album “Enter the Wu-Tang Clan: 36 Chambers” in 1992.

Smith became famous as Method Man with his first independent album “Tical” released in 1994 by record company Def Jam. The album charted at #4 in the U.S. and eventually sold upward of one million copies. The single “All I Need” was remixed with a Mary J. Blige song to create “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need” which earned them a Grammy.

The sequel Wu-Tang album “Wu-Tang Forever” was released in June 1997 followed by Method Man’s second album “Tical 2000: Judgment Day” in 1998. Both albums did extremely well with his solo album becoming certified double platinum. "Judgement Day" lyrics theorized about the end of the millennium and featured guest appearances by Chris Rock, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Janet Jackson, and even Donald Trump.

In 1999 Method Man toured with Jay-Z on the Hard Knock Life tour and simultaneously recorded the album “Blackout!” with partner Redman. The two subsequently tried their hand at acting for films like “How High” and had a brief stint on FOX on their own sitcom “Method & Red.”

The single “What’s Happenin’” with Busta Rhymes came out on Method Man’s “Tical 0: The Prequel.” The album featured more mainstream artists like Missy Elliott and P. Diddy and was criticized as sounding too commercial. Method Man listened to his public’s feedback and released “4:21: The Day After” in 2006, which had more input from the Wu-Tang Clan, especially leader RZA and stayed true to his hip hop roots.

Live reviews

Even if he’s not the most technically gifted member of the Wu-Tang Clan - that accolade would likelier go to GZA or Raekwon - or indeed the most successful in terms of solo efforts - his first two efforts, Tical and Tical 2000: Judgement Day met with lukewarm reviews - there’s no question that Method Man is the group’s one born entertainer. When I first saw them play live a few years ago, seven out of the eight surviving members turned up; only Meth was missing, back in the States filming an episode of CSI. When I caught them a year later, and Meth turned up but RZA, Raekwon and Inspectah Deck didn’t, it was honestly a better show; his presence makes or breaks Wu-Tang gigs, to put it simply. The rest of the group just don’t connect with the crowd the same way Meth does; he makes it all about the audience, crowd-surfing, spraying them with champagne and - crucially - he never stops moving, which is more than you can say for his usually static bandmates. Add to that the fact that his flow on record translates perfectly to the stage and there can be no doubt about it - Method Man is one of - perhaps the - greatest performer in hip hop history.

Report as inappropriate

Clifford Smith, better known by his stage name Method Man has collaborated with a whole host of R & B and hip-hop aficionados during his career and therefore has amassed a fan base all of his own for his strong solo discography. Of course many will know him for being part of the immensely popular Wu Tang Clan and there is crossover in following yet the commercial success of his records is proof he is able to stand alone from the clan.

Although the energy levels are different when Method performs solo, he still knows how to entertain his audience and shows great showman abilities. Playing a tight set showcasing the very best picks of his own discography along with covers by Raekwon and LL Cool J, the audience continually bounce along with the rapper. He saves one Wu Tang track to really elevate energy levels to a final dizzying highs before wrapping off the evening with 'Da Rockwilder' in expert proficiency. Although Wu Tang enjoy their own levels of credibility, Modest Man looks set to be on track to steal the spotlight.

If you have never been to a hip hop concert, or just want a good fun atmosphere where you're not 10 million miles away from the stage after paying your entire weeks wages only to watch them on a giant tv screen then go see Method Man and Redman! These guys take it back to the 90s and then some! They are happy to interact with their fans and even hang around after the show (sometimes) to talk, sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Living legends who make you love them even more after seeing them live!

This was my second time seeing Meth & Red and they deliver each and everytime. They are truly about their business! The concert was full of energy & love! They are two rappers that are beyond talented and gurus of their craft! Keith Murray and Streetlife did their thing also...and EPMD made a surprise appearance....No rapping lol but it's always great to see the green eyed bandit! Great show!

Red and Meth were amazing! The best Hip Hop show I've ever seen. I wish there weren't so many openers though. Great intimate venue, with the ability to get as close as you wanted to stage.

Posters (30)

Past concerts

NOTO Philadelphia

Prudential Center

View all past concerts

Method Man tour dates and tickets 2024-2025 near you

Want to see Method Man in concert? Find information on all of Method Man’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Method Man is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 1 concert across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

Next concert:

• Morrison, CO, US

Popularity ranking:

• Madvillain (1076)
• Method Man (1077)
• Myke Towers (1078)

Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• Denver (27)
• Los Angeles (LA) (26)
• New York (NYC) (20)
• SF Bay Area (15)
• Philadelphia (13)

Appears most with:

• Redman (180)
• Method Man & Redman (103)
• Ghostface Killah (37)
• Curren$y (37)
• BIG K.R.I.T. (31)

Distance travelled:

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• Campaigns for promoters
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• Okayplayer 25
• OkayFuture Labs
• NYC Newsletter
• True Notes Newsletter

To continue reading

Create a free account or sign in to unlock more free articles.

By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy

The content is free, but you must be subscribed to Okayplayer to continue reading.

THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING

Join our newsletter family to stay tapped into the latest in Hip Hop culture!

To continue reading login to your account.

Forgot your password?

Please enter the email address you use for your account so we can send you a link to reset your password:

Method Man Explains Why He Isn't on the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas Tour

Method man went to instagram to clarify why he isn't joining wu-tang clan as part of the ny state of mind tour with nas..

After threats from a number of fans, Method Man took to Instagram to clear the air on his absence during the NY State of Mind Tour . The 25-city tour is headlined by New York-bred rap veterans Nas and Wu-Tang Clan , which Method Man has been a member of since the early '90s.

“I’ma clear this s*** up once and for all,” he said in the clip. “I’ma say this one last time. One of the nicest m************ in the world, but I am not a pushover. I have sacrificed so much over the years to satisfy the fans, and I’m pretty sure that’s vice versa and that’s why I love y’all – that’s why I don’t hesitate to go all-out for y’all.

“But to be dissatisfied or to even blame me for your experience is unfair. Very f****** unfair. My brothers are super duper talented, with or without me. And I know a lot of people, or a few people, have paid their money to see me perform, but that bill said Wu-Tang Clan.”

He added, “And you know, these things happen and dudes do have to feed their families. Albums don’t sell the way they used to, I’m pretty sure you guys know that. So in order to preserve my lifestyle and to feed my family, I had to have alternative means of doing that. And I’m glad to say at 50 years old, I have options. Not everybody can say that. Everyone cannot say that they have options.”

Method Man, whose real name is Clifford Smith, went on to share that if he wasn't filming a movie, he would have been on the NY State of Mind Tour.

“I f******* love Wu-Tang, wish I could have been on that tour with them,” he admitted. “The booking came at a bad time – I was already booked to do a movie. Only reason why I’m coming back saying this is because of my love for my fans, okay. The real fans. Not the ones that’d jump in your DMs and curse you the f*** out all call you all kinds of b******.”

The NY State of Mind Tour, which began on August 30 in St. Louis, will continue on Wednesday in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio with future shows in Virginia Beach, Raleigh, Tampa, Houston and more.

• Executive Producer Method Man Hasn’t Watched ‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga’ - Okayplayer ›

Trending Stories

First look friday: marco plus’ pursuit of greatness, black music month: the pioneers of house music, bossman dlow was just named a 2024 xxl freshman, and at his new york performance we saw why, pursuit of happiness: groovy and n3wyrkla get real about their mental health, what to do in nyc this weekend, caribbean-american music stars that keep shining bright, how to watch the 2024 nba draft, jay-z's 'reasonable doubt': the birth of a legend, did kendrick lamar just have the greatest rap concert ever, black music month: celebrating icons of r&b and soul, sign up to our newsletter, what to know about the sexual assault case against nicki minaj's husband, irish singer-songwriter sinéad o'connor has died at 56, recent stories, hip-hop legend rakim returns with new single "be ill", five best moments from kendrick’s juneteenth concert, cardi b puts on a show at coney island art walls, here’s five things to expect at kendrick lamar’s juneteenth concert, the artist’s corner: three steps to making it on your own, ll cool j returns with q-tip-produced single, "saturday night special", black music month: country music's black past and present, coffee, community, and deep breaths, bilal transcends nostalgia with new album: ‘live at glasshaus’, teezo touchdown continues his quest for greatness.

• WATCH: Donald Trump Doubles Down on ‘Black Jobs’ Comment At Post-Debate Rally
• Cash Money Founders Honored with YouTube’s Leaders and Legends Award
• Jordan Brand Boosts Nike’s Earnings with Record Performance
• Biden Bounces Back: Delivers Powerful Message at North Carolina Rally a Day After Debate

Method Man Says He Isn’t on Current Wu-Tang Tour Due to Filming a Movie

Wu-Tang Clan and Nas are currently on the NY State of Mind Tour . Fans who will hit one of the many dates will realize that Method Man isn’t joining his Wu-Tang brothers for this run. Releasing a video, Meth explains exactly why.

“I fucking love Wu-Tang, wish I could have been on that tour with them,” Meth said. “The booking came at a bad time – I was already booked to do a movie. Only reason why I’m coming back saying this is because of my love for my fans, okay. The real fans. Not the ones that’d jump in your DMs and curse you the fuck out all call you all kinds of bitches.”

READ MORE : T.I. Was Rumored to Star as Davis MacLean in ‘Power Book II’ Before Method Man

He added, “To be dissatisfied or to even blame me for your experience is unfair. Very fucking unfair. My brothers are super duper talented, with or without me. And I know a lot of people, or a few people, have paid their money to see me perform, but that bill said Wu-Tang Clan.”

You can hear the full statement from Method Man below.

Last week in St. Louis, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and Special Guest Busta Rhymes began their much anticipated 2022 NY State of Mind Tour. The show began with a carefully curated video that traced the history of hip-hop from its inception on August 11, 1973, in the Bronx, New York, to its influence in all five boroughs of the city, highlighting the city’s native Hip-Hop icons who forever altered the rap scene and culture outside the Empire State.

Wu-Tang Clan gave an outstanding performance, singing songs like “Bring Da Ruckus,” “Da Mystery of Chessboxin,” “C.R.E.A.M.,” and others. “New York State of Mind,” “It’s Mine,” “If I Ruled the World,” and other songs by Nas were played on stage. Busta Rhymes also sang a number of hits, including “Scenario,” “Look at Me Now,” “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,” while bringing out a bottle of champagne mid-performance to celebrate an incredible tour.

The 25-city tour, which is being organized by Live Nation, will next perform at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, on September 1st. Thereafter, it will visit more cities across North America, including Atlanta, Toronto, Austin, Phoenix, and more, before coming to an end at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on October 4th. Hip hop turns 50 this year, so now is the ideal time for these two pioneers of the genre to collaborate on a historical tour.

You can see the full run of shows and opening night images below.

Wu-Tang Clan 2

Wu-Tang Clan 3

Thu Sep 01 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Fri Sep 02 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Sat Sep 03 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Sun Sep 04 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Wed Sep 07 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center

Thu Sep 08 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 

Fri Sep 09 – Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre

Sat Sep 10 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

Tue Sep 13 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

Wed Sep 14 – Virginia Beach, VA  – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

Fri Sep 16 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

Sat Sep 17 – Raleigh, NC  – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Sun Sep 18 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Tue Sep 20 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Wed Sep 21 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Thu Sep 22 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre

Sat Sep 24 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Sun Sep 25 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Mon Sep 26 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion

Thu Sep 29 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion

Fri Sep 30 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre

Sat Oct 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

Sun Oct 02 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

Tue Oct 04 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl

• Music Videos
• International Music
• Latest Trends
• Sports News
• Source Latino
• From the Issue
• Shop Merchandise
• Advertise With The Source
• Privacy Policy

• global">Global
• indonesia">Indonesia
• united_kingdom">United Kingdom

We got you covered. Don’t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.

By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Download Our App

• dark_mode" data-event-name="menu_navigation" data-custom-event="null" class="dark-mode icon-type d-none d-lg-flex nav-item">
• login">Login
• sign_up">Sign Up
• search" data-event-name="menu_navigation" data-custom-event="null">
• Food & Beverage
• Movies & TV
• Tech & Gadgets
• Brand Ranking
• Brand Directory
• Hypebeast100

Method Man Clarifies Reason for Absence From Nas and Wu-Tang Clan's "NY State of Mind" Tour

Explaining that there is no bad blood between him or any of the artists involved..

Method Man took to Instagram Live to clear the air regarding his absence from Nas and Wu-Tang Clan ‘s ongoing “NY State of Mind” tour .

The rapper frustratingly had to explain that he couldn’t join the tour as he’s currently in the middle of filming a movie and not because of any bad blood between him and anyone else in the Wu-Tang Clan. “I f*cking love Wu-Tang, wish I could have been on that tour with them,” Method Man said. “The booking came at a bad time – I was already booked to do a movie. Only reason why I’m coming back saying this is because of my love for my fans, okay. The real fans. Not the ones that’d jump in your DMs and curse you the f*ck out all call you all kinds of bitches.”

What to Read Next

Rolex UK Prices Are Receiving a 5% Hike

Stone Island Extends FW22 Offerings With Hooded Blouson

The First DLC Expansion for 'Cyberpunk 2077' Will Be a Next-Gen Exclusive

Porsche Is Prepping for an IPO

PUMA Leaps Into the Metaverse With Its First Digital Experience

A Boogie wit da Hoodie Announces New Album 'Me vs Myself'

Latest 'God of War: Ragnarok' Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Elemental Combat Moves

Justin Bieber Cancels Remaining North American Tour Dates

Lil Yachty Launches "Yachty’s Pizzeria" Frozen Pizza Line

Ferrari Will Reveal the Purosangue on September 13

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

AD LOADING...

Method Man Explains Why He’s Not On Wu-Tang Clan’s N.Y. State Of Mind Tour

Method Man has explained why he’s not performing on Wu-Tang Clan’s N.Y. State of Mind Tour alongside Nas and Busta Rhymes .

With some fans disappointed he isn’t on the lineup for the group’s North American tour, the New York rapper recently took to Instagram Live to give his reasons for why he couldn’t be on the road.

“I’ma clear this shit up once and for all,” he said. “I’ma say this one last time. One of the nicest muthafuckas in the world, but I am not a pushover. I have sacrificed so much over the years to satisfy the fans, and I’m pretty sure that’s vice versa and that’s why I love y’all – that’s why I don’t hesitate to go all-out for y’all.

“But to be dissatisfied or to even blame me for your experience is unfair. Very fucking unfair. My brothers are super duper talented, with or without me. And I know a lot of people, or a few people, have paid their money to see me perform, but that bill said Wu-Tang Clan.”

He added: “And you know, these things happen and dudes do have to feed their families. Albums don’t sell the way they used to, I’m pretty sure you guys know that. So in order to preserve my lifestyle and to feed my family, I had to have alternative means of doing that. And I’m glad to say at 50 years old, I have options. Not everybody can say that. Everyone cannot say that they have options.”

Method Man went on to say if it wasn’t for him filming an upcoming movie, he would have loved to join the rest of Wu-Tang Clan on tour.

“I fucking love Wu-Tang, wish I could have been on that tour with them,” he admitted. “The booking came at a bad time – I was already booked to do a movie. Only reason why I’m coming back saying this is because of my love for my fans, okay. The real fans. Not the ones that’d jump in your DMs and curse you the fuck out all call you all kinds of bitches.”

related news

Method Man Reveals Which Wu-Tang Clan Member He Feels Is The Most Underrated

June 7, 2020

He continued: “‘Cause like I said, I’m a very nice guy but I am not a pushover, and I would hate to smack the shit out of one of my fans, male or female, it goes both ways, please believe that. And I will not let anyone disrespect me. I’m a father, a grandfather, a husband, a brother. I have family and I have feelings on top of that.

“And I refuse to let anybody, I don’t care if you got one fucking follower muthafucka, you don’t mean shit to me. If you can bring smoke then you can take smoke, period. Dish shit out, you can take it.”

The N.Y. State of Mind Tour kicked off in St. Louis, Missouri last week . Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav made a surprise appearance during Nas’ set in Clarkston, Michigan over the weekend.

The tour heads to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on Wednesday (September 7), with shows in Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston, Oakland, Los Angeles and other cities also on the horizon.

In this article

More on hiphopdx.

• Nicki Minaj’s Sister Ming Li Admits She Often Makes Rapper ‘Mad’: ‘We Were Never Close’

news | Jun 29, 2024

• Diddy’s ‘Sean Diddy Combs Day’ Rescinded By Miami Beach City Commission

• Megan Thee Stallion Snags Unreleased Pimp C Verse On UGK & Juicy J Collab ‘Paper Together’

news | Jun 28, 2024

DX Newsletter

Latest news.

• Birdman Links With Lil Wayne As Cash Money Are Honored At YouTube’s Leaders & Legends Gala
• ScHoolboy Q Left 'Crying' At Donald Trump & Joe Biden's Bizarre Golf Debate
• Will Smith Stuns Fans With Surprise Musical Talent Ahead Of 2024 BET Awards Performance
• Lil Wayne Picks Drake Over Kendrick Lamar In Top 5 Rappers Of All Time List
• Kodak Black Regrets Fake Perc Lyric On 'Super Gremlin': 'I Would've Been Dead'
• JAY-Z & Nas' Long Lost Collab Finally Released As Shaq's 1996 Album Hits Streaming
• Megan Thee Stallion Rekindles Nicki Minaj Feud On New Album 'Megan'

Subscribe To DX Newsletter

Method Man is not on the NY State of Mind Tour with Wu-Tang Clan: Here’s why

• Updated: Oct. 17, 2023, 3:20 p.m. |
• Published: Sep. 14, 2022, 9:51 p.m.

FILE - This April 21, 2013, file photo shows Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, aka RZA, left, and Clifford Smith, aka Method Man, of Wu-Tang Clan, right, performing at the second weekend of the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. An unreleased Wu-Tang Clan album forfeited by Martin Shkreli after his securities fraud conviction was sold Tuesday, July 27, 2021, for an undisclosed sum, though prosecutors say it was enough to fully satisfy the rest of what he owed on a $7.4 million forfeiture order he faced after his 2018 sentencing. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, File) John Shearer/Invision/AP

• Shaina McLawrence | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Fans are upset that Method Man isn’t with the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan on its latest reunion, the NY State of Mind tour with Nas, according to Complex .

But the rapper said there’s a good reason why he’s not joining the multi-city tour, which started in August and runs until early October.

“I’ma clear this [expletive] up once and for all,” Meth said in a video . “I’ma say this one last time. One of the nicest [expletive] in the world, but I am not a pushover. I have sacrificed so much over the years to satisfy the fans, and I’m pretty sure that’s vice versa and that’s why I love y’all, that’s why I don’t hesitate to go all-out for y’all.

“But to be dissatisfied or to even blame me for your experience is unfair. Very [expletive] unfair. My brothers are super-duper talented, with or without me. And I know a lot of people, or a few people, have paid their money to see me perform, but that bill said Wu-Tang Clan. And you know, these things happen and dudes do have to feed their families. Albums don’t sell the way they used to, I’m pretty sure you guys know that. So in order to preserve my lifestyle and to feed my family, I had to have alternative means of doing that. And I’m glad to say at 51 years old, I have options. Not everybody can say that. Everyone cannot say that they have options.”

Method Man went on to explain that he would have been stoked to join his Wu-Tang brethren on the tour, but that he was slated to film a movie during the time.

“I [expletive] love Wu-Tang. Wish I could have been on that tour with them,” he admitted. “The booking came at a bad time. I was already booked to do a movie. Only reason why I’m coming back saying this is because of my love for my fans, OK. The real fans. Not the ones that’d jump in your DMs and curse you the [expletive] out and call you all kinds of [expletive].”

Deadline reported in August that Method Man would star in “Shadow Force” with Kerry Washington, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Omar Sy, which is the movie likely keeping him from the tour.

The NY State of Mind Tour, which started in St. Louis, is produced by Live Nation with tickets available on LiveNation.com .

For other ticket options, click here or visit vividseats.com .

RELATED COVERAGE: Recent Staten Island news

>> Pepper X is world’s newest record-breaking hot chili pepper: Guinness

>> Man charged in N.J. kidnapping of girl, 11, he met through online video games like Roblox

>> In wake of child deaths, mobile trauma units sent to Staten Island communities

>> More than a dozen guns collected in buyback on Staten Island

>> Man suffers fatal gunshot wound near Manhattan fitness studio: Report

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Method Man tour dates

• On tour: Yes
• Concertful ranking: #877
• Category: Rap / Hip-Hop

Method Man upcoming concerts (4)

Similar artists on tour, method man past concerts.

Top Tours · Just Announced · USA · Europe · 2025 Tours

Terms of Service · Privacy and Cookie Policy · Contact © Concertful

Method Man isn’t just here to be ogled

The Wu-Tang rapper is energized by acting. Plotting his next act. And his sex-symbol status? Oh, he knows.

M ethod Man didn’t think he could pull off a lawyer. Even though he’s portrayed so many men who could really use one.

For nearly two decades the Wu-Tang Clan rapper had been playing to type in a Hollywood career that had begun to outpace his musical one. The characters were all people “I could kind of relate to,” he says. Weed heads, convicts, drug dealers, cops — figures he recognized from his teens stalking the blocks of Staten Island, where beginning in the early 1990s his friends forged a new kind of hip-hop clique. Lawyers weren’t really in his DNA.

So when the part of Davis MacLean, the avaricious defense attorney who straddles both sides of the system in the Starz crime drama “Power Book II: Ghost,” came his way five years ago, the actor was skeptical.

Yes, actor . But one who claims full citizenship in “the culture.” To prove it, he lifts his foot to show off some blindingly white sneakers.

“My shoes ain’t laced. I’m 53 years old,” says the man born Clifford Smith Jr., chuckling. “Hip-hop is always going to be in my veins because that’s where I’m from. I still live in Staten Island. I see it every day” — the streets, the struggle, the cycle. Sitting on the other side of the table? How could he make that believable?

“I never put myself in a light where I would have to make a big stretch to play any character,” Smith says. “So I had bad habits as far as acting goes. When you don’t hone your skills enough you fall back into comfortability.”

Smith’s shtick was certainly working. He got his first big break with 2001’s stoner sendup “ How High ” before popping up in some of this era’s most celebrated shows, like “ Oz ” (as a shank-wielding inmate) and “ The Wire ” (as a nepo-hire gangster). But he credits the Power universe , the decades-spanning TV epic created by Courtney A. Kemp and rapper 50 Cent that now includes four shows, for getting him out of his comfort zone.

It was 2019, and his audition for “Ghost” was in a few days. He was struggling to find a through line between Method Man, Cliff Smith and Davis MacLean. The answer was Denzel Washington.

Smith had been taking acting classes for years. For an exercise, he was assigned one of Washington’s roles, the attorney Joe Miller from 1993’s “Philadelphia.” When he queued up some key scenes to prep, it clicked.

“I’m watching Denzel be Denzel. He’s a great actor. You can tell it’s thought out and some of it is spontaneous, which is some of his best s---. But it was him. And I was like, this is what they want,” says Smith. Meaning ... you? “Right,” he says.

“I always say, ‘Method Man brings ’em to the church. Clifford Smith, though — he’s gonna keep ’em coming back.’”

S o who are those two guys? Clifford “Method Man” Smith is an actor. One whose IMDb credits reach back decades. He’s also still a rapper, showing up in features , not just a legacy torchbearer for one of hip-hop’s greatest acts. He’s a Men’s Health cover star whose Instagram feed is packed with more dead lifts than the Rock. And yes, he’s the “ zaddy ” your auntie and all the internet girlies are salivating over.

“What makes Method so incredible at everything he does is that he has the gift to commit totally,” says Mary J. Blige, the actress and queen of hip-hop soul. Blige, who sang the unforgettable hook on Method Man’s 1995 Grammy-winning hit “ I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By ,” also stars alongside Smith on “Ghost.” “He puts so much heart and integrity into everything he does.”

The man — Method or Smith — flips through alter egos like the pages of his beloved comic books. Ask him about hip-hop and he’ll deliver a dissertation on the culture. Ask about the sex-symbol stuff and his answers will surprise you. Ask him about acting and that’s when he really gets going. It’s clearly his happy place.

“Meth has always been more charismatic and had a stronger presence than other artists around him,” says 50 Cent, who has also leaped from concert stage to screen. “This won’t be the last show of mine you see him in.”

Still, it took audiences a few episodes to adjust to a briefcase-toting Method Man in a power suit. The Power franchise, which began with the eponymous show in 2014, is beloved. But Smith remembers the online peanut gallery after the spinoff’s 2020 premiere. “Method Man? Cringe. Method Man as a lawyer? LOL.” By midseason, though, the tide shifted.

“By the fourth episode it was, ‘I don’t like Davis MacLean,’” says Smith, reveling as he shifts into character. He leans in close, cocks his head to the side and drops his voice low. “Where’d Method Man go?” The answer, increasingly: where he’s wanted.

Earlier this month, Method Man performed with Redman, his frequent partner-in-rhyme, at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert on Long Island. Videos of the set show the crowd at the UBS Arena only half-listening as the duo eats up the stage with the energy of guys half their age. It wasn’t enough. “Not our crowd at all,” he commented later on Instagram, vowing never to return: “... at this point, the generation gap is too wide for me.”

Smith is two years older than hip-hop itself, but it doesn’t weigh on him. He’s not the old head on the stoop reminiscing about back in the day. Mostly because he’s kept a foot in the music business, plus he doesn’t remember half the stuff he did. “When you smoke a lot of weed, it’s kind of hard to reflect,” he says only half-jokingly.

The rapper-actor clarified his stance to TMZ. This was an “It’s not you, it’s me” situation. The crowd was the crowd. It was Method Man who had changed. “That was me having a self-awareness moment,” he told the gossip outlet.

The Style section

Turns out 30 years in the game can provide not only perspective but also peace — if you let it. Go where you’re wanted and leave them wanting the world over. And Summer Jam was far from the first time he’d found himself on the wrong stage.

In 2004, the Fox network premiered “ Method & Red ,” a fish-out-of-water sitcom about two rappers living hood-rich in an all-White New Jersey suburb that most agreed was unwatchable, including the stars. (Tag line: “Puttin’ the URBAN in SUBURBAN.”)

“We were so naive,” Smith says. Once the half-hour comedy went from idea to execution, Smith had to confront two questions: Was this the show he pitched, and what exactly was he doing? The answers were no and “I don’t know.”

“And that right there made me uncomfortable,” Smith says. One day sticks out. The show’s director had a note for his stars: “You guys need to smile more. Be more happy.” The duo begrudgingly cranked up the grins, which in turn cranked up the cringe. It didn’t hit Smith until he saw the trailer.

“I was like ‘Oh, God. They got us.'” Variety dubbed it “ The Beverly Homeboys .” Fox canceled it before the first season was over.

After that Smith made himself a promise. Hollywood he could do. He’d even do more comedy. But he would never, literally or metaphorically, “put a dress on.”

“I come from hip-hop, you know? And in my head, it was trying to emasculate the thing that they’re most afraid of.”

O nce “Method & Red” flamed out, Smith shed the ghetto Cheech and Chong act and got serious about acting. Eventually — years after he’d found acclaim for parts like Cheese on “The Wire” — it meant hiring a coach.

“I was being nosy,” Smith says. As many scripts as he’d seen over the years, he was convinced there had to be some secret passcode, directions behind the words on the page that he was missing. One of his first teachers was the famed Ivana Chubbuck, author of “The Power of the Actor.” He didn’t read the book, but he did commit. He remembers looking around at the talent in his first class and wondering, Who’s gonna be next? and Do I belong? “I wanted somebody to explain it to me. And ... it’s nothing. It’s just human interaction, bro, and being honest with yourself.”

That last part took even more years to unlock.

Smith and another coach were trying to figure out who the actor’s “substitute” was — the real-life figure he could call upon to dredge up certain emotions in a scene. He always thought it was RZA — the unofficial-official leader of Wu-Tang Clan who conceived its mashup of kung fu imagery and urban grit.

“The coach was like, ‘You know what? I don’t think RZA’s your substitute. I think it’s your dad,’” Smith says before shooting his fingers from his skull. Mind blown. “I’m sitting there like, ‘Oh, s---, it is my father.’” His coach connected more dots: “Whether you know it or not, you’re looking at RZA as a father figure.”

Smith slaps his hand down on the sofa cushion. Now he’s really tuned up, the memory of that moment charging him like a battery. He leans over with a Cheshire cat grin: “So this is what acting is.”

After his parents separated, Smith moved with his mother to Staten Island, the eventual birthplace of Wu-Tang Clan. In middle school he and his best friend, future group member Corey “Raekwon” Woods, cut their rhymes in the stairwells of the Park Hill Apartments. He wove in and out of high school, dabbling in the drug game but abandoning it completely when their rap group got going. Wading through the land mine of suppressed childhood trauma is a lot like therapy, Smith says. He doesn’t get into what happened, but he knows it’s there now: a fault line to either avoid or, when the role calls for it, stomp all over.

“Getting it all out will make you feel lighter. A whole hell of a lot lighter,” says Smith. At this point, he’s not worried about giving too little on a set, but too much. “Sometimes I feel overly exposed.” But he knows he’s done a good job when he goes to that fault line.

This isn’t Method Man hopping on the mindfulness train. Consciousness has been a staple of his music since day one. And if there’s a secret to Smith’s staying power, it’s self-awareness. Like when he looked up from the “Method & Red” set and realized he wasn’t in on the joke. When he decided that a ’90s hip-hop act — even one as formidable as Wu-Tang — had to diversify into other creative fields. When he knew he needed an acting coach. When he announced that some crowds just weren’t for him.

In his next act, Smith wants to produce the kind of tales from the hood that will make the folks from there proud. Authentic stuff. Stories that come from the concrete up and not corporate down.

“Take ‘Crooklyn’ and mix that with ‘New Jack City,’ right? Just a little bit. Not a lot. And you mix that with a little ‘Good Times.’ That right there can make for a really good movie,” Smith says. He wants to be the guy in the room who gives the next Ryan Coogler his shot. Heck, the next Steven Spielberg.

“You can have a seat at the table. Cool. But if you don’t have a voice, you’re just eye candy,” Smith says.

B ut let’s also talk about the eye candy. Guys, he knows. He’s fully aware of his elevation to sex-symbol status. It all started with a 2022 digital cover of Essence Magazine.

“He’s striking. He’s statuesque. He has a commanding spirit about him,” says Cori Murray, Essence’s former deputy editor and the brain behind that shoot. Some of the younger ladies on the editorial team weren’t convinced about Smith, but Murray recalled him sauntering behind the stage at the magazine’s annual music festival in a white tank top. “He was literally just walking and I remember my mouth was agape.”

But even Murray was surprised by how well the cover story was received. “It immediately went viral. Listen, I just gave the readers what they want,” says Murray. “When he bristles at people wanting to celebrate his sexiness, I think we’re seeing Cliff Smith.”

Don’t get him wrong, Smith likes being admired. Who wouldn’t? But he’s thoughtful about the energy coming his way.

“Sometimes you don’t want to be lusted over. You just want to be respected,” say Smith, who met his wife, Tamika, in the early ’90s and has been married since 2001. “The problem becomes when you’re objectified or sexualized. They don’t think men feel that s---. We actually do. If you’re going to admire the outer portion, admire the inner as well, because I have a lot more to contribute than just a smile,” Smith says.

The man did appear this month in the season opener of “Ghost” in a buck-naked shower scene. There’s that. But could fans also be registering that he still looks like he’s having a lot of fun? Lighter? Healed, even?

“I’m not healed, but I’m constantly working on that word: happy,” Smith says. “Once you learn self-love and s---, it’s a constant battle to keep it.”

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Ticket Sales

trending now

Jocelyn Nungaray's mom 'shocked' by call from Trump minutes...

Security guard quits job on live TV after he's attacked by 2...

Baseball Hall of Famer, MVP dead at 86

12 witnesses spot UFO soaring above Red Rocks hours after...

Four dead, 9 injured after minivan plows into Long Island nail...

Ryan Sutter says he's 'missing' wife Trista again — and now his...

Obama calls Biden's catastrophic debate performance 'bad,' urges...

Pat McAfee rips ESPN for giving Prince Harry award named after...

Eric idle announces ‘always look on the bright side of life’ tour. get tickets.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

And now for something completely different.

Monty Python member Eric Idle just announced that he’s embarking on a West Coast ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Live!’ tour this September.

The musical one-man show — written and performed entirely by Idle — will feature never before seen sketches, original songs, jokes, stand-up comedy, humorous wisdom that comes with being a living legend and “exactly one fart joke.”

He also promised “special guests, a Virtual Band, and some of my favorite hitherto unseen clips,” on X, formerly known as Twitter .

If seeing the beloved 81-year-old Tony and Grammy Award-winner (for “Spamalot” ) live sounds like the show for you, tickets are available to be scooped up as soon as today.

Fans can purchase tickets for all upcoming shows on sites like Vivid Seats ; the official on-sale is Friday, June 14.

Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.

Eric Idle tour schedule 2024

A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues, and links to buy tickets can be found below.

John Cleese tour

Idle isn’t the only Python member on the road this year.

Fellow Flying Circus man John Cleese has a few shows lined up these next few months as well.

You can find all of his tour dates here .

“Spamalot”

After a revival on Broadway last year, “Spamalot” is still going strong at Appomattox, VA’s Wolfbane Performing Arts Center up until June 29.

If you want to see the beloved show — complete with all the gags you know and love —  tickets can be snagged here .

Eric Idle biography

In 2018, Idle dropped his best-selling autobiography “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography.”

Over 292 pages, The Rutles member reflects on the meaning of his own life (that’s a “Meaning of Life” reference, thank you very much) taking us from his time at a boarding school as a child to his successful comedy career where he ended up befriending George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams.

That’s not all, though.

“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” features Idle anecdotes from big names like Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and, of course, his fellow Monty Python members.

Sound like a must-read?

You can grab “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” here .

How to watch Monty Python movies

Been meaning to brush up on your Python?

Here’s how you can stream each of the group’s iconic films and the show:

“Monty Python’s Flying Circus” is streaming on Netflix “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is streaming on Netflix “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” is streaming on Netflix “Monty’s Python’s Meaning of Life” is streaming on Amazon for $3.59 USD

Huge comedians on tour in 2024

Love Idle but unable to travel to the West Coast to see him?

We’re here to help.

Here are five huge comics that might be coming to a venue near you these next few months.

•  Steve Martin and Martin Short

•  Ellen Degeneres

• Jim Jefferies with Jimmy Carr

•  Jim Gaffigan

• Jerry Seinfeld

Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of the 107 biggest comedians on tour in 2024 to find out.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy , New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed Bruce Springsteen and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

Share this article: