Sunday, 25 October 2026

Rock On

Method Man & Redman - Da Rockwilder
(From Blackout album; 1999)


Man, this song sounds even better in 2026 than it did back in 1999. Da Rockwilder was one of the few keyboard-beat anthems which didn't send the box-brained Jansport brigade scurrying off the dancefloor in disgust at U.K Rap nights back in the day. Redman says there's a longer version of Da Rockwilder somewhere in Def Jam's vaults, but him & Method Man thought that the song ending on the Hand On The Pump interpolation was perfect. I see/hear their vision and agree, but they should have released the song's other half as a part 2 on the B-side of 12" single. A B-side which is just another track from the album is a wasted opportunity and a not-so-beautiful use of negative space.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

This album was good but Quik & Kurupt had the superior Blackout

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

I like them both equally.

step one said...

Certified banger, and agree its aged well but yeah, proper short.
I know people liked the album but I find it a bit underwhelming. Tracks are fine in isolation but its not something id play start to finish.
I really enjoy listening to Meth rap so its a shame his catalogue isnt as good as it could be.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Album is very solid to me 🤷‍♂️

Ben said...

I agree as a solo artist he is pretty underwhelming this album was his closest to a classic but still doesn’t quite hit the mark.

admiral said...

Great 'choon, great album - I remember fiending for more Streetlife after hearing Run 4 Cover.

And if we're talking late 90's Meth - *whispers* Judgement Day is very good if you take away the skits *whispers*

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

I've never heard that. Maybe it's time for me to investigate 🤔

D said...

Method man after like 95/96 feels dead corny to me now, he's got a good voice but the cringe punchlines n not switching up his flow grates. I liked da rockwidler but I've never even checked this album out tbh

If we're talking Redman supergroup albums though, I've been slapping the def squad album lately and that shit goes

D said...

Think I've just got advanced bork poisoning though cos my fav wu verses now are by like rza and masta killa and bottom tier is inspectah deck and meth

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

RZA's rapping 🤮

sisilafami said...

Unrelated: did you hear the new boosie & webbie tape ?

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Only the single which was surprisingly quite good. Bizarre seeing Webbie without his trademark hairdoo tho.

d said...

I even like We Love You Rakeem! Actually always liked that one, before I clocked it was Rza.

smh if you are rly tryna act like his Cant Go To Sleep verse didnt instantly reanimate the corpses of malcolm x, huey newton and the dead lad from x-clan

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

R.I.P Khalid Muhammad who claimed Tom Jones was an honourary black man on that episode of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends.

Spartan said...

I remember coppin' both Tical 2000: Judgement Day and that first Bobby Digital album on the same day, feeling well sweet. So disappointed after listening to them. Think that was the beginning of the end for my love of all things Wu.

That Blackout album was solid, however. Fire Ina Hole was my fave track off it.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

It's more like a Redman album than a Wu-Tang album, which is why it works for me.

admiral said...

Lol - I have a soft spot for the Wyclef produced Tom Jones album. Black Betty bangs hard...

d said...

Just gonna drop in one last time to say Rza's verses on Gravel Pit + Wu-Gambinos could give a blind man sight

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Listening now.

Ben said...

I’d say it was around the How High movie him and Red started getting corny he was still pretty on point in the late 90s. That movie turned them into parody’s of themselves and it started to reflect In there music.

Fred said...

That one Donal Trump skit sure hits different in 2026 😱

D said...

Im gonna say How High(song and film) is close to 100% of my meth n red consumption lol. I remember later Redman like that malpractice album having some joints though

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Gilla House Check was the last Redman single I liked.

step one said...

Ayo + City Lights off Blackout 2 are decent

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Was not expecting a Saukrates cameo on a 2009 Method Man & Redman song.