The Other Way Around

Method Man and Raekwon “Mef Vs. Chef 2”

In as much as Wu-Massacre is more of a dumping group for tracks featuring Method Man, Ghostface, and Raekwon rather than the sort of freewheeling all-three-guys-on-every-cut album I was hoping for, it’s a bit of a disappointment. That said, as a short, tight record with at least four stand-out tracks, it’s pretty nice. It’s no classic, but it’s a document of these guys keeping busy and turning out quality work within their wheelhouse. “Mef Vs. Chef 2” is another sequel track from these guys, but as usual, the title is more of an attention-grabbing device and a signal to the audience “hey, we’re doing it like the old days.” I understand why they’d want to it like that, but they don’t need to be so obvious. The alternating structure of the verses would be enough for us to make the connection, not to mention the grim gladiator movie bombast of the track itself. Raekwon sounds great, about as strong as he did on his Cuban Linx 2 album last year. Method Man is a good form too, though the guy can’t seem to shake this whiny, defensive streak he has developed in recent years. Between that and his questionable taste when left to his own devices, it’s easy to see why his reputation has sunk a bit. Hopefully this record puts him back on the right track.

Buy it from Amazon.