Method Man & Redman are Backout for Blackout 2

2Part of what's made the Wu Tang legacy such an enormous shadow that drapes itself over all of hip hop is that fact that the production - save for 8 Diagrams - is pretty timeless. Any of the crew's albums could have come from the same time and place as 36 Chambers. And while that might just mean that Wu sounds like dusty funk beats from a '90's dungeon, it'd still be hard to order those discs sequentially based upon the music.

But of course, the Wu isn't everyone's flavor. Even if it's not though, the crew's Method Man not only has one of the most recognizable flows in rap, it's probably one of the best. When coupled with Redman's similar style and timbre, the duo and its 1999 Blackout! should be recognized not necessarily as a water shed moment, but as an indispensible piece in not just the Wu canon, but in '90s rap.

Waiting a decade to release a follow up might have been a dicey business move, but both Meth and Red have been kinda busy. Regardless of the duos filmic ambitions - on the big and little screen - musically, both rappers have guested on a pretty extensive list of discs since their last collaborative effort. And because of some tag team efforts, the fervor surrounding this sequel reached it's height a few months ago as some tracks featuring Bun B and other notable folks leaked.

What's easiest to realize when listening to the new disc is that the RZA is noticeably absent from production credits here. And because of that, a great deal of this disc suffers. Of course, there are a few places that shimmer in that dingy Wu way, but there isn't an actual replacement for the production prowess of the RZA.

Ty Fyffe works out the beat on "Father's Day" with its funky flute loop and atmospheric wah-wah guitar. Lyrically, the song allows Method Man to explain how he got where is today, but also what kind of woman he wants next to him as he continues to ride his monetary endowment to the end. Redman's verse doesn't quite reach the heights of Meth's as it includes a number of in-jokes for rap fanatics. But regardless of that, this moment on Blackout! 2 might be the most representative of what good hip hop sounds like across the boards.

A few Eric Sermon productions - most listenable being "Dangerous Emcees" - sound vintage. Of course, the track is devoted to touting everyone's prowess. So while the well put together  track comes off pretty well, it doesn't quite recall EPMD. And this is really the reason that Wu productions will be recalled fondly in the future while most other rap tracks are going to be second to anything from the RZA.

Blackout! 2 is certainly a competent addition to both Meth and Red's catalog. And for devotees, there really isn't a reason to hop on this one immediately. But a few years on from now, it'll be pretty easy to place this one in a specific era of rap - I mean on "City Lights" there's a vocoder for G-d's sake.