How ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ inspired Method Man’s stage name
Method Man is known for his flame-thrower flows and gritty rhymes, but he’s rarely been known as Clifford Smith – his real name. But did you know that in between the two, he was ‘Shakwon the Panty Raider’?
In an interview with Peter Rosenberg on Hot 97 back in 2023, RZA – the man behind (and at the front of) Wu Tang Clan – explained that there’s a story behind how Method Man got his stage name.
Back before his Wu-Tang days, RZA went by ‘Shakwon the Panty Raider’. However, when he came to record the track ‘Method Man’ for Wu-Tang’s debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), something shifted.
“Method Man was Shakwon until he made that song – Shakwon the Panty Raider”, RZA said. “Then, after he made that song, everybody in the hood called him Method Man”.
But more than just a name and an affiliation to the particular track, RZA told reporters that the name suited Method Man because of his habits. He was a big cannabis smoker, and meth means weed. Spitting fire on the ‘Method Man’ song and also being a pot head felt like no coincidence then – it was a title made for Shakwon.
“It was the concept because meth is weed. [Method Man] is the king of smoking weed. So he’s the method man. A year later, he’s Method Man”, RZA said.
He continued that it took about a year for Shakwon the Panty Raider to fully transform into Method Man. While the Wu Tang crew adopted it immediately, Shakwon was conscious that it would take longer for the rap community to accept the shift. Ironically, RZA said that the community were the ones to really support the name change. “It was a conscious decision by us as a crew, but the streets did push it”, he said.
Years later, and many Wu-Tang super fans still aren’t aware of Method Man’s original rap name, nor the reason why he’s called Method Man. During RZA’s interview, Peter Rosenberg was even surprised, but said that the story made sense considering how influential Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) was and still is. Rosenberg admitted that, like many other rap fans, he thought the ‘Method Man’ track was named after the rapper, not the other way around.
In a different interview, Method Man spoke about his inspiration when recording ‘Method Man’. He cited people like Masta Ace, Bootsy Collins, and the Beatles as helping him get in the zone for the song. He specifically mentioned how the Beatles’ ‘Come Together’ inspired the song’s hook. A small detail but evidence of Method Man’s truly genius musical methods.
Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) had its 30th anniversary in 2023. The album came out on November 9, 1993, and has been so well-received since then that the previous New York City mayor, Eric Adams, declared November 9th ‘Wu Tang Day’. To celebrate, the Empire State Building was lit up in Wu-Tang’s classic black and yellow colours.
RZA joined special anniversary concerts at Gramercy Hall, which featured a classical orchestra playing alongside the rapper as he churned out the group’s hits. The album was also rereleased as a cassette and vinyl series, plus a Wu-Tang book and trading cards were sold for the occasion.
More than 30 years since the first album launch, and secrets like the origins of Method Man’s name show that the rappers are still relevant and still packed with intrigue. As one of the most iconic groups in hip hop history, the myth around Wu Tang Clan will always turn heads, turn tables, and no doubt lead to more name changes.