*** 1/2 METHOD MAN
"Tical 2000: Judgment Day"
Def Jam
Although the New York rapper's 1994 debut, "Tical," sold more than 1.3 million copies, the album catered exclusively to underground hip-hop devotees. It took the remix of "All I Need," which was produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs and featured vocals from Mary J. Blige, to thrust the most celebrated member of the Wu-Tang Clan into pop music stardom. Shunning the opportunity to exploit his new fan base, Method Man keeps his musical mission consistent on his second solo album. Producers such as the RZA, Erick Sermon and Havoc provide Method Man with sparse, eerie soundscapes that contrast sharply with the friendly, sample-heavy sounds dominating urban radio.
