It's not uncommon to see this new generation of hip-hop superstars flaunting their seemingly endless wealth on Instagram. Trends like the "money phone" and the "money spread" have gone so far as to spark minor feuds. Private jets are seemingly commonplace means of travel for today's young rap elites. Luxury items like Birkin Bags and lavish iced-out jewelry are frequently showcased, with price tags being worn like a badge of honor.
For Method Man, a longtime legend who has achieved success in a variety of different mediums, the seemingly infinite wealth that the new rap landscape possesses has been a source of great confusion. He expressed as much during a recent interview with Math Hoffa, as noted by HipHopDX. In fact, Meth all but demanded answers about the fortunes of rap's nouveau riche, implying that something may very well be afoot behind the scenes.
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"Now, [rappers] are fuckin' rockstars," remarks Meth. "I remember getting twenty-five hundred a show. 'All I Need' had dropped, and I'm doing shows every fuckin' day. Seven days a week. I had to tell the manager to raise the price...Next thing I know, I'm getting twenty-five g's a show, and I'm forgetting cause I love what I'm doing so much. Now we're in an era where these kids got more money then--son, I couldn't imagine. I don't even got a car. My kids got cars, my wife got a car. But these kids got four, five cars."
"I still ain't taking private jets!" laughs Meth. "Where are they getting this money? They got a deal or some shit? No fucking way that they flying private all the time. That money long as fuck. At minimum, that's 30 grand round trip. Where are they getting this money from, can somebody tell me? I need that hustle. They paying to fly a private jet, and they're doing it all the time!"
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"I used to complain, when I worked at the Statue [of Liberty], to save half my cheque for carfare," he continues. "Dollar seventy-five. We talking thirty-grand a trip, where are they getting this fucking money from!" When shows are brought up as an option, Meth isn't quite convinced. "They still doing this shit during corona. I know Migos probably getting a hundred-grand a piece." Hoffa adds that streaming revenue, club appearances, and features are all viable income sources, but Meth still isn't convinced.
"Rick Ross is rich, we've seen the estate," he continues. "He earned that though. We can see where he got his money from. But some of these--where is this shit coming from! We can't see it! Nobody really listen to your music like that, where did you get this fucking money! It boggles my muthafuckin' mind man. Every penny I got, I know where that came from."
Clearly, Method Man is bamboozled by the situation, and in truth -- it can indeed be puzzling at times, especially in an era where success is so often associated by material goods. Check out the Wu-Tang legend's take on the topic below, and keep an eye out for him and Redman to reunite for an epic 4/20 Verzuz battle. Do you share Method Man's confusion?