Hear This

With Howard Stern on his way out, it won't surprise us if Method Manis crowned the next "King of All Media." After a long period of relative silence from the once-figurehead of the venerable Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man will drop two bombs next month: the film Soul Plane, a hip-hop remake of Airplane that he co-stars in along with Snoop Dogg, Tom Arnold, and D.L. Hughley; and the hotly anticipated LP Tical 0: The Prequel, Method Man's long-awaited follow-up to 1998's Tical 2000: Judgment Day. The high-profile release is naturally packed to the gills with superstar producers (including Missy Elliott, P. Diddy, and, of course, Wu-Tang beat doctor RZA) and guest lyricists (like Ludacris and Clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon). But we're not finished: In June, the MC appears alongside his blunted cohort Redman in the premiere of their still-untitled half-hour comedy series, recently picked up by Fox for 13 episodes; and in July he has a supporting role in the much-hyped indie flick Garden State. Can the tell-all biography and custom sneaker deal be too far off?

Amazingly, Meth is leaving plenty of time in his busy Hollywood schedule to get out on the road in support of his upcoming album, which means there's still a chance to witness the genius lyrical flow that earned the guy recognition in the first place. According to his bio, when asked what he wants his fans to get out of The Prequel, Meth says, "I'm trying to get them to bust off. I"m trying to get people to make babies off my shit." So go forth to the Fillmore, be fruitful, and multiply. That order comes straight from the King himself.