In 1999 Method Man and Redman, two of the most established rappers of all time, joined forces together and put out the highly-acclaimed Blackout! After many solo projects and even a feature film together later, they finally team up again to deliver Blackout! 2. Chock full of energy and electrifying rhymes, Blackout! 2 is more than a worthwhile sequel to the original and one of this year’s true hip-hop highlights.


Method Man & Redman are two very distinct rappers with true gifts for lyricism and delivery. While many prominent rappers often lose their original spark over time, Method Man and Redman still have the same unique, fast-paced style that captivated fans for many years. Guest artists such as Keith Murray, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and UGK also do a commendable job on Blackout! 2.

Production wise, this is a more polished release than the original. It still has a distinct East-Coast hip-hop style (an exception being a southern influence on the single ‘City Lights’, which features Texas-based rap group UGK), but it is slightly less gritty than the original Blackout! Synthesizers are even utilized on a few tracks, but the beats are unmistakably similar to prequel in the grand scheme of things.



With a few exceptions, Blackout! 2 is a non-stop, high energy affair. Only the occasional laid back track such as ‘Ms. International’ adds some variety to the pace of the album. For the most part, however, listening to Blackout! 2 is like being at a non-stop party devoid of any dull moments.

The highlights of Blackout! 2 are the catchy ‘Hey Zulu’, the UGK-assisted ‘City Lights’ and ‘Dangerous MCees’. The latter track resembles Method Man and Redman’s early work more than anything, yet still manages to not come off as stale.

Blackout! 2 is a welcome return from the dynamic hip-hop duo. Method Man and Redman are back in fine form here, and hopefully it’ll be less than a decade before the pair return for a possible future project.