Maps of Music

Wu-Massacre (2010)

Where the lyrics of Wu-Massacre take you, and where it was really made.

The three rappers insisted this was not a new group, even though rumors kept saying they were starting one.

Place unknown

Do you know where this album was recorded, or where its cover was shot? Tell us and we will add it to the map.

Wu-Massacre: collaboration studio album by Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon
Credited to the group name Meth • Ghost • Rae
Released March 30, 2010 on Ghostface Killah's Starks Enterprises, RZA's Wu-Tang Records and Def Jam Recordings
Released in Germany on April 2, 2010
Track listing of 12 songs, including two skits
Production handled by RZA, Allah Mathematics, Scram Jones, Emile, Ty Fyffe, BT and Digem Tracks Productions

Announced in July 2009, when Method Man told MTV News about the project
Method Man described it as a Rae, Ghost and Meth album with RZA-produced tracks and some outside producers
Initially titled Wu-Massacre, later renamed Three the Hard Way
The original title was reaffirmed after the Wu-Massacre artwork leaked
Rumors of a new group circulated; Method Man denied them in a The Source cover-story interview
Ghostface Killah also denied the group rumor in an interview with Rap Radar, saying the three already belong to Wu-Tang

Raekwon said the production came together through long stretches of phone contact between the rappers
Raekwon credited Ghostface Killah with binding the album together
Mastering took place at Masterdisk
Recording credit: Anthony Caputo on tracks 2 to 8 and 10 to 12
Mixing credit: Anthony Caputo on tracks 2 to 4, 6 to 8 and 10 to 12

All three cover portraits drawn by Marvel Comics artist Chris Bachalo and inked by Tim Townsend
The third and final cover released March 15, illustrated by Bachalo with art direction by Alex Haldi

Clifford Smith Jr., known as Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor, born March 2, 1971 in Hempstead, Long Island.
He is a member of the East Coast hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and is half of the duo Method Man & Redman.
His debut solo album Tical (1994) peaked at number four on the Billboard 200.
The single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" with Mary J. Blige won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards.
Blackout! with Redman (1999) reached platinum status in the U.S. and Canada.
He is also known as an actor with recurring roles in HBO's Oz, The Wire, and The Deuce.
His stage name is a tribute to the 1979 martial arts film Method Man.

He married Tamika in 2001 and the couple has three children.
In 2009 he was arrested for income tax violations and in 2010 pleaded guilty to tax evasion.

Received generally positive reviews from music critics; aggregate score 73/100 at Metacritic
Allmusic editor Andy Kellman called it consistent, duly rugged, and satisfying
Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson praised the rappers' lyricism
URB's Zach Cole praised the energetic production and called the album a delight with not a wasted minute
USA Today's Steve Jones called the production a rich, sonic tapestry
Laut.de gave it five out of five points and praised the three rappers' delivery and the artwork
Exclaim!'s Del F. Cowie called it a patchy project and viewed weaker tracks as those without all three rappers
RapReviews' Guido Stern called the production uneven and found the rappers' verses too few
No Ripcord's Luke John Winkie gave it 6/10 and called it a fun, but mostly forgettable affair
Pitchfork's Ian Cohen wrote that three MCs were willing to just have fun over pitchshifted soul beats
IGN's Phil Owen gave it 8.0/10 and viewed it as a case of quality over quantity
Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan viewed it as a return to the rappers' classic-Wu roots
Tiny Mix Tapes' Chris Norton gave it three and a half out of five

Debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 37,900 copies
Second week fell 25 spots to number 37, adding 11,000 copies for a total of 49,000
Entered at number six on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number two on the Rap Albums chart
Sold 100,000 copies in the US as of August 2015
Canada: number 29 on the Top 100, number four on the R&B Top 50
France: number 128 on the SNEP albums chart

The album was first named Wu-Massacre, then renamed Three the Hard Way, before the original title was reaffirmed after the artwork leaked
Criminology 2.5 was an original Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II track that was cut before the final pressing, then revised with a different Ghostface verse and a Method Man verse
Mef vs. Chef 2 premiered live on Allah Mathematics' radio show Math Files on November 25, 2009
The free mixtape Avenging Eagles by Allah Mathematics arrived February 22, 2010 as a warm-up to the album
A planned CD bundle with a Bachalo comic featuring the rappers never came together
The album was previewed online through a three-part video series in fall 2009