Method Man adds new gig to résumé
If career hopscotch were a sport, Method Man would be its world champion.
The performer, who rose to fame as a member of 1990s New York rap collective the Wu-Tang Clan, has played gangsters, stoners and gangster/stoners in feature films, starred in his own wacky Fox sitcom “Method & Red” and been one of the few fortunate actors to land recurring roles in three critically lauded HBO series, including “Oz” and “The Wire.”
Over the next few weeks alone, Method Man (given name: Clifford Smith) will wrap up his first season as “the pretty pimp” Rodney on David Simon and George Pelicano’s HBO series “The Deuce,” debut Tuesday as host of TBS’ new competition “Drop the Mic,” and drop a new album with his old crew, the Wu-Tang Clan.
“I’ve always been game for anything that has to do with entertaining. It think all started when I decided I wanted to be Ricky Schroder — you know, from ‘Silver Spoons,’ ” said Smith, half-joking/halfnot, about his wide-ranging passion for performing.
If there’s anything predictable about the 46-year-old, it’s that he’s willing to try anything — even host a game show.
He’s got company. On Tuesday, starting at 9 p.m. rapper Snoop Dog hosts TBS’ reboot of “The Joker’s Wild,” and Smith follows with “Drop the Mic.”
“Drop the Mic,” co-hosted by Hailey Baldwin, is as much a comedy as a competition. Celebrities compete to see who does a better job covering popular rap songs.