Method Man, real name Clifford Smith Jr, has broken his silence and addressed his absence from Wu-Tang Clan‘s recent Australian tour.
The 55-year-old rapper and actor, along with fellow Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon, Cappadonna and Young Dirty Bastard, did not join the group for a string of shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney after the tour was previously announced to feature “all living members”.
In an Instagram Live over the weekend, Method Man explained why he didn’t go and confirmed that he was never going to be travelling Down Under – even before the tour was locked in.
“Before we even went on the overseas tour, I wasn’t going. I said I wasn’t going. I said I was booked,” he said, per People.
Method Man claimed that promoters knew he wouldn’t be on the tour, but kept pushing the wording of “all living members” would perform for the Australian shows.
“I was seeing flyers saying all living members are going to be there and s—, and I’m looking at this s—, like, they know that I haven’t agreed to go on the tour yet. This is promoters, overzealous promoters and s—,” he said.
“I told the guys before we left, I said there’s a chance I will do the overseas dates, but there is no chance that I am going to Dubai or Australia because I’m booked. I have other obligations that I have. And they knew this before we even left for the tour.”
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Method Man claimed that this has happened before and while people may be putting the blame on the artists, he urged people to look at the promoters instead.
“Because sometimes the promoters are privy to this information but don’t want to give out this information, you know? They’ll wait for the ticket sales, and then they’ll make an announcement close to the date, which I don’t think is fair,” he continued.
The rapper added that he made a statement that made it clear he would not be going to Dubai or Australia and that it should have been known to the general public that he wasn’t going to perform at those dates.
Method Man, who had other commitments that stopped him from being able to make the tour Down Under, expressed his “love” for Aussie fans, and added, “But again, if I’m booked, I’m booked.”
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The Australian dates for the Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber tour were promoted as a farewell run with a full Wu-Tang lineup.
The group includes RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004. His son Young Dirty Bastard has stepped in for his dad on a number of shows.
But after several members of the band including Method Man, Raekwon, Cappadonna and Young Dirty Bastard failed to hit the stage, refunds were offered to Aussie fans who didn’t want to attend the subsequent shows in Sydney and Melbourne, if they were to be absent.
Melbourne and Sydney ticketholders were reportedly offered refunds, as the tour was billed as having “all members” involved. However, it was announced by the group previously that Method Man would not be heading Down Under.
“We want to make fans aware that due to unforeseen circumstances, a couple of members will be unable to join the remaining tour dates in Melbourne and Sydney,” a statement from Ticketek read to Billboard.
“Wu-Tang Clan will be performing and bringing everything that has made them one of the most iconic live acts in hip-hop history.”
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