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Spiritualists believe that the more you speak on something, the more power you give it to become reality. The Ticallion Stallion makes falling off the whole raison d'être of 4:21 . . . The Day After, to where, if the idea that he's, you know, falling off wasn't in your head before, it definitely will be now. The former writer's block-ridden MC overflows with jibes like "How could you ever say I'm washed up?" and "Who acting like I'm past my prime?" and "I'll never fall off," etc. Meth serves up relatively safe, occasionally dope, and consistently scruffy boom-bap to avoid . . . not a sophomore slump exactly, but something more akin to a super-senior slump.

The highs (no pun intended) of 4:21—named for the minute after weedheads get zooted—come from collaborations with partner-in-herb Redman (the rock-tinged "Walk On" sonically paraphrasing Isaac Hayes) and Wu mastermind RZA ("4:20"). The poorly arranged hiphop loverman track "Let's Ride" seems channeled in from Def Jam labelmate LL Cool J, blatantly courting the Panty Raider's female fans. But when Methtical stoops to blaming journalists and radio for his sagging fortunes on the languid, Lauryn Hill–guested single "Stay," you wanna direct the Wu-Tanger to Shakespeare: The fault lies not in your hiphop critics, dear Hot Nix, but in yourself.