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Memphis Bleek joins Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay to perform a track from his new album Apartment 3D before diving into his journey from the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn to hip-hop history. Raised by a single mother and stepfather, Bleek recalls growing up watching his mom struggle and his determination to change his family dynamic. At first, he thought basketball, baseball, or even art would be his path, until writing lyrics became his true calling. Growing up in the same building as Jay-Z, his first job was walking Jay’s nephews to school for $100 a week. He shares memories of the projects, losing friends, and respect for older generations who disciplined kids whether related or not.
Bleek reflects on idolizing Nino Brown before Jay-Z told him to quit hustling and focus on music. Though not blood brothers, he says Jay-Z raised him alongside Dame Dash, Biggs, Clark Kent, and cousin Bee High. He explains why Brooklyn breeds stars like The Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim, Fabolous, Big Daddy Kane, ODB, Joey Bada$$, and Pop Smoke. He remembers meeting Biggie during the “Brooklyn’s Finest” session with Jay-Z and visiting Biggie’s New Jersey mansion with elevators and Land Cruisers, which inspired him to believe success through music was possible. He admits his pen was never as sharp as Jay-Z, Biggie, Nas, or Tupac, and recalls being devastated by Biggie’s death.
He describes Jay-Z’s life in the projects as “royalty” with an air conditioner, waterbed, and white carpet. His mother was best friends with Jay’s sister, and Bleek always knew Jay was destined for greatness. Watching Jay-Z evolve into a businessman, he says Hov has long planned to retire from rap and hasn’t felt challenged since Eminem, Big Pun, Biggie, and Tupac. Bleek recalls freestyling for Jay-Z during the Reasonable Doubt era, seeing Jay write “Sunshine” in 30 minutes, and realizing he was hand-picked. Reasonable Doubt changed Bleek’s life, giving him money to support his mom and allowing him to buy a house in New Jersey at 17.
Bleek admits to losing focus, skipping sessions to chase women until Jay stopped working with him for a year. His mother’s guidance saved his career, and he never missed another session. He saw Jay grind—begging DJs to play records, selling Roc-A-Fella to Def Jam for $10M, then chasing the Forbes list until becoming a billionaire. Beanie Sigel’s signing pushed Bleek to prove himself, and he went gold with his debut album. He reflects on envy from friends, wasted years, and the advice he’d give young stars: chase money, not girls, and don’t glorify violence.
Bleek credits Dame Dash with saving him from a bad management deal but explains why Jay-Z will never “save” Dame now. He recalls Roc-A-Fella’s breakup, calling it the worst day of his life, caused by egos, lack of focus, and fights over credit. He names Roc-A-Fella the greatest rap label ever, with Cash Money, Death Row, No Limit, Ruff Ryders, and Def Jam rounding out his top five. He shares Kanye West memories, Rihanna’s early career, and calls Rihanna an anomaly. He talks about rap beefs from Tupac vs. Biggie to Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake, praising “Not Like Us” as the greatest diss record he’s ever seen.
Bleek recalls turning down beats like Joe Budden’s “Pump It Up,” Barbara Streisand quoting him in a diss to Donald Trump, and being starstruck by Michael Jackson. He performed for Nelson Mandela, worked with Destiny’s Child, Rihanna, and Missy Elliott, and says Beyoncé is the closest thing to Michael Jackson. He praises Kevin Hart as the funniest person he’s met, likening him to Eddie Murphy, and remembers hanging with Nick Cannon, Serena Williams, and Meagan Good.
Bleek shares lessons about money, family, and loyalty, admitting cars and jewelry were wasted purchases. He agrees with Fat Joe that rappers live paycheck to paycheck and opens up about marriage, fatherhood, and why focusing on friendships hurt his career. He says Jay-Z always has his back but egos destroy empires. From Marcy Projects to Roc-A-Fella Records, Memphis Bleek’s story is one of loyalty, lessons, and legacy.
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