Memphis Bleek is still holding out hope to do a joint album with JAY-Z one day, despite his longtime friend and collaborator continually brushing him off.
During a brief interview with TMZ at LAX this past weekend, the former Roc-A-Fella signee revealed he’s still plugging away at trying to persuade Hov to record a project with him, even though it’s been years since they last released music together.
“I’m on that boat too. I wish!” he said when asked about the prospect of a Memphis Bleek and JAY-Z project, which gained traction on social media earlier this year.
Bleek admitted that the chances of it actually happening are slim, saying: “I don’t think so. Hov too far gone, man! I was supposed to try this when he had $100 million, not a billion. When you got a billion, it’s hard to get you in the booth. Only his wife can do it.”
However, he quickly changed his tune by telling fans they should hold their breath as he believes his persistence will one day pay off — and when that day comes, listeners won’t be disappointed.
“Hold it ’cause I’m trying. I still send him joints, I get shot down like a clay pigeon,” he joked. “But something gon’ stick one day, ya know? But if we could drop an EP together, that would be — c’mon, that would close off the whole trilogy of the ‘Coming of Age’ story. [Fans] need something classic.”
Childhood acquaintances who both grew up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, JAY-Z and Memphis Bleek first connected on “Coming of Age” from Hov’s 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt.
The Clark Kent-produced song established their relationship as master and apprentice, with Jigga lyrically schooling Bleek about how to hustle while trading rhymes with his teenage understudy.
“I collared him and said, ‘Look, I’m making an album and you can be on it, but you have to learn this song in 24 hours. You don’t learn it, then you’re not on it,’” Jay recalled in his 2010 book Decoded.
“He took the paper I handed him and looked it over. I’d written the verse down for him in some chicken scratch… He came to my apartment the next day and spit the whole thing like he’d been doing it his whole life.”
The pair delivered a sequel to the street tale with “Coming of Age (Da Sequel)” from 1998’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. And while Bleek would remain a mainstay on follow-up albums like Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, Roc La Familia: The Dynasty and The Blueprint 2, a third installment in the trilogy never materialized.
JAY-Z has embraced joint albums throughout his career having dropped full-length collaborations with Beyoncé, Kanye West, R. Kelly, Jay Electronica and Linkin Park. But most would agree that Bleek doesn’t quite possess the same star power to lure Hov into doing a full project.
In fact, it’s been six years since the 53-year-old’s last solo release, 2017’s 4:44, which marks the longest drought in his career thus far, so it’s safe to assume that quality over quantity is Jigga’s musical mantra at this stage of his life.
Sorry Bleek, it ain’t happenin. You had a better run than you should have. Be grateful for that. Maybe Beans would do it.
Bleek is cool, but no one is checking for WASH THE THRONE.
Bleek is right through. Jay is way far gone. But still I feel there is a exception to the rule that these 2 knows and grown up with each other before the music. Why not put a collaboration with your man Bleek. He still nice with the bars. If Jay can get do music with Kanye or Pharrell way before they got super.big…then do it your man who you both came up on.
When’s the last time bleek put anything out?
Jay takes an L for this one. With his status and his relationship with bleek atinimum cut the man a track/ single and make it a good one. If Jay can be all over that clown Electronicas album and make corny guest spot appearances with Kahlid, then bless bleek with a track ….or more.
He cut the amount of career and gave him tracks. What the hell are you talking about?
Bleek isn’t like any other rock a fella member and jay isnt above hip hop, unless he retires. If bleek is looking for a jay feature, then above anyone else jay should give bleek that guest spot.
A feature yes but not a whole project .
These guys let their brand take away from the art. Remember it is the art that helped create the brand. Hear that Jay and Dre Dre? Nas is a rare one out here making music and building his brand!
Nas couldn’t even make the top 40 in sales with magic 2. Jay z going number 1 with every album since the late 90s
Why doesn’t my shit go up? Scared hommies?
Reality is The dudes from Rocafella that didn’t radio time because lack of fame: Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Young Guns….Dipset came in and they had to fall back
People actually think Bleek is some sort of legend. How? Where? This guy has never had a hit record solo. Every song that banged with his name on it was collaborations. He’s too light in the ass to hold it down solo. A legend? People either do not truly know the definition of the title or throw it around too easily.
People actually think Bleek is some sort of legend. How? Where? This guy has never had a hit record solo. Every song that banged with his name on it was collaborations. He’s too light in the ass to hold it down solo. A legend? People either do not truly know the definition of the title or throw it around too easily.
Yur exactly rite bruh.👍🏿👍🏿 Jay should at least do Bleek a favor since he’s a day 1 nigguh before they got n tha rap game.. Jay iz 2 far gone now jus like Bleek said
So Jay-Z signed Bleek, even in Roc-a-fellas best days, when did anyone ever say “hey when is that new Bleek track coming out?” Also there is two Bleek tracks that come to my mind
1. Coming of age-Jay-z wrote Bleeks verse
2. Is that your chick-features Jay-z
I know y’all hate to hear this but he doesn’t owe Bleek anything. On any other label Bleek would have been dropped but they kept him around cause he was Jay’s boy. That’s like Tony Yayo saying 50cent needs to do an album with him and yall saying “yeah 50 owes Yayo for being so loyal”. Bleek and Yayo was loyal because 50 and Jay went above and beyond for them
People actually think Bleek is some sort of legend. How? Where? This guy has never had a hit record solo. Every song that banged with his name on it was collaborations. He’s too light in the ass to hold it down solo. A legend? People either do not truly know the definition of the title or throw it around too easily.
He’s got a better chance of recording with Blue Ivy.
Bleek was a C- level rapper at best nobody wants to hear an album from him even with jayz. I can’t think of 1 dope song he had by himself, I’m not talking collabs with other artists just him he ain’t got one
All Bleek shit hard can’t agree with that gibberish.
The Bleek and The Game should collab haha
Maybe if Memphis bleek wasn’t looking for a handout and actually took control of shit and make his own music, then jay z would do a throne style album with him
It’s 2023, no one is looking for a Memphis Bleek album not even close friends and family members. Carry on!!!
The collab he’s hoping for is never gonna happen…..Jay might as well do one with Chamillionare or some shit cuz it would sell just as well……nobody cares about anything Memphis Bleek or what he has to say 🤷🏼♂️the truth is the truth
The perfect coming of age finale is Bleek becoming the boss/face of Brooklyn… w/ Jay z barely being a part of the music scene…but Bleek dropped the ball decades ago
Everybody knows Jay z is a self centered son of a bish. He wouldn’t dare share the spotlight unless it benefits him more. I don’t care about his billionaire status or who tf his wife is, homes destroyed a dynasty and left the core responsible for his success respectfully speaking.
Everybody knows Jay z is self centered.He wouldn’t dare share the spotlight unless it benefits him more. I don’t care about his billionaire status or who tf his wife is, homes destroyed a dynasty and left the core responsible for his success respectfully speaking.
Good for JayZ. First off, he shouldn’t work with any loser put there worth less than $50 million, not even worth picking up the phone honestly. Second, Memphis has a netoworth of $200k!!! Aka, total loser, considering he made it moderately big. Imagine being worth less than ME, and be somewhat of a star? Like man, I just work a 9 to 5 for a few years and have more money saved up than this broke loser.
You a sucker and I’ll take all 200k you got dummy
First off everybody on the rock had a chance to boss up during their run and they didn’t. they all made money and that’s because of Jay. One things for sure and two things for certain, I never listen to the peanut gallery, they can’t even get their BI straight, how you gone down someone else’s????
First off everybody on the rock had a chance to boss up during their run and they didn’t. they all made money and that’s because of Jay. One things for sure and two things for certain, I never listen to the peanut gallery, they can’t even get their BI straight, how you gone down someone else’s????