"Memphis Bleek Is..." | ||||
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Single by Memphis Bleek | ||||
from the album Coming of Age | ||||
Released | June 8, 1999 | |||
Studio | Soundtracks Studio (New York City) | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | M. Cox, S. Carter | |||
Producer(s) | Swizz Beatz | |||
Memphis Bleek singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Memphis Bleek Is…" on YouTube |
"Memphis Bleek Is..." is the debut single from Memphis Bleek, it was from his first album, Coming of Age. The song was perceived as an indirect diss to Nas. It was considered a Nas diss because the song had a similar concept to that of Nas' song, "Nas Is Like." The song became a minor hit and allowed Bleek to be known as more than Jay-Z's sidekick.
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
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US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [1] | 93 |
US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [2] | 33 |
Malik Deshawn Cox, known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper. He is best known for his affiliation with fellow New York City-based rapper Jay-Z, with Cox often described as his hype man and protégé. Cox signed with his Roc-A-Fella Records label imprint in the late 1990s, through which he has released four major label studio albums: Coming of Age (1999), The Understanding (2000), M.A.D.E. (2003), and 534 (2005). He has since founded his own labels: Get Low Records in 1998, and Warehouse Music Group in 2016—through which he signed rapper Casanova.
Young Gunz is an American hip hop duo from Philadelphia, composed of rappers Young Chris and Neef Buck. The group is part of Beanie Sigel's State Property collective and were signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. Young Gunz' 2003 debut single, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", reached the top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Ether" is a diss track by American rapper Nas, from his 2001 album Stillmatic. The song was a response to Jay-Z's "Takeover", released earlier that year. "Ether" has been called a "classic" diss track and the "wildest" in hip hop history by music publications.
Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB's Finest, commonly known as simply QB's Finest, is a compilation album released on November 21, 2000 and the second release from rapper Nas' new Ill Will Records imprint, distributed by Columbia Records. It featured Nas and a number of other rappers from the Queensbridge housing projects, including Mobb Deep, Nature, Nashawn, Littles, Bravehearts and Cormega, who had briefly reconciled a longtime feud with Nas.
"Nas Is Like" is the first single from Nas' third album I Am.... The song is the sixth collaboration between Nas and producer DJ Premier. It was well received by critics as it was a change from the more commercial and pop-oriented singles from It Was Written and Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album. The song contains a combination of braggadocios and introspective lyrics over a choppy string sample.
"Nastradamus" is the first single from Nas' fourth album of the same name. It was produced by L.E.S. The song contains the lyrics "You wanna ball 'til you fall, I can help you with that" which were viewed as a jab at Roc-A-Fella artist Memphis Bleek, sparking the beef which would eventually involve Jay-Z. The music video, directed by Jeff Byrd, was originally released in 3-D with Tower Records providing "Nastradamus" 3-D glasses as a tie in. Nas debuted the video with Carson Daly on MTV's TRL in November 1999. The beat uses the sample "The Monorail Express" by the J.B.'s, the same one EPMD used on their song "Let the Funk Flow" from their 1988 album Strictly Business.
"Oh Boy" is a 2002 Grammy-nominated hip hop single by Cam'ron from his album Come Home with Me, and features Juelz Santana. The single was released through Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, Cam'ron's Diplomats Records and Def Jam Recordings.
534 is the fourth studio album by rapper Memphis Bleek. It was released by Get Low Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, and Def Jam Recordings on May 17, 2005. The album was executive produced Bleek's mentor and childhood friend Jay-Z, who also recorded the song "Dear Summer" for the album. Other guests include Young Gunz, M.O.P., and Rihanna, whose appearance on the song "The One" was the major label debut.
"It's Alright" is the only single by Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z that was released from the Streets Is Watching soundtrack for the film of the same name. It was later featured as a bonus track on Jay-Z's third album, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It is produced by Damon Dash and Mahogany Music, who sample "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads and "The Hall of Mirrors" by Kraftwerk for the track's beat. Its B-side is "The Doe" by Diamonds in da Rough.
"Jigga My Nigga" is a single by Jay-Z from the Ruff Ryders Entertainment compilation Ryde or Die Vol. 1. It was released on May 28, 1999. It also appeared as a hidden track on Jay-Z's fourth album, Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, contained within the final track "Hova Song (Outro)". Produced by Swizz Beatz, it reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song interpolates "Just You Just Me" by The Counts and "What's My Name?" by Snoop Dogg, using the line "what's my motherfuckin' name?". The beat was later remade for "Scenario 2000" by Eve featuring Ruff Ryders.
"Change the Game" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z from his 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. It features guest raps by Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel, production from Rick Rock and backing vocals by Static Major. Upon release, the song's intention was to promote Sigel and Bleek, but Steve Juon of RapReviews.com considers Jay-Z to outperform both rappers. A music video directed by David Meyers was made for "Change the Game."
"Roc Boys ..." is the second single from Jay-Z's tenth studio album, American Gangster. The song is produced by Skyz Muzik, Diddy and two of his producers known as LV and Sean C from his production team, The Hitmen. It features additional vocals by Beyoncé, Kanye West and Cassie. The song samples "Make the Road by Walking" by The Menahan Street Band. On December 11, 2007, Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2007.
The discography of American rapper Memphis Bleek consists of four studio albums, twelve mixtapes, seventeen singles and fifteen music videos. An early signing to rapper Jay-Z's record label Roc-A-Fella Records, Bleek appeared on several of Jay-Z's early songs, and collaborated with him on the single "It's Alright" from the soundtrack to the film Streets Is Watching, which peaked at number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Bleek went on to release his debut album, Coming of Age, in 1999, which contained the singles "Memphis Bleek Is...", "My Hood to Your Hood" and "What You Think of That".
"Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)" is the second single from Memphis Bleek's second album, The Understanding. The single version featured Jay-Z and Missy Elliott. The album version featured a verse from Twista and another verse from Jay-Z. The song was produced by Timbaland and was released in 2000. The original version of the song appeared on the European (but not American) version of Jay-Z's Vol. 3...Life and Times of S. Carter. Memphis Bleek later recorded verses for the song, and it was released as the second single from Bleek's The Understanding. In the alternate version the chorus is changed from "Cause that's Jay and them..." to "Cause that's Bleek and them...".
"Round Here" is a song by American rapper Memphis Bleek, released as the first single from his third studio album, M.A.D.E. (2003). Produced by Just Blaze, the song features fellow American rappers Trick Daddy and T.I. It peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
"Dear Summer" is the third and final single from American rapper Memphis Bleek's fourth studio album, 534. Despite being featured on Bleek's album and released as a single, the song does not feature any vocals from Memphis Bleek. He is also not listed as a writer. It is solely performed by the featured guest, Jay-Z. Produced by Just Blaze, it contains a sample from Weldon Irvine's "Morning Sunrise". It is notable for being the first solo Jay-Z song to be released following his retirement from music in 2003.
"My Mind Right" is a song by American rapper Memphis Bleek, released by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings on March 5, 2000 as the lead single from his second studio album, The Understanding (2000). It also served as lead single for Roc-A-Fella Records' soundtrack album, Backstage: A Hard Knock Life.
"Do My..." is a song by American rapper Memphis Bleek, released as the third and final single from his second studio album The Understanding (2000). The song features vocals from fellow rapper Jay-Z, with production handled by A Kid Called Roots. It peaked at number 68 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Exit Wounds: The Album is the soundtrack to Andrzej Bartkowiak's 2001 film Exit Wounds. It was released on March 20, 2001, four days after the film, through Blackground Records and Virgin Records with distribution via Warner Bros. Records, and consists primarily of hip hop music. The album composed of seventeen songs and features performances by the film star DMX, as well as Black Child, Drag-On, Ja Rule, Lady Luck, Mack 10, Memphis Bleek, Nas, Redman, Sheek Louch, Styles P, Three 6 Mafia, Trick Daddy, Trina, and WC among others. American rapper Christian "Yung Berg" Ward, then known as Iceberg, made his debut on this soundtrack on the track "Dog 4 Life".
Oochie Wally is a collaborative single by American rapper Nas and East Coast hip hop group Bravehearts. It was released on January 6, 2001, by Ill Will Records and Columbia Records as the second single for the compilation album Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB's Finest (2000). The song is referenced in Jay-Z's diss song "Takeover". The female vocalist on the hook was later revealed to be Shelene Thomas.