S. Samuel
Former Roc-A-Fella Records rapper Memphis Bleek recently discussed Kanye West's explosion onto the music scene and denied the notion his spot was taken by Yeezy.
Rather than feed into the hype and speculation, Bleek said he fully stands behind Team Yeezy.
“I love it. I like to see somebody come from nothing and become something,” he said of the G.O.O.D. Music rap and style icon. And to those who feel like Kanye took Bleek’s spot on the Roc, Memph shoots down the notion like an expert marksman. “There was no spot to take of mine. I didn’t claim anything. Jay is my brother and that’s it,” he said. “This rap game, that came second, being my brother and family is first. So whatever business decisions he make or gonna move with, he got my blessing 100 percent.” (MTV)
Back in 2009, the rapper came to Ye’s defense in light of his controversial MTV Video Music Awards interruption.
“It was a little outta line, but then again, that’s Kanye,” Bleek explained in an interview with radio personality Tim Westwood. “You gotta expect that from him. I don’t think he got issues, he never really took the time to deal with the problems in his life. This is his way of venting, like, some people, they lose a lot and a lot of tragic things happen in they life and they spiral outta control and go crazy. I think he realized the breaking point. If you heard his speech on Jay Leno’s show, he realized, ‘Yo, I need to take some time off and really chill out.’ And I felt him, that’s real talk, he really do. He’s been constantly working for five years straight…Let me just clear it up, I don’t respect what he did for the simple fact that it was a female, if he would have gotten up there with a man and took the mic, you probably would of heard me up there like ‘Yeah Ye, that’s right homie.’ But not Taylor Swift, that’s the princess…But he apologized, every man deserves a second chance. Just like my homie Chris Brown.” (Tim Westwood TV)
Back in 2010, Bleek spoke on how serious he takes hip-hop blogger comments.
“I’m not a blogger but I definitely do read the blogs,” Bleek said in an interview. “I read the comments. It’s fuel for a guy like me because I love to hear what people gotta say. If you look at it, on a percentage scale, 20% of the s**tis real, and 80% of the s**t is bulls**t but that 20% is what matters. Somebody is gonna comment something real that you can take wit’ you and put into your craft or your daily routine. Somebody gon’ care about you.” (All Hip Hop)
A couple years prior, he hit up SOHH and discussed the concept behind his Get Low Records.
“Roc-A-Fella for life,” Bleek told SOHH. “Even though Roc-A-Fella’s in the blood, [Jay] gave me the opportunity to step out and make Get Low Records for my own company and really get all the proceeds, make all the money from my projects. And I don’t think nobody right now, nobody’s boss would let them do that in the position I’m in and still be on stage with them touring.” (SOHH)
