Memphis Bleek "Eat off The Land"


If my Jay-Z series hasn’t given you any indication, I’m a Roc-A-Fella fan. Yes, part of this is because of my memories associated with their reign at the top (when do you think the dynasty ended? After the split with Dame? Or was it the signing of Cam’Ron and Dipset’s arrival?) but it’s hard to deny the amount of great music they dropped. Memphis Bleek was always the rapper that should of done better from the Roc being Jay’s boy since day one. He lacked the charisma to charm the world, but the same skills that impressed Jay proved to be enough for some to ride with Memphis.

I won’t claim he is on the same level as his benefactor, but Bleek has a smooth flow and can spit rhymes about smoking weed, chilling on the streets with his boys and impressing the ladies – this really is the formula for any one of his albums, along with some of the hottest beats from the streets of NY, the area his solo’s falter at times.

While he won’t ever have to worry about being broke again (“Bleek can be one hit away his whole career/as long as I’m alive he’s a millionaire”) he seems to have a passion for spitting that won’t let him stay quite for long. Earlier this year he reemerged once again with a mixtape that seems to be trying to promote his Get Low Records. But rather than being an opportunity for his boys to get on he holds down the tape for self, except for some skits from Pain in Da Ass (classic Roc type shit!) and a journey of sorts with Uncle Murda, a recent addition to the new Roc.

In typical mixtape fashion we see Bleek rapping over a number of industry beats making a great version of “I’m Me” as “I’m Bleek” demonstrating his skillful flow and confident swagger – even if he has never hit, he doesn’t ever show signs of losing confidence. He does what he does and knows that he has a fan base who digs it, pointing out that all his albums have gone gold at least. Remember when that was the standard of achievement for Hip Hop album sales?

Bleek proves his Hip Hop status pulling a number of classic beats from Primo and other NY heatmakers going in on “Living Proof” to excellent results and tackling Marly’s timeless Kane masterpiece “Ain’t No Half Steppin.” Proving he knows his history and at the same time repping for his hometown you can’t be mad at him.

Bleek will probably always be more than a hit away for whatever is left of his career (that commercial might have been the death toll?) but he hasn’t hung up the jersey yet and even if he didn’t do anything else in the ’08 but this tape it should keep him in your ear until the next project drops. Enjoy the flows, enjoy the beats, and enjoy some purple with this tape.

Grab it here, courtesy of Nah Right!

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