Dame Dash is on a roll when it comes to these unfiltered, controversial and flat out polarizing interviews. The former co-CEO is now (and again) reigniting old Roc-A-Fella label drama, claiming that Jay-Z was the secret behind Memphis Bleek’s success, allegedly ghostwriting his lyrics during the early years of the label’s reign.
Here we go …
In a recent interview with The Art of Dialogue–and gotta admit they have the tea–Dash opened up about Bleek’s struggles to find his footing in the industry, despite being positioned as Jay-Z’s protégé and potential heir to the Roc-A-Fella throne.
If ya’ll forgot, Memphis Bleek, who first gained recognition as a featured artist on Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt in 1996, was one of Roc-A-Fella’s earliest signings. As a rapper from Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, Bleek was often touted as Jay-Z’s right-hand man, appearing alongside Hov on multiple tracks.
Despite this, Dash suggests that Bleek’s career never quite took off because he lacked the drive to push himself forward, relying heavily on Jay-Z for lyrics and direction.
Back to the tea. According to Dash, Bleek was more of a follower than a self-starter. “He didn’t put in the work,” Dash said. “Jay had to write his lyrics for him. I was pushing for him, but he was too lazy or incapable of doing the work himself.” Dame also pointed out that Bleek was frequently labeled as Jay’s successor, but never fully capitalized on that potential. He was often seen as the one who would carry the Roc-A-Fella legacy after Jay-Z, but Dash claims that Bleek’s reliance on Jay’s ghostwriting and lack of work ethic prevented him from truly stepping into the spotlight.
Dash recalled back then, he attempted to help Bleek by getting him placements, such as on DJ Clue’s albums, which were akin to modern-day Spotify playlists for artists looking to gain recognition.
Those were the days.
However, Bleek’s inability to push his career forward ultimately led to him being excluded from key projects, like Jay-Z’s Vol. 1: In My Lifetime, due to his lack of effort.
“Bleek was supposed to be in the mix, but he was too comfortable waiting for Jay to give him a verse, a song, or a direction,” Dash continued. “He had the opportunity to do his own thing, just like Cam’ron did with The Diplomats or Beanie Sigel with State Property, but he couldn’t make it happen.”
What’s more, Dame also reflected on Bleek’s lack of success compared to other Roc-A-Fella artists, citing the failure of Bleek’s Get Low imprint, which could have followed in the footsteps of the more successful Roc-A-Fella sublabels. While Cam’ron and Beanie Sigel built their own legacies within the Roc family, Bleek’s potential remained untapped, despite Dame’s best efforts to promote him.
Just when you thought Dame was just harping on Bleek’s underachievement by his account, that wasn’t an isolated case at Roc-A-Fella. According to Dash, he also pointed to Amil, the label’s first lady, who similarly had every opportunity to succeed but couldn’t make it happen.
“Amil had all the tools to succeed, but she didn’t take full advantage of them,” Dash said. “It’s the same pattern – people were given everything, but they didn’t know how to take it to the next level.”
Not sure how ya’ll feel about this but here’s what’s undeniable. Roc-A-Fella’s influence in the early 2000s was epic. They literally held down rap for years. But Dash’s comments shine a light on the internal struggles that plagued the label, with artists like Bleek and Amil failing to rise to their potential. Despite this, Jay-Z’s ability to remain at the top of the rap game, even as his Roc-A-Fella empire crumbled, solidified his place as one of hip-hop’s greatest figures.
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