Memphis Bleek

Malik Deshawn Cox (born June 23, 1978), known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper and songwriter. He first became known for his affiliation with fellow New York rapper Jay-Z, with Cox often being described as his hype man and protégé. Cox signed to his Roc-A-Fella Records label imprint in the late 1990s and 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, with the latter signing rapper Casanova.

Early life
Memphis Bleek was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He grew up in the Marcy Projects, located in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, the same neighborhood as Jay-Z.

Music career
Memphis Bleek was one of the first artists signed to Roc-A-Fella, as a "protégé" of Jay-Z. The name "Memphis", which the rapper explained paid homage to pimps, was a backronym for "Making Easy Money, Pimping Hoes In Style" and "Bleek" was a childhood nickname stemming from his younger sister trying to pronounce his first name, Malik. Bleek's first official appearance was on "Coming of Age" from Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (1996), followed by an appearance on "Can I Live II", released on the reissued version of the album. He appeared on subsequent Jay-Z albums: Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1997), Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1998), The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000), and The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002). After the widescale success of Vol 2… Hard Knock Life, the label released Bleek's debut album, Coming of Age (1999). The album was the week's Hot Shot Debut on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 7 with 118,000 units sold in its first week. Bleek launched his own label, Get Low Records in 1998.

Thereafter, he released three follow-up albums for the label: The Understanding (2000), M.A.D.E. (2003), and 534 (2005). Coming of Age and The Understanding were both certified gold by the RIAA. In between the release of The Understanding and M.A.D.E., he took a three-year hiatus, in which he took care of his older brother, who was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. 534 was named after the building number of the housing project in which he and Jay-Z grew up, and became the first release from the "new" Roc-A-Fella, referring to Jay-Z becoming the president of Def Jam Recordings prior to its release. A song from the album, titled "Dear Summer", is performed solely by Jay-Z and refers to what he called the time of the year in which he would drop a classic album or single every year for eight straight years, and how he had to metaphorically leave "her" (Summer). "Dear Summer" would mark Jay-Z's first song since beginning his brief "retirement" in late 2003. 534 also contains one of the first recordings by Def Jam labelmate turned international star, Rihanna, who featured on the song "The One".

Memphis Bleek's highest charting single was "Is That Yo Chick", featuring Missy Elliott and Jay-Z, which peaked at number 7 on the Hot Rap Singles Billboard chart and number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other charting singles include "It's Alright", which also featured Jay-Z and peaked at number 61.

In fall 2005, Memphis Bleek told MTV that he was recording an album called The Process, that he would describe as a make or break album, saying "I want to do an album that's through the roof, I want to do a classic album. I feel that if this album I'm not recording is a classic, I'm not even gonna put it out. I have to do it bigger than anybody has ever done it. I have to make a good record this time, not just talking-junk records." The rapper has worked on the album since 2005, and during that time frame he would release the promotional singles: "Hustla", "Get Ya Money Off" and "Let It Off". As of , the album has yet to be released. Memphis Bleek would eventually leave Roc-A-Fella in 2009, after Jay-Z told him he could run his own company and had the proper distribution deals to do so. That same year, Bleek signed a new deal with Mass Appeal Entertainment.

In the summer of 2010, he served as a hype man for Jay-Z on stage during a performance at the Swedish festival Peace&Love.

On June 6, 2012, Memphis Bleek released Kush Vol. 2. On March 21, 2014, he released The Movement 2 as a mixtape for free download.

Personal life
On December 13, 2014, Cox married longtime girlfriend, Ashley Coombs, in an evening ceremony at The Merion in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, in which Jay-Z was in attendance. In July 2018, Cox announced the birth of their first child, a daughter. Cox also has a son, born in June 2002. Cox is the cousin of fellow Brooklyn rapper Sean Price.

Other ventures

Warehouse Music Group

Getting the approval of Jay-Z in 2015, Memphis Bleek started his own label, as CEO and founder of Warehouse Music Group. The debut release from the label was Memphis Bleek's single "So Different" featuring Manolo Rose, which created a big buzz for the label. On July 28, 2016, Memphis Bleek made the announcement of signing Manolo Rose and Casanova. In 2017, Manolo Rose released "Ball Drop" and "Pink Fur". That same year, Casanova released three big singles: "Don't Run", "Go Best Friend" and "Left, Right" featuring Chris Brown and Fabolous.

Films
In 2002, Memphis Bleek starred in State Property as "Blizz". That same year, he was also in Paper Soldiers. He's had cameos in Backstage and Fade to Black as well.

Video games
Memphis Bleek is a playable character in the video game Def Jam: Fight for NY.

Discography

Studio albums
 Coming of Age (1999)
 The Understanding (2000)
 M.A.D.E. (2003)
 534 (2005)

References

External links

Memphis Bleek on Myspace

1978 births
African-American male rappers
American male rappers
Def Jam Recordings artists
Living people
Rappers from Brooklyn
Roc-A-Fella Records artists
East Coast hip hop musicians
Hardcore hip hop artists
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century African-American musicians
20th-century African-American people
Crooklyn Dodgers members
Hype men