Getting shouted out by Jay Z on a song is a good thing for most rappers, but not for Memphis Bleek. Hov's longtime artist and friend says that being name-checked on Kanye West's remix to "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" hurt his solo career and affected the public's perception of him.
"I don't like that line 'cause that line put a stamp on my career, like I look at people looking at me like [Jay] is just taking care of me and I'm just chilling and I'm not working. As you see, I'm here," Bleek tells This Is 50.
Hov's original line touts their friendship is so deep that Bleek technically never has to work: "Bleek could be one hit away his whole career/As long as I'm alive, he's a millionaire/And even if I die, he's in my will somewhere/So he can just kick back and chill somewhere, oh yeah/He don't even have to write rhymes."
Bleek explains, "Put it like this: If I'm hollering at a DJ and I have a record I feel I need the look on, I'm like, 'Fam, I need this look.' You know what that DJ 'gon say to me? 'You good already." He then asks, "What that mean? He don't need to play my record because I got money in the bank?"
[via This Is 50]
RELATED: A Brief History of Things Jay-Z Has Tried To Sell Us
RELATED: Jay-Z Talks Twitter, Beyoncé, Memphis Bleek and More on The Breakfast Club
