Memphis Bleek, a key figure during Roc-A-Fella Records‘ influential reign in Hip-Hop, recently shared his thoughts on the one rap crew that came closest to emulating their success.
During an appearance on Fresh Kicks, a discussion led by fellow Roc-A-Fella alum Just Blaze highlighted the significant impact artists from prominent New York City housing projects, such as Queensbridge and Memphis Bleek’s own Marcy Projects, have had on Hip-Hop.
Reflecting on their unexpected success, the Brooklyn MC admitted, “We didn’t anticipate the impact we’d have. My main goal was for people to enjoy the music. You write something, hoping it’ll resonate. We had no idea—we were just having fun and doing what we loved.”
The conversation then turned to how, despite being at the forefront of a historic moment in Hip-Hop, the Roc-A-Fella crew was unaware they were making history.
Bleek added, “Many have tried to recreate that Roc-A-Fella magic. A few came close. In my opinion, the closest was the A$AP crew. They really had something special going on.”
