Memphis Bleek has lived multiple lives. From being JAY-Z’s right-hand man during the Roc-A-Fella dynasty to holding down solo classics like Coming of Age and The Understanding, he’s witnessed the industry and everything it comes with, inside and out. Even as an elder statesman, Bleek is showing there’s more to his story than rap. He’s balancing music, family, and entrepreneurship while carving out a new lane as a media voice with his podcast, “ROC Solid.” Already, he’s sat down with everyone from Just Blaze to Nick Cannon, uncovering untold stories from the Roc era and beyond.

His fifth studio album, Apt 3D, is loaded with music for listeners who grew up with him. Music aside, Bleek’s grind extends far beyond the booth. “D’usse is the best cognac to sip. Ace of Spade is the best drink to celebrate with,” he told REVOLT for this exclusive interview. “We got Roma Kitchen in Vegas, Tuscan Cove Patio and Grill, Mana in Maryland… We moving out here. Make moves. Standing still does nothing. Sleeping does nothing but give you a dream.”

Read more and watch part of the exclusive below.

You came in during an era where mixtapes, DVDs, and radio mattered. In addition to podcasting, how do you feel about TikTok and all of these new channels of music and entertainment?

I’m not even going to lie. I love it, though. I was with N.O.R.E. doing “Drink Champs.” He was like, “You know, Bleek, every time you do a show, the numbers go up crazy ... I think people are ready for you to do a show.” At first, I was like, “Nah, I don’t know about that” ... The first few interviews didn’t feel as comfortable to me. And then after a while, like now, I feel like Barbara Walters better look out, man! I’m on my way.

Let’s talk about “ROC Solid.” You brought out a lot from Young Guru, Just Blaze. I really liked the Drag-On interview.

I’ve been on “Drink Champs” three times. The third time, I went viral. Everybody’s like, “Yo, Bleek, you need a podcast. Between you, [Tony] Yayo, and Jungle, y’all telling the illest stories.” I just wanted to put my hat in the race and see if it worked... If I have more than five, like, real close friends telling me I should try something, I’m really going to give it a chance to go. And then it just worked, man. “ROC Solid,” it worked. There you go.

What’s the most surprising thing you learned about one of your guests thus far?

Drag-On — finding out he was an Israelite, that blew me away. That he even finished the Bible. Those types of stories is what I think people want to hear.

Are you planning on expanding “ROC Solid” to live tours or TV?

Definitely. This year is just getting my feet wet with the first season, you know what I mean? Showing my relationships, all the guys behind the scenes who helped put this Roc-A-Fella thing together and who helped carve Memphis Bleek into what he is today. Next year, I feel like I want to go do something bigger, man. I want the show to be on TV eventually... We could go back and recap and do a nice documentary on the journey.

Because a person like me and Lil Cease, we really grew up in this business together, you know what I mean? And doing a co-documentary from our eyes ... We wasn’t in the big dressing room, but we had a dressing room! I’m going to reach for the guests that I don’t think people even know I’ve got relationships with ... Like the Kevin Harts, the Rich Pauls, the Rich Kleimans, the [Kevin Durants], the LeBrons, the Zab Judases, the McGradys, the Vince Carters — like these are my guys , I got history with a lot of these people.

What’s one of the earliest JAY-Z stories from Marcy Projects that sticks out to you?

I remember when he was going to do the battle with Big L. I didn’t know he was going to battle Big L, God bless his soul. I was in school. These is beeper days, and JAY beeped me ... He’s like, “I’m going to be over there to pick you up. I need you to come Uptown with me.” So, I’m in school telling all the teachers, “Man, I’m about to be out of the school soon. I’ll be making more money than all y’all. I don’t want to hear none of this crap. I don’t want to hear what y’all had to tell me.” Leaving, the teacher looking at me like, “You doing the wrong thing, Bleek.” I’m like, “Yo, you heard of the rapper JAY-Z?” This is when he had the video with Original Flavor out. JAY pulled up in that Lexus with the TVs, music bumping. I jumped in that car and never looked back, bro.

I want to touch on Apt 3D. What does this album represent in your story overall?

I feel like I wanted to make an album that just represented ... I don’t want to say getting old but becoming vintage... And it’s like, fam, we can’t be out here talking, “I’m out, we banging, we gang gang, we this.” I wake up and, sometimes, I don’t want to get out the bed. My leg hurts, my back hurts. I’ll be relaxing. You get to that point where I have more fun seeing my daughter and my son achieve certain things. And it’s like, as an adult, what kind of music do the people that grew up with me get to listen to? Are we forced to listen to that? Because I guarantee you, you’re probably like me listening to R&B right now, you know what I’m saying?

I respect what the kids is doing. I’m just not into it. I can’t really relate. So, I wanted to make some type of relatable music for people that felt like me, you know, that grew up like me and into the second transition of life — the next step of where you’re not young no more, man. We ain’t ignorant. We got to think with sense and move with strategy.

What’s next for you musically?

I think I’m going to get on my Fat Joe vibes and single them out for a while, you know, see where the cookies crumble, where the crumbs land, and just throw it out there. But I’m definitely going to drop a few singles on their neck real quick.

About your unreleased album, The Process, was there any point where you revisited that material, or is there a chance the fans will hear any of it?

That’s crazy, I still have that project. I had about, like, eight songs from that project that I was working on... I remember sending that project to JAY, and he was like, “I like it, it’s cool, but it’s just not you. I feel like you’re reaching for something that’s not originally Bleek.” It’s almost like when I wear shades. [JAY would say,] “You don’t wear shades, Bleek, stop bugging.” When I did Apt 3D, he definitely was like, “Oh, this is it.” That’s why this came out.

Was “Memphis Bleek Is…” an intentional shot at Nas? Can you talk about the creation of that song?

Nah, that song only got created because we couldn’t clear the sample of “What You Think of That.” Because “What You Think of That” was supposed to be the first single off [Coming of Age]. And we couldn’t clear the sample until, ironically, JAY put a verse on it, and then they cleared the sample.

Me, Lenny S., and Swizz Beatz got on a plane [and] flew home from the “Hard Knock Life Tour.” And we just were sitting there, man. And you know, Swizz is the genius... He just started playing the MPC, and magic happened. And then we created that record. But that definitely wasn’t no shot at Nas or nobody in that record. I didn’t really take a shot at Nas until the “Mind Right” record went out. I heard [Nas’ “Nastradamus”], like, “You wanna ball till you fall, I can help you with that, you want beef? I could let a slug melt in your hat.”

I’m going to tell you something funny, right? I was telling N.O.R.E., now [that] I got the podcast, I would love to sit down with Nas, right? Picture this: Imagine I asked him about that line, and he’d be like, “Yo, Bleek, I wasn’t even talking about you, man.” That means I started the beef for nothing (laughs).

Seeing what’s going on with Cam’ron and Dame Dash, how do you feel about their issues?

That’s Harlem stuff, man. I ain’t from Harlem (laughs). Just playing with you ... I ain’t speak to Dame in years. I just spoke to Cam because I just had him on “ROC Solid” and I did his show. Everybody grown, man. Everybody at that next chapter in their life, trying to get to that major bag and leave something for their kids. I can’t really get into the back and forth because I’m a firm believer that if we once called each other brothers, family, bros, homies, there is no way I should have to talk to you to get the message to him. I should be able to pull up on him direct, right? So... just to talk to each other. It’s like, we can pick up the phone, we can meet in the city.

534 was the first time the world heard Rihanna on a wide scale. Can you talk about your relationship with her? Did you think her career would be where it is now?

I had no clue, bro, I’m not going to lie. I’m not even going to say I take credit for that record because it wasn’t my idea to put Rihanna on the record. Bink! made the beat, and I didn’t like the beat. I remember telling JAY, like, “I don’t know, man, I don’t really like this beat.” And JAY went back... Whatever him and Bink! did, they put Rihanna on the record. JAY called me like, “Yo, Bleek, I got it. Let me know if you like it now.” So, when I heard the hook, I’m like, “Oh, this is it. This the one right here.” Of course, I took the record from there, and then I met Rihanna. I really didn’t even know her when we did the record. But as far as like the relationship, she the homie, man. She’s the princess of Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella. She took us to the next level, and then comes J. Cole. It’s like, we all did our thing. But between Kanye, Rih, and Cole, they’re the dream team of the Roc.

Looking back now, what do you feel is the most misunderstood part of your own legacy? And what is the proudest moment of your career thus far?

The most misunderstood part of my legacy... I feel like people think JAY was there the whole step of the way. I never rode a bike with training wheels. I don’t know how to go through life with training wheels... People swear [JAY is] sitting right here like, “Yeah, Bleek, say this.” Or, “Yeah, Bleek, write this” (laughs). If that was the case, bro, I’d have a jet parked right next to his Puma jet. I’d have the little Puma, you know what I’m saying (laughs)?

My proudest moment is my children, bro. You know, leaving a legacy and just knowing that I’m doing this for something. When I first started, I wanted to impress the girls. I wanted to be fly. Now I do this because I need my daughter and my son to live that life I lived and to keep the legacy going... push the businesses further.

Here are some “This or That” questions for you. “Round Here” or “Is That Your Chick”?

“Round Here.”

Why is that?

’Cause, man, “Round Here” is the reason I can move through the whole Florida like I’m a resident (laughs).

“Coming of Age” or “Da Sequel”?

“Coming of Age.” Rest in peace [to] Clark Kent, man. Recording that in Clark Kent’s house was legendary. I never thought it was going to be what it is today. As I said, I’m in somebody’s basement rapping. I’m thinking, hey, it’s just a regular day. And the man was monumental. Iconic.

Paid in Full or State Property?

State Property. ‘Cause I wasn’t in Paid in Full (laughs).

Baseline Studios or Hit Factory?

Baseline. Baseline is the Mecca, man. That’s Roc-A-Fella. You want to know Roc-A-Fella history? If the walls could talk... good lord (laughs).

Knicks in the Garden or Nets in BK?

Knicks in the Garden. The Garden is just — it’s the Garden. Like, as a young kid… ain’t nothing messing with MSG.