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Bink
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Bink
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Bink
All?
Memphis Bleak
This your main man, Memphis Bleak right here. Welcome to Rock Solid, a production of iHeartRadio and the Black Effect Network in partnership with my guys over at Drink Champs. Big whipping. Yeah Memphis, I'm back at it. Notice the difference. Just more grown pre, no stones. Yeah y'.
Bink
All.
Memphis Bleak
We back with another episode of this Rock Solid. And like I told you before, if you see anybody on this platform, it means one thing, a super solid. And you know My guy to my left, one of the illest producers that ever step in the studio. One of the illest niggas that I feel like in the game I could call my bro. You know what I'm saying? And it's just like, it's an honor to even work with these kind of guys. Because only the legends get the heat from the guys on my level. Don't really get that much heat from them, but the legends, they get the heat. So it's an honor to have my brother Bink, the motherfucking humble monster in the building. What's up, my brother?
Bink
Can't call it. Been my G and landlord stand out the way.
Memphis Bleak
No, man, we don't need you. Land low staying out the way. We need you back. We need you back with the NPC in the studio.
Bink
Oh, no, that's always, you know.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, man. Like, yo, I always wanted to know. This is a personal interview. This ain't for nobody else. The fans, they gonna like it if they like it. But this is for me. Cause I wanna just get the science and the knowledge behind what make you, you like. So let's go back to the beginning. What made Bink fall in love with music? To even feel like, yo, I wanna do that.
Bink
You know what's funny, bro? Like, the entire time I was in school or high school, that was never my dream.
Memphis Bleak
No way, ever.
Bink
I was a regular country. I wanted to be a lawn showman. Emergency seaman.
Memphis Bleak
Get out of here.
Bink
Working the railroad regular, you know, Try to get a job at the shipyard. Regular country. Cause that's the guys you seen get money, you know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
Wow.
Bink
Legally, you know what I'm saying? They was the ones getting to the money. So I was never, you know, aspiring to be a hip hop producer, but I was always into music, you know what I'm saying? My mom, you know, shout out to my mom. My mom had me playing drums in church when I was 8, until I was probably about 14.
Memphis Bleak
That's where the best ones get it from, church.
Bink
That part, right?
Memphis Bleak
The legends come by the church. Damn, I should have went back.
Bink
So that. That's. That's how it started. You know what I'm saying? And then once, you know, when hip hop came out, you Gotta understand, I'm 53. Hip hop is 53. You know what I'm saying? So we pretty much. I mean, I pretty much grew up with hip hop.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
And the culture just. It just took me over. Like, I was just all in with the hip hop shit. Like, as far as break dancing and all that. Like I was like. You know what I'm saying? Like, I was in there like I was trying to do all that.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, you wasn't all. You had the cardboard on the block. Cause that the boombox, yo, that was the vibe trying to spin on your ass.
Bink
Putting your D batteries in the freezer overnight, trying to get them joints back.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, my G, chill. The freezer, the batteries was classic. I don't know who put that rumor in the hood that, yo, you freezing them. And they work though, a little something.
Bink
You know what the secret was though, right? What? You had to turn the base knob down.
Memphis Bleak
Ah, see, that's that producer.
Bink
Yeah, cuz, the. The more you had the base up, the more it would drag. You turn the bass knob down, it'll start playing back fast again. So like, yo, that should take your battery. The base took your batteries out, so you had to take the base out.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, these kids don't know nothing about batteries in the radio.
Bink
What's the oil?
Memphis Bleak
Never, never.
Bink
Remote control car.
Memphis Bleak
Maybe that's it. They probably don't even know about that. Man.
Bink
They still out. They still got a hobby car. I got. I got like three of them joints.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, but these kids don't play. They drill. They don't play. When you seen. The last time you seen a remote control car, remember you used to have to hop out, be like, oh, shit, look out. Shorty got the car spinning through. When the last time you jumped out the way for a remote control car?
Bink
Heaven.
Memphis Bleak
That shit probably was 92, my nigga.
Bink
That's too early.
Memphis Bleak
95, the latest.
Bink
No, I'm going. I'm gonna go 80. 88. No, 88. Last time I seen somebody like, really like going hard with them joints like kid wise.
Memphis Bleak
Remote control cars was the vibe. My. That was part of hip hop, that.
Bink
But you had levels.
Memphis Bleak
So what was the first beat you made like that you made for somebody like your first time when you like, man, this is it. This. This could be it.
Bink
Listen, shout out to my man, Chris Perry. We had a group back in the day and the first record I went to the studio with was with was actually the DeBarge. One more chance.
Memphis Bleak
No way.
Bink
I know how to produce. I just went to the studio like, yo, I need you to loop this part and you got some drums. And the n drums was whack and shit. But I picked some drums and tried to put some drums on it, but that's the loop I had.
Memphis Bleak
And you just was piecing it together.
Bink
You know, back then, you Know when people was doing beats, for the most part, they were just going to the studio with the records and they would put the record on. They would know what section they want. They just tell the engineer, like, yo, from right here, I want you to loop from right here to right there. And then we just piece that shit together.
Memphis Bleak
And then. So remember the SP? You had an SP?
Bink
No, I started with the ASR 10. Everybody from Virginia did. Yeah. Pharrell, Knots, Chad. All right.
Memphis Bleak
What part of India you from?
Bink
I'm from Norfolk. I'm from.
Memphis Bleak
They trapping in North Car. They trapping out there.
Bink
Cut. No, they playing fair at all.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, back in the day, that was mad. Always lit like always. Newport News, the Beach, Bad News, Norfolk, Hampton, Seven Cities. Yo, my G, I. I had some of the best times. I know growing up out there, that like, like you said. Timbo, Pharrell, y' all got genuine. Missy and Mama.
Bink
Still like my genuine from D.C. but Missy, danger Hands, Lex Luger.
Memphis Bleak
Trey Song.
Bink
Yeah, Chris.
Memphis Bleak
Chris Brown. Like, va. Put some on the map, boy.
Bink
Then don't get into sports. We ain't gonna go there on you. You know we ain't gonna do that.
Memphis Bleak
Y' all ain't got no team. We ain't gotta do that.
Bink
We ain't got a team, but we got the guys that made it to. You know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
Be like, we make y' all teams.
Bink
That part.
Memphis Bleak
That's what we do.
Bink
That part.
Memphis Bleak
Teams. And they come back home with the rings, cuz.
Bink
That part.
Memphis Bleak
I love it. That's what's up, man.
Bink
It won't get us no team, though, for some reason. Shit. Crazy. Yeah.
Memphis Bleak
I don't know why. Like, word. That's crazy.
Bink
They don't want that type of traffic at the crib. You gotta understand what type of money that generates when you have an arena. What type of traffic. You know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
That's what you. I would think that's what they would want.
Bink
They like. They town quiet.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy, man. But yeah, y' all produce some fucking major heavy hitters in the game just to be even amongst your name, even mentioned with them, man. How that feel? To be a guy from Virginia making noise like that.
Bink
You know what's crazy? Because that's, you know, it's a conversation I've been having recently on Instagram, just about trying to do things your way, you know what I'm saying? All of us live within 15 minutes of each other, but none of us sound alike.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy.
Bink
You know what I'm saying, so just think about that for a second. We all hang around each other, we all live in the same town, and nobody sound like nobody.
Memphis Bleak
That was hip hop.
Bink
That was hip hop.
Memphis Bleak
You couldn't sound like somebody.
Bink
So, you know, we. I think Virginia is pretty much. That's how I stamp. Because Missy. How do you put a name on what she was doing? Nobody was doing what she was doing.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, man. I feel like Missy revolutionized what Busta was doing.
Bink
That part, like, she took it from a girl perspective.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, she took it to the next.
Bink
Level, but even more risky, you know what I'm saying? Even taking more chances, like, musically, you know what I'm saying? So I learned a lot from her, working with her. So that was like, one of my highlights of my career, was working with her for, like, that month or two months that we worked.
Memphis Bleak
You did. You produced some joints for mixing before?
Bink
Fuck yeah, we did. Like, we did records for other people. Like, we did tamiya together. We did total. We did any given Sunday soundtrack together. You know what I'm saying? So we did a few things.
Memphis Bleak
See, like I said when you walked in Assassin, it's certain. Like I always said, right? It's two type of people. When it come down to producers, I always say it's beat makers. And then there's producers, for sure. There's niggas who make beats. That's like, yeah, yeah, I send you 100 beats, and they want you to pick the best beats. It's like, my nigga, that's your job.
Bink
I mean, but that's the disconnect with artists now. See, artists today think when you send them the beat, you just need to get the fuck out the way. And they just go do what they do. And then you hear your beat again. You hear people singing keys on you.
Memphis Bleak
Like, who the fuck? Shut up.
Bink
Like, what is this? Right? So they just don't see the importance of allowing somebody to produce the record fully from top to bottom. Like, they don't understand how the Ruler's back sounded at first, opposed to after the mix or all that shit.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, I ain't going front, man. You gave HOV some of his best beats. Like the world, everybody critically acclaim. Of course, they gonna say, just Kanye.
Bink
He had volume, though. Just got volume.
Memphis Bleak
And Kanye. But you gave Jay the ones that play. To this day, I feel like between you, God rest his soul, Irv, Gotti, y' all gave HOV the ones that stuck.
Bink
It was. I think it was a five. Like, HOV had a real fever of producers, like Tim Pharrell, myself, just Irv. So that's like. You know what I mean?
Memphis Bleak
He had Clark rest in peace.
Bink
We got say, like, strong ten. Like a strong ten piece day.
Memphis Bleak
Shit, man. Y' all boys. Y' all boys is putting up some numbers, man. Like, you did so many classics. The rule is back, man. Like, think 900 hustler. You, me, him and her. Like, I remember that. A lot of people don't even know that you produced the joint with me and Rihanna.
Bink
A lot of people know that was Rihanna. First time ever being on the record.
Memphis Bleak
I know.
Bink
How about that?
Memphis Bleak
But I'mma tell you this. You probably don't even remember this story. You remember playing the beat for me, and I was like, nah, I don't like that beat. I don't think. That wasn't for me. And you was like. And this is why I say it's a difference between beat makers and producers, right? Because you looked at me like that same look. Look, like, all right. Came back with the hook on it like, yeah, this the. And Jay. You and Jay was in the studio like, yeah, this the new girl. They signed Rihanna, man. Listen to it now. Played with the hook. I'm like, it's it now.
Bink
God. Which is the same sample from All I Need, mind you.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy.
Bink
Same record.
Memphis Bleak
I never even knew that.
Bink
Same record, different section.
Memphis Bleak
That's what I was saying before when I was like, yo, I got drama with y' all producers because producers be looping shit. And y' all never tell the artist where you got the loop.
Bink
From now to his other words. I tell you later.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, but not before. I feel like you should know before because you might listen the same way you listen to the song and got that little piece. It was like, ooh. I might listen to the lyric to be like, that's a hook.
Bink
Or this a write the whole song.
Memphis Bleak
You know what I'm saying? So you could piece it together and really make it a mess. That's what I feel like from my perspective is me. I don't know if other.
Bink
But, see, most people don't want to dig beyond that. See, that's you going. That's extra. That's like taking a thousand shots before the game. You know what I mean? That's that. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah. So, yeah, I wanted to research. Cause years later, like, I remember me and my guy Puzo, we in the car, and he didn't know and I didn't know that in my lifetime was a sample from what joint was that in my lifetime What? Look that up in my life. That's from. It's been heartache and pain in my life. The foreigners.
Bink
Okay.
Memphis Bleak
And the record came on the radio, bro, and blew, first of all, blew me and his mind away. Like, I'm like, nigga, this is my record. I had this record for 20 years and didn't know it came from this.
Bink
That part, like.
Memphis Bleak
And that's in. That's why I say, like, I probably would have something else in the verse or something that reflected or, you know, wrote the song about what that was about or something.
Bink
So I just gave you something to.
Memphis Bleak
Build up inspiration to write to. Yeah, like. And you was always like, this is why I want to know what it's like working with other artists. Because one beat that you made that always felt like, he ain't play that one for me.
Bink
Oh, which one is Cheeks Joint. No, the reason why. It's the story behind that, though. Now it's a story behind that. Remember I had that group, Non Brigade?
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, yeah.
Bink
In Philly. That was one of their singles. You understand? That was one of their singles. And All I Need Beat was the other single.
Memphis Bleak
Hope so. Damn. Mr. Cheeks was out here sniping, too. They say HOV was sniping. We ain't no. Mr. Cheeks was sniping, too, unfortunately.
Bink
Like, the starter group, Q, Don, he got murdered.
Memphis Bleak
Oh, shit.
Bink
So the album never actually came out, so. But hip hop was trying to buy all I need the entire time. From the first day I played it for him. He was like, yo. And I was like, the more you ask me for this record, the more I need. I know I need to hold this bitch.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
Cause you keep coming at me, so I know I got something. Yeah. No, I ain't raising no star. I'm not giving it to you. I'm keeping this, you know, for my niggas. Cause I know this gonna blow him out the water. Cause you want it real bad. So I know. This is a great record.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, hip hop was a L, A, R, you know, he never A and R nothing for me. He never gave me one beat.
Bink
Never.
Memphis Bleak
Never.
Bink
That even by accident.
Memphis Bleak
Nope. That's my nigga. We smoke mad weed, play mad games, talk mad shit, and he'll walk right in that room and give Beans and J the heat. I had Lenny S. That was it.
Bink
See, that's why you gotta go pull up. But you see, you caught on. So you start come pulling up at the crib. Yo, he caught on. You, like, see, you know what I.
Memphis Bleak
Tell niggas you was futuristic. Cause I was still on the come up back then. Yes. When y' all produce was getting 100 grand a beat, these niggas was charging through the roof. I come to this nigga big crib. This nigga was doing the whole ceiling over in some moon texture. This nigga looked at me and said, yeah, 5,000 for the texture. Just on the ceiling.
Bink
Bleep.
Memphis Bleak
I'm looking at this nigga like, 5,000 for the ceiling. How much for the beat?
Bink
How much for the beat? 150,000.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, you was on next level. The studio at the crib was fire, bro.
Bink
That's why nobody saw me on the Kanye documentary, because I was always at the crib. I ain't really hanging baseline like that.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah. Nah, you.
Bink
Once I finished.
Memphis Bleak
And then it got too crowded.
Bink
Super.
Memphis Bleak
It got crowded.
Bink
I ain't gonna front. It was too much traffic for me, so I took it back over the water.
Memphis Bleak
Mm, you better. You never been in baseline for keeping. You didn't have to. But you ever just came to just observe or Keep It Real Wednesday session.
Bink
You remember the day I played my beats for Blueprint was that night.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, that was the first Keep It Real Wednesday.
Bink
It wasn't the first one. The night I came. I'm about to fuck you up. The night I came, everybody was in the A room.
Memphis Bleak
Yes.
Bink
He had everybody over that night. I think Q Tip had just did girls. Girls for him early that day or some shit like that. So the room was packed. And normally in cupid red Wednesdays, you had to play your beat in the front first. Yep.
Memphis Bleak
Before you could make it to the.
Bink
Front if it was. Yeah. So they were already in the back. And that's the last thing Hov said to me before I played my beats. He was like, all right, now he's like, don't make no ass out of me. You know you don't pose to be back here.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, he was fucking with you. Cause you wasn't playing no beat in the front. Yo, keep It Real Wednesday. Got a lot of producers to this day. Won't send me no beats like that had heat and just showed up that day. And they ain't had a best game. No. Like, it's basketball. You could drop 40 tonight, tomorrow going there and give them a light 10. Don't mean you whack. It just means. Yeah, he just wasn't.
Bink
He was off tonight.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, but it's certain producers who walked in there that was off that still to this day, like, nah, y' all don't With y' All Rockefeller, man.
Bink
That's because, you know, be sensitive about their art, yo.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact.
Bink
That's real shit. But at the same time, it's like, n gotta understand we rendering a service, yo. You know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
So today's producers, I don't even think they would show up to Keep It Real Wednesday. These N is so used to emailing a beat, niggas will DM you a beat.
Bink
Plus they gonna come in there and they all gonna play the same beat any goddamn way.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact. Keep It Real Wednesday. Just so y' all know what somethin, right, where Dipset would be there, state property, Me and my crew, hov and everybody would call all they favorite top producers and come to the studio to play some heat. And we had to keep it real. Either your beat was trash or your beat was fire. And if you got your beat was fire. Some producers got the I survived Keep It Real Wednesday T shirt. Remember those? And some producers just got sent home like the sandman came on stage.
Bink
Some producers got worse.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, some producers, it got worse. And you saying with the, like, you know, just authenticity and originality and all that with the beat and just protecting, you know, your sound. I know you always felt like a lot of niggas bit your shit, man.
Bink
Like, I mean, like, this is a question I ask everybody. Name a beat that sound like Ruler's bout before the ruler's bat. And I'll be quiet forever. Cause you can't name nothing like that. Nothing. You can't name one beat that sound like all I need or one 900 hustler prior to them shits coming. So niggas can sit here and be in their feelings all they want to. You are obsessed with the sound. I get it. I understand. But gotta move on at some point, my nigga find yourself.
Memphis Bleak
You know what I'm saying?
Bink
Whoever that may. Whoever I'm talking to. Cause a lot of them, it's a shitload. But. But the thing is, it's bigger than me. I hear a lot of Travis Scott sounds. So it's like today, kids think that being versatile is being able to do a Pharrell beat, A Timbaland beat that's a biter. Versatility means you can do reggae house, edm.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
You know what I'm saying? That's versatility.
Memphis Bleak
Yes.
Bink
Like, when you go see somebody playing beats, you don't be like, what kind of beats you looking for? I mean, you got them all. You did what I'm saying. So what's your shit, though? And that's the question. That's the question these kids run from, you know what I'm saying? And they get mad at me when I put the mirror up like, bro, yeah, you sound like a dope metro boomin Joe when you played. I'm just saying. But when somebody has signature, bro, you can't mistake a primo beat. When you have primo beat, you know why you think it's a primo beat? So if you take the very things that primo do and do it in your shit, then the first thing I'm gonna think when I hear it is fucking primo. Then you be like, oh, oh, that's some other dude. Oh, that's. Oh, that's crazy. He sound like primo. So my thing is as a producer, do you want that for yourself? Cause if I play a beat and your first thing you say is, damn, that's some Timbaland shit. I'm hot.
Memphis Bleak
But that's how these producers pull up now. I'm like, yo, you know I just was working on a project, right? I had a lot of producers pull up to the stool and that's very same shit you saying. They say, yo, you want some metro sounding shit. You want some shit that sound like Tyga, yo, you want the shit that sound like baby in there?
Bink
That part.
Memphis Bleak
And it's like, nah, nigga, I want the shit that's gonna make me sound like me.
Bink
They don't know what that is, bro.
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Ryan Seacrest
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Bink
So it's like, yeah, that's the thing. So it's like I tell them, you know, anything I tell you, I stand on. I say because anything I'm telling you, I've done myself. I've applied it to my own career.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
So I'm like, yo, I went out west and I did Nate Dogg and corrupt and exhibit without sounding like Battle Cat. Quick and Dre. I did all three of them. I got love. Don't sound like Drake.
Memphis Bleak
Nope.
Bink
Girls all Pauls. Don't sound like Battle Cat. Damn. You feel me?
Memphis Bleak
You got them bombs.
Bink
But yo, I'm just telling like, you gotta figure out girls you gotta take. Yeah, you gotta take chances, bro.
Memphis Bleak
RIP Nate, dog. Remember you called me and got me a verse with Nate. My first time ever meeting Nate was because of you.
Bink
That was my guy word.
Memphis Bleak
You called me in the stew. Y' all just cooking out. You like yo, bleak. I need a verse for this word.
Bink
That nigga's Nate was the funniest poker face you ever meet in your life.
Memphis Bleak
I think that's all west.
Bink
He had the rottweiler face, but would joke this out something.
Memphis Bleak
That's all west coast hilarious. He just always gotta be on that a people.
Bink
People don't know how funny Nate was. Nate was funny as fuck.
Memphis Bleak
That's what's up. You put in a lot of work with Nate out of all the artists that you work with. Cause boy, oh boy, one of my favorite beats right now, I could say last 10 years in music, period, bro.
Bink
Is Santorini Grease, man, you know what's crazy about Santorini? That was me going at myself out doing Devil in New Dread. That was me Going to devil in a new dress.
Memphis Bleak
You did Devil's in a new dress too. Yeah, yo, I fucking quit, yo. You fucking lying.
Bink
Yeah. You throw a Tanya D. Yeah, negative. So you better than Ye on that one.
Memphis Bleak
That's right. Fuck that on that one.
Bink
Cause my nigga nah, Ye is a beast like me.
Memphis Bleak
I feel like he's a sample. He could chop a sample up to.
Bink
Where you be like, listen, bro, Ye used to. He caught the bus in my crib in Jersey, right? No bullshit. You can put a bus in my crib in Jersey. And we played beats back and forth. We played beats back and forth and shit. And I think he was using me as a gauge as to, you know, where he need to be, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, he would ask me shit like how much I charge my beat, how much I think he should charge or what I think he should add to the beat. So that's why my bass player ended up playing on Bonnie and Clyde. You know what I'm saying? That's why, yo, you know what I'm saying? All of that. You feel me?
Memphis Bleak
You just my head up, bro. Gag finish.
Bink
Yeah, so I'm just. That's what I'm saying. So I didn't. When I first met Drake, I remember you couldn't talk to his musicians.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
I always heard, and not just that, when you were in the studio, if he wasn't there, they had blankets over top. The keyboards. My. That's how real it was.
Memphis Bleak
You wouldn't still lay notes.
Bink
You. You got going. Oh, they got. Oh, they got an ASR. Okay. They got. Nah, you look in the studio, it's blankets over top, everything you can't see. That's crazy because everybody want to know, where is he getting these sounds from?
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
And he's like, I'm not gonna help you.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
You feel me? So these kids don't understand what the more you don't know is, the more advantage that I, you know, for myself. So they think I supposed to give them that to make the playing field even. No, that's. That's not business. That's what business is about is having some. The other person don't have and having some information and applying some to your. That anybody else doing to keep separating.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
You know what I'm saying? So they accused me of being a gatekeeper for pushing. Like, bro, you got to protect your sauce, bro.
Memphis Bleak
Like you do.
Bink
I'm like, I told him, I say, have you ever seen David Blaine explain how he cut people in half.
Memphis Bleak
Exactly.
Bink
You'll never see.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, David Blaine, he ain't from this planet, bro.
Bink
But why would he show you? It's something he doing that he can show somebody how to do. But why the would he show you?
Memphis Bleak
I seen that. Do a trick, bro. That.
Bink
Nah, he make you walk out of the room.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, he not. He not from this planet.
Bink
He's not from here, bro.
Memphis Bleak
He not. Yo, bro, we was in the crib in Miami. My G, he. Yo, listen, he in the house with the cars. This is an Airbnb we rented. He didn't. Ain't like, we went to his house. He came to our crib. Everybody in there, bro. And this nigga doing a car trick, and he told one of the homies to go outside the window. Like, that's like, I'm in your crib and you tell me, yo, bleep. Just go outside the window. I'mma throw this card through the glass and it's going to stick to the window outside. You know niggas, I'm looking like, bro, this nigga threw the cards against the window and the car was stuck to the glass outside the fucking house.
Bink
He different, yo.
Memphis Bleak
That's what I'm saying.
Bink
But my thing is, there's something behind that, right?
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, he not gonna teach me.
Bink
But why would he?
Memphis Bleak
He would be.
Bink
No, but my thing is. Then he's nothing.
Memphis Bleak
I'll be David. I'd be David Bliss.
Bink
You feel me?
Memphis Bleak
That part. He David Blade. Be David Bliss.
Bink
I'm McDonald's.
Memphis Bleak
Right?
Bink
Come on, bro. It's a shitload of McDonald's out here, bro. I'm trying to tell you. And they. And they wear that bass like it's like, they.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, they suit my flight security on Jack and your. Listen, they took Ice Cube jacket for beat. Serious.
Bink
Speaking of Ice Cube, I did the theme music for the Big Three, too, you know.
Memphis Bleak
Oh, God bless, man. Congrats. That's fire. Congrats to Ice Cube. I got there early, being the first black sports owner in America, man, That's fucking amazing.
Bink
Not just sports. Sports league. Word. And they started a fucking league on your ass. That's different.
Memphis Bleak
That's fire. So out of all the artists, who you would say your favorite to work with, like, in the stool?
Bink
Like, oh, Missy and Jay, Easy.
Memphis Bleak
Missy and Jay. Jay, quiet in the studio. Jay, don't say nothing. Jay, sit there, right there in the corner for 30 minutes and be like, yo, I got it.
Bink
What they say, work smarter, not harder.
Memphis Bleak
Jay, don't play in the studio. Let's get it done. Jay make you.
Bink
He make you feel like, yo, I gave him a hotbeat. I left him alone. I came back and heard a hot record. That's a great day at the office.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, that's a fact. You know, yo, it's crazy that I have a record with Missy, shot a video with Missy and never met Missy. I even did shows with Missy when she come out and perform. Is that your chick with me? And I still never turned around. She ain't never say, yo, what up, Bleak.
Bink
I'm tell you something, man. Missy, I learned a lot from her.
Memphis Bleak
She gangster, like that super. I love her for. I love her words business.
Bink
She showed me that. Don't let the industry play with you. As far as like. Especially like when she do like, she did a video and she said she want five black Suburban. If she get there and it's three, she ain't coming out her trailer.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact.
Bink
Till the other two get here.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, that's real.
Bink
But they'll talk to you. Yeah, the other two be in an hour. You shooting before you know that. You feel like, hold on, man, we.
Memphis Bleak
Just shot with three. That's right. Yo, they will still you spin this shit out. Fuck no. They will spin your ass.
Bink
So she no, she's all the way. Or when we work in the studio, she. She the one got me on the. The. The board. Like the race amongst. So she would have all the songs on the board, but then she would have a comment category and it would say if something need to be fixed in the record, like I had too low or need backgrounds. So if it had a comment on the record, she wouldn't play it for nobody. If it didn't make it over here saying every. All everything's checked off. She's not gonna play it for you.
Memphis Bleak
Damn.
Bink
It could just be. I'm talking about the high hat. The high hat can be low. Too low and that Justin that. And that's that. If it's a comment on that board, it ain't fix it yet. Don't play that for nobody.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, chill. She was that critical on herself.
Bink
But it just. But bro, she do three records in a day. R B records.
Memphis Bleak
She done wrote timeless records. That's, you know, chapters to some of these kids lives and our lives, man, you kidding me? Missy is one of the most talented females to even touch music.
Bink
Aaron Static, man, is like some of the most talented writers I've ever worked with.
Memphis Bleak
Oh, you work with Static too, man. God bless. God bless.
Bink
Super Kentucky you from Kentucky. Oh, what? Every time we got together, I'm like, yo, who this? Oh, he is. He from the crib, dude. Oh, he hard. He from the crib. He was always. He was always on Kentucky.
Memphis Bleak
I ain't gonna fry. I fucks with this other accent. Especially New Orleans. That's my favorite out of my New.
Bink
Orleans and Baltimore kind of. They got that twang they got.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah. New Orleans is just. They make you feel like, damn, why wasn't I born here, though? The way he be like, hey, baby, I'm over here, baby. What you need, baby? He like, you sound like my aunt.
Bink
With that same baby. Get you shot in the back of your shit.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah. No, that's any city you play with the baby, go get that created that.
Bink
Same baby before you get shot.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact. Yo, that's every city. My G is up every city, man. Yo, so I know you over the years watching all these producers Swiss battle everybody. Then they done created a league. Yeah, you feel like don't want no smoke with the monster. You're a smoke. Or who you would even want to battle if it was a versus.
Bink
I had reached out to Havoc, actually, during the pandemic, which he got way more, you know what I'm saying? Hits. But I just felt like it would still be dope to do. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm a super Havoc fan.
Memphis Bleak
That's dope, man. That's a good one. Cause Havoc got them joints.
Bink
He got some joints, so it'd be dope, you know what I'm saying? Just going back and forth, just playing dope joints. He just played a goddamn MOBB Deep catalog. I gotta reach over here, Ross Jay, I'm scrambling, yo.
Memphis Bleak
He got some shit. Damn.
Bink
Yeah.
Memphis Bleak
You know, I always wanted to get a beat from Havoc. Unfortunately, the bullshit rap drama happened, so I never got a beat from that part. But we gotta fix that half. Need a beat, cuz.
Bink
You know I put you in pocket.
Memphis Bleak
Word up. Nah, me and you gotta lock in, cuh. You sent me one joint for the new project. I ain't gonna front. You sent me a smoke or two. That's why one thing about you, Big, as a producer, you can hit you and be like, yo, Big, I'm working. Send me a joy, nigga. Sending you one. One, like five at the most.
Bink
Nah, I never sent more than five.
Memphis Bleak
I think I probably got two at the most. And I had to come to the crib. That's why I asked you before. You tell me, do I gotta come to the crib.
Bink
Yeah, because I did Jones telling me for you. So that's why you got one. It was, like, done on the spot for you.
Memphis Bleak
You definitely used to be like, yo, play me what you got, man. What you work? Where you going? What's the vibe? I play. I think a couple joints, he'd be like, all right, go smoke a L real quick. I come back inside, and they got cookies ready.
Bink
Game time.
Memphis Bleak
It's game time. Let's lock in good part, yo, but damn, you fucked me up with the devil. I ain't know you produced that.
Bink
I mean, it was crazy. Cause I. When I went out to Hawaii.
Memphis Bleak
That's why you did that.
Bink
Before I got out there, I was hearing everybody was out there. Like, Pete, Rob, Reza, he just flying all these people to Hawaii. So I'm like, damn, the. So I text a email. I said, bro, I heard everybody in Hawaii, but that. He tell everybody who you talking about? I said, me. Like, how the. He was like, nah, man. You know, the travel budget been exhausted. I said, okay. Whole list. I sent, like, five joints over there. About an hour later, they say, somebody about to contact you about your travel. That's what I'm talking about.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
So gotta get over there.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy.
Bink
And I'm playing him joints. But the thing is, you gotta think in that. In that window, as far as music concerned, if it ain't had 808s and hand claps on it, niggas weren't really with. So the boom bap was like. People was like, yo, that done. That's how they was talking.
Memphis Bleak
And now look.
Bink
So. But the thing was, I didn't play him that beat. I was playing him another beat. And I was holding the laptop, was talking right in front of the board. Ain't on itunes. When the beat go off, the next one.
Memphis Bleak
Come on. Come on.
Bink
Automatically it came on, and I was about to stop, and he's like, oh, what was that? And I was like, it's just another joint. He was like, no, no, no. I need that right now. And I was like, what, bro?
Memphis Bleak
That's one of my favorite.
Bink
I didn't think he was on that page at all. You know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
That's one of my favorite Yay records, man. I ordered you jerks. Said, you are what you.
Bink
I mean, think that day, he played me all the likes. He played me all the likes. Monster.
Memphis Bleak
All that.
Bink
So why would you think. Why would I play him Devil in the. Just after hearing that?
Memphis Bleak
Cause that's better. Than all those other records. That's why.
Bink
But I'm saying. But sonically, it's just over here.
Memphis Bleak
But it's always like that. The beat that y' all never think is the one. It's even like that for artists, because there's records that I swore, like, yeah, this one gonna smash, that should come out, be like, whoa, whomp. So it be like that, bro. What's. What's one opportunity that you feel you missed in the game that you feel like, damn, I should have. I should have took more advantage of.
Bink
That just doing the art. I should have pressed the gas on.
Memphis Bleak
The artist more so on signing the artist. Yeah, you ain't missing nothing with that.
Bink
Listen, you know, let me tell you something, bro.
Memphis Bleak
I tell you first.
Bink
Let me tell you something, bro. Shout out to Canon and Lake.
Memphis Bleak
Show, Yo, Lake. Oh, my God.
Bink
Listen, man.
Memphis Bleak
That's what Lake did, though. That's not easy, yo.
Bink
That's what I'm trying to tell you.
Memphis Bleak
That's not easy.
Bink
So what I'm trying to say to you, in order to get to that kind of bread, the shit you got to endure is insane.
Memphis Bleak
And with the kind of artists that Lake and Drama lucked up on. Insane, though, but they follow. It's a team camaraderie. They all in sync. These artists today, unless they don't even. Bihi said something ill to me when I was younger, when he was like, yo, Bleak, when you grow up, I know you always wanted to say you wanted to own a label or do all this, but y', all, I' ma tell you this. Dealing with artists is like having new kids, but instead of them being children, they're grown children. And I ain't know what he meant by that. And then when I got into the game myself, it's like, yeah, you dealing with this emotion over here. This one is crying about this. This one beefing about that. It's a lot of shit. But then you saying to yourself, nigga, one thing cures all of this. The music. You make, the hit. There is no cries. There is nothing to riff about. But all artists don't understand that. So back to Drama and Lake. They found them artists that understand that, and they push the gas, bro. That's not easy.
Bink
They went through a lot.
Memphis Bleak
It's not easy.
Bink
That's what I'm trying to say. Any. Any, man, That's a show right there. Just talking to managers. Tell us what this took you through.
Memphis Bleak
Before y' all got to therapy. Show, bro.
Bink
Listen to me.
Memphis Bleak
Some of these managers need the therapy.
Bink
Come Here and talk to us about all this shit that you dealt with, bro, with this one, you ain't gotta say who Artis is. I could get on that show.
Memphis Bleak
Listen, you want to start that show I'm for, I interview me. I got a few artists we could talk about. Remember, I done been through them all. I done had artists signed artists trying to get signed. Artists signed go to jail. I think that. Yo, bro, it's not easy.
Bink
See, now you understand why the big wigs always had a buffer in between. There's always somebody in between them in the group. Like, you talk to them, you know what I'm saying? I'm not talking to them.
Memphis Bleak
But that shit don't work, because then when you got a bunch of hood niggas. Cause after, you know, coming up, you gonna employ the niggas that you grow up with. First you went on to all these other dudes. These niggas be ready to kill. Like what you said to me, shorty. Like, I'm telling you, I dealt with this. We had to drop a artist because my partner wanted to put hands and feet on them. So it was like, yo, we gotta let him go, nigga. Like, for real.
Bink
Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm telling you.
Memphis Bleak
I think today is worse than having to be a father to these grandpa. You gotta be a grandpapa. She's an adult daycare to deal with artists today. You gotta have that bag. You gotta take them around town, that shit.
Bink
Adult daycare, man.
Memphis Bleak
You gotta show them where the little girl still horny at about grandpapa. I'm telling you, it's crazy out here, my G. So out of everything, you feel like just signing an artist is one of your biggest regrets?
Bink
Yeah. And just not putting out albums myself. Like, I. I saw I got so much respect for Alchemist, you know what I'm saying? Just because of the machine that he. He's built, you know what I'm saying? It's like quietly, quietly. But he absolutely maximizes opportunities in that way, you know what I'm saying? So he definitely, to me, he's the. He's the prototype to what a producer's supposed to turn this into at the end of the day, you know what I mean?
Memphis Bleak
Shout out Alchemist, man.
Bink
Shout out Alchemist for sure.
Memphis Bleak
And that's crazy. And you said signing the artist. I would have thought you might have been like, yo, I had this opportunity to produce a Scarface. Could have did Scarface the movie. Like, huh? I don't think I blew.
Bink
I don't think I blew. Anything in that way. Everything I did. They came to me like that. I made sure I was on that shit.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, you was on it. What, me? I only. I said my one is Drumline, and I just had a conversation with you.
Bink
You supposed to be in Drumline.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, they wanted me to do that.
Bink
Which part? The lead. I would have put you. You'd have played bass or something.
Memphis Bleak
I wouldn't put you my n. You feel me?
Bink
Yeah. I wouldn't be like blizzard out here.
Memphis Bleak
I couldn't have came back to Marcy after that.
Bink
That'd have been tough.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
That'D have been tough money.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, but that's. Jay was mad at me for that nigga would put me in acting classes after that, and I think he wasted his money. I still can't act this shit real, cuz.
Bink
You just gotta build up your nerve for acting, yo.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, it's just once you over that.
Bink
That's what I say. That's the nerves.
Memphis Bleak
That's the nerves.
Bink
That's why. Listen, bro, most people used to be like this.
Memphis Bleak
They scared chill. That was the whole Brooklyn back in 96. Everybody had low. Like, nobody look at my eyes.
Bink
Hat behind that hat, Jack. That's crazy, you know what I mean?
Memphis Bleak
Did you ever feel like in this game, like, with all the big names like the Pharrells, the Timberlands, the Yays, that you feel like you didn't put in enough work to get that accolades like them?
Bink
No, it's just, you know, like I said, when you get with artists, bro, you can't question chemistry, you know what I'm saying? And the chemistry that Pharrell and Jay had was just ideal, you know what I'm saying, for doing those type of records, you know what I'm saying? Like, the more like, you know, Pharrell got a knack for doing those hood pop records, like old hood crossword records. Like, it still tends to cross over, but still be the. You know what I'm saying? So it's like he. You know, that was his forte. So me, I'm the sole street intro outro, you know what I'm saying? That's what I was really known for at that time. But once I started opening my mind and being like, you know what? You know, just do something that maybe a girl would like. It's easy for me to make a nigga like a record. Like, that's like take a candy from a baby, you know what I'm saying? But for a girl to be like.
Memphis Bleak
See, that's weird for you to say that. Cause me, I feel like it's difficult to get anybody to like a record.
Bink
Nah, I mean, like, it's way easier to find a dude that's gonna like a rap song than a girl.
Memphis Bleak
Oh, yeah.
Bink
No, if you can find a girl that like to rap songs, then you cooking. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? You super cooking. Then when you can figure that out, right?
Memphis Bleak
You see what Drake said? He said the show, they used to tell him, man, put on Trey song songs. I don't want to hear that right now.
Bink
It's just that when you mix the two, singing and rapping, it always works. Or putting some type of melody, which is Nelly. That's just a melody. He not singing. But he ain't just rapping either. But he right in between. It always go Nelly. Same shit, got the melody.
Memphis Bleak
I used to say. I used to always say Ja was cheating with the singing. But then, right. Yo, it's crazy you bring up Ja, because I had recently called him, you know, when I was working on the project and I wrote the song, you.
Bink
Know.
Memphis Bleak
What song is that? Choosing youg. Yeah. I couldn't think of the title right now. My song Choosing youg. I wrote that song, right? And I called y', all, and I'm like, damn, all these years, my G, I never knew you had the cheat code right in your crib. And he like, what you talking about? I'm like, nigga, all that. Where would I be without you?
Bink
Right?
Memphis Bleak
Put it on me. That N was looking right at his wife and then just wrote those records, bro. Even from the drama perspectives, too. Even when you're dealing with drama in the household. So when I wrote that record choosing you, I'm staring, sitting there, staring at my wife and wrote the record. And I called him like, damn, bro, you had the cheat code all this time. He like, yeah, now you in the circle, you know? I was like, yeah, see, we was starting. That's why is that your. And, like, that came out and need dick in your life like that. Come on, come on. Jay and D used to always be like, yo, Bleep, you gotta talk to the girls. Do this. And just be like, nigga, y' all taught me to kick him out when we was done. I don't know how to tell him I like you.
Bink
Yeah, man. I mean, for real, every. Every true artist, in order to really cross over into the other world, you gotta show vulnerability and transparency. Without those two things, it's just like, you just. You just saying shit.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact.
Bink
Nobody's really connecting because you ain't talking about shit. You know what I'm saying? Because when you writing that shit, supposed to come from a true place.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
So niggas trying to write a happy record and sad as a. Like, you wonder why you ain't wrote shit.
Memphis Bleak
It ain't gonna work.
Bink
Write a sad record till you get right.
Memphis Bleak
That's right.
Bink
You know what I'm saying? That's just it. Right. Exactly where you are. And then, you know, eventually you start doing some happy shit. But you trying to come in here and be happy, and you sad as shit. That shit ain't.
Memphis Bleak
And that's how it was for me, man. Like, I couldn't do it. Like, it was like, yo, write these lover boy records. It's like, that's not me. We was awesome. It's that your chick still, like, we ain't loving. We. We. We thugging. We still big pimping. Huh?
Bink
Well, see, that's why you got. That's when you go and take the Fat Joe formula. See, Fat Joe always throw a R B on the hook. Yo Y. Then it goes into some. Then it's something else. Once you put somebody singing on the beat, it automatically turns into something else. Then you gotta just fill in the blanks.
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Memphis Bleak
The cheat code too. He always kept it. He kept a a single, a nice dope single to catch you and smack.
Bink
R and B person on the hook. Think about it. Every time.
Memphis Bleak
Pac did too.
Bink
Pacing. Pac was. See, Pac had. He had rap hooks like Mr. Cheeks did. That's special.
Memphis Bleak
But no, Paca hit you with a R and B hook for a single for sure.
Bink
But for the most part, he had a lot of rap.
Memphis Bleak
It's so crazy that his singles was the R and B records with the songs that N Love from Pac was never a single. Yo. It's crazy, right?
Bink
Album joints.
Memphis Bleak
Yup. Straight album joints is all our pop favorite joints.
Bink
Really should have a rope. All that.
Memphis Bleak
All eyes on me. Kidding me, nigga.
Bink
That's. That was the one.
Memphis Bleak
That's that shit right there. That don't even talk to me when that's playing. You might get slapped.
Bink
I got on Tupac late though, because I was Super Biggie. Like I was like team Biggie.
Memphis Bleak
No way.
Bink
I was team.
Memphis Bleak
But you know I listen to all artists cause I remember when he was with Digital Underground. But I'm gonna tell you a funny story about the Pac, right? So listen, this is when the beef with Biggie and Pocket was going on. So we in Miami. This is where HOV was outside. He wasn't even hov. He probably wasn't even Jigga. He was still J hyphenated Z, right? It was still regular. And we was leaving Coco's in Miami. Hood Strip club. Remember they used to have the bootleg CD Niggas outside in the back of the van selling cigars, tapes, everything. Yo, bro, they think I had the Machiavelli before it dropped. So, you know, I'm like, yo, let me. Let me grab this. See what he talking about. Cause remember, you know, he was talking about bi. I wanted to see who he dissing, so I grabbed it. So Jay. And I'm like, yo, what you bought for the homie? So I'm like, yo, I bought this Machiavelli. See what up? I think like, all right, put it in. Pause. Play it. We put it in the van. We riding off. First thing come out, Jay Z from Hawaii, Sophie, Fame, Big Will, whatever. Yo, that nigga always looking at me like, hey, yo, what up out the gate? Yo, yo, bro, I felt like the major crunching munch in the van. Like, what did I just do? Am I trying to get kicked out the whip? Like, yo, yo, inject that CD gun. We can't play that. Let me get that word out. Niggas was in the van looking like, huh.
Bink
Word. That's deep.
Memphis Bleak
You ever produced it? And you said, you know, I never met Dr. Dream Dre.
Bink
That's the guy I met.
Memphis Bleak
Dr. Dre, missy. That's two. That you, you know, worked with. I never even met.
Bink
Yeah, we did. I did Compton with him, then I did the Grand Theft Auto album. Yeah, with him. Damn. That's a. As of lately, anyway.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, that's dope, man. That's dope. You never did. No.
Bink
Yeah.
Memphis Bleak
You never said you got on Pac Late, man.
Bink
Yeah, I got on Potlake, but I was always. I like the singles and shit. Like, you know, you a fan of somebody's singles, but you ain't bought the album. And I actually dove into the whole. I didn't do that.
Memphis Bleak
That's what I'm saying. Listening to his singles, I didn't know what was on that album exactly.
Bink
So it took me a long time to dive into the album and just really listen to him.
Memphis Bleak
Nah, that's dope, man. That's dope. Fucking. Yo, is it anything that you produce that you think people would not know that that's you? That you be like, yo, hold on. I don't think niggas know I did this.
Bink
Yes, a few of those. John Legend. Who do we think we are? I did.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, chill, Chill.
Bink
Featuring Rick Ross.
Memphis Bleak
Chill that joint.
Bink
Pride and joy. Fat Joe with Kanye.
Memphis Bleak
I knew that. I knew that one.
Bink
People didn't know their girls are parts of corrupt. They didn't know that.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah, no, no, I had no clue. And that's one of my favorite corrupt joints. Cheeks, man, like, don't know the relationship I got with corrupt like Mr. Cheeks. Like, these, my bro.
Bink
Like, sure.
Memphis Bleak
My. Them is one of us. For sure.
Bink
For sure.
Memphis Bleak
All day. Them is crazy dads. All them, man. Damn. I ain't know you there. You, me up with the girls on pause.
Bink
Oh, and my first joint out the gate, A lot of people know I did. But don't leave Black Street.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, that was your first joint that you ever produced.
Bink
Personality gate right there.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, that's. Come on, my G. Your first song. You ever produced that. Damn it. With 5 million.
Bink
Six. Yeah, did six. But he did six. Like, damn. 20 years ago.
Memphis Bleak
I know. And when it mattered, when 6 million people got up off they ass and went to the store and actually bought the physical single, like, God dang, your first joint sinks. No wonder you had the ceiling $5,000.
Bink
This thing stupid.
Memphis Bleak
That's what, though.
Bink
It was like I said back then, bro, if you was in the studio, that mean everybody got half their money already. That's what that meant, man. So everybody's ain't happy. Everybody's. We ready to work.
Memphis Bleak
That's a fact.
Bink
Now it's like you in the studio trying. And n ain't spoke about a dollar. Nope. You want to keep asking you for beats like, bitch, you want to get out of my face?
Memphis Bleak
Yeah. How much you paying? What we doing none of this shit.
Bink
I'm not going to keep recording 15 records with you, and you ain't trying to lock down nothing. Damn. You know what I'm saying? That's. You know what? Let's get into that conversation. Let's go get into. Because you said you had a beef with us. We had a beef by the sample.
Memphis Bleak
It was a small beef.
Bink
Now, listen, the beef we got. Why? Well, no, not with you. We just artists, per se.
Memphis Bleak
All I'm about to say, I just.
Bink
Wish y' all understood how much when the game changed, that it only affected the producer side.
Memphis Bleak
No, that's not true.
Bink
Hear me out.
Memphis Bleak
Go ahead.
Bink
Now. Consider me, bro. You know, you guys do shows we don't get. We don't get to touch that. You can perform this same record I produced for you 800,000 times, and we don't get none of that. So that's just. You hit us one time and you gone. That shit pay for itself.
Memphis Bleak
But you know they changed that, right?
Bink
What you mean?
Memphis Bleak
Like, you know that producers and artists can get paid for live Performances now for their songs. All you have to do is register that song with BMI or ASCAP or whoever your publisher is under Live Performances. So anytime that song is performed live, you. You get a check for that, bro. So as a producer, I don't know if you're doing that. Remember, we have managers. I hate physically going into ASCAP and doing shit myself. I feel like I fell off.
Bink
But if we getting money from streaming, like that money.
Memphis Bleak
A joke that I was just telling somebody, like, that's a joke. They finagled these kids to where they believe a billion streams on any platform just because they send you that shiny plaque you lit a billion streams on any platform, whether It's Apple, Spotify, YouTube. You can't even go buy a house you couldn't buy. You probably get enough money just to buy a Honda Accord. Not the fully equipped one. You get about 22, probably 25,000 tops. So you got to get the. The. The. The Enterprise or the Hertz Honda, the one they rent to you. The rental car version, not the fully loaded with the sunroof, leathers, ac, you know what I mean? But them same spins. If you got a thousand streams, let's just say if your record dropped and it was out for six months and you got 10,000 to 20,000 spins on a radio, you know you'll make enough money to buy a house. 20,000 spins on the radio will pay you triple times the money a billion streams will pay you.
Bink
That's why they got rid of.
Memphis Bleak
That's insane that these kids believe streaming is the way where radio will never die. Radio airwaves.
Bink
I was the only person on Instagram seven, eight years ago saying this shit is wrong.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
And they was like, yo, man, you just always bitter, yo, what bank man about now and shit, right? It was just easy to sell that. But I'm like, my nigga, this only makes sense to Spotify. This don't make sense to nobody else. My but them. You know what I'm saying? So they was like, yo, you got to got. You got to understand how business is done now, bro. I'm like, bro, listen, all we did when we agreed to this, we basically said we don't need no more money for mechanicals.
Memphis Bleak
We gave it all away.
Bink
We don't want no mechanical royalty. We good. We Gucci. We just do the streaming with y'.
Memphis Bleak
All. Yeah, we gave it all away. You giving it all. All to them. They make all the money. And tell you think about it. You make the music, you pay the producer, you pay studio. Time you pay to shoot the video for somebody to tell you how much you make off your soul. That's insane. Think about it. If you started, if you went and printed a T shirt, put your logo on it. There's no store in this world that's gonna tell you, yo, yeah, I give you a dollar for all these T shirts after you just spent $10 making one. There's no way, like, the game is flipped. And then when you. Me, I always said from my perspective, the person who invented the streaming and the Apple shit, all that, they never. They never, ever played the barter system ever. I mean, you don't have to be a drug dealer. All you have to do is barter. Sell something, some goods to someone for something more than you purchased it for the barter system.
Bink
When they. When they pissed it to us, when they first said, yo, you gotta have 1500 streams to equal one one sound, right? And we was like, okay. They was like, yo, back the truck up, cuz. Dumbest shit. Let's go.
Memphis Bleak
Dumb as shit.
Bink
These niggas tell them we got them 15. And it's been. It's been on earth.
Memphis Bleak
It's been on earth since, yo, bro, it's insane then. But think about it, right? When the album dropped, it could be 10 songs, 17 songs. Think about it. You only like six to eight records, tops. Even if it's that many, you might only like 4, 4. Not even like 5. Think you can go buy those five records for $5 where they're selling you the whole project for 10 to $12. You go buy your favorite 3, 2 for. For $1. $2. $3. You know what I'm saying? Where those singles, to me should have been $5. Where the album is $10. Where a person like, why I' ma spend $10 to buy two songs when I could get 13 for 10.
Bink
But then you think about this. This Tory Lanez did, right? If you willing to give your music up for 0.00006, whatever that is.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
Then why not sell the whole for a dollar?
Memphis Bleak
Yep. That's a fact.
Bink
If you. If you willing to sell.
Memphis Bleak
He killed them. He killed them.
Bink
At least that's your dollar.
Memphis Bleak
He killed them.
Bink
You know what I'm saying? That's your dollar. You fucking right.
Memphis Bleak
He murdered them with that. A million dollars in one hour, I believe.
Bink
Not even.
Memphis Bleak
Word up.
Bink
Not even. So that's what I'm trying to say. So that. That right there. And people don't understand. Prince was the first person to sell his CD at the show. And it counted as a sound skin, you know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
I didn't even knew that. Yeah, like Prince was on some shit.
Bink
Prince was disruptive.
Memphis Bleak
He was definitely pushing the needle for sure.
Bink
But that's genius. So if you got 8,000 people at your show, that's 8,000 soul.
Memphis Bleak
Word up.
Bink
So he put the price of the CD and the price of the concert ticket. You see what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
That's genius.
Bink
But all this you can still do today.
Memphis Bleak
Yes. Just imagine. Yo, chill, man. Like Drake was doing that right now. They think he cheat.
Bink
Listen, bro, Anybody would have that Nigga.
Memphis Bleak
Selling out 800, 100,000, 60,000 seaters, no problem. He's selling 60,000 on top of his 800,000 first week.
Bink
See, but that's why you got give that artist 400 million. Woo. You give him 400 million, he would never think about doing what you just said.
Memphis Bleak
He gonna think about it now. Cause we just said it. We just told him the game he got cut us in, cuh.
Bink
But I'm just, I'm just saying it's like a just gave you 400 million. Like you ain't really tripping on trying to start. You feel me?
Memphis Bleak
Like you ain't you right? You give a nigga 400, nigga like you good, you good. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. We be over there. We be over there tonight.
Bink
God speed.
Memphis Bleak
Word up. Damn, you ain't lying. Yo, you ever worked with Drake?
Bink
Yeah.
Memphis Bleak
You did? You what? You produce for the homie.
Bink
I did. You only live twice with him, Ross and Lil Wayne. I did Jodecy freestyle with him and JCole.
Memphis Bleak
Hey my, you got some gems under your belt. Why you can't put. You can't be bink. The humble monster. You gotta. We gotta be. We gonna change that. We gonna let these know, cuz we out here. That's why they don't. I didn't know that you humble. We gotta get that. No big, just the monster. Cause that's what you are, my See, but that's why I think the monster that got to be in there.
Bink
That's why them young niggas be mad. Because these young niggas is 26, 27 years old and thinking they put in that work and they thinking they know me like, nigga, I've been doing this shit since you had on onesies, nigga.
Memphis Bleak
Yo, chill.
Bink
Like literally like you was running around on onesie.
Memphis Bleak
My nigga, word out, that's a fact.
Bink
So when I my sound was like that when you was in the onesie.
Memphis Bleak
And you said your first joint is Backstreet Black Street. Like, come on.
Bink
But that's Teddy. You understand? I did it. I went to this spot called Triple Play. Back in the day, it was a barbershop car wash studio. That's what they call it. Triple Play. Dang, right? So I'm up in the studio part. Teddy getting a haircut downstairs. So he hear me, he come out like, yo, you know, play with some more shit. I'm nervous as a motherfucker, right? But I had the ASR 10. So I had floppy disk then. So now I'm putting in the floppy disk. I gotta strike a little conversation. Cause that shit take forever to load up. And she's like.
Memphis Bleak
I'm like, yeah.
Bink
You know, Trying to strike a little conversation. But be best days, I finally played. I played about four or five records, but then I finally played that.
Memphis Bleak
He was like, yo, that's it.
Bink
Go get such and such. Said, what you doing tomorrow? I said, what you need me to be doing tomorrow?
Memphis Bleak
Word up. You talking Teddy, Was that back then. He still is, but back then.
Bink
But, bro, you got to understand, when he came. When he came and set up shop in Virginia, he was on like. Like a main drag. But, bro, you gotta stand down in Virginia. Virginia is not like New York. So you don't see Ferraris and Phantoms. And that's not normal. You know what I'm saying? When he moved out there and people started coming down to work with him and coming to town to work, you start seeing these machines. And then his machines that he was. Because back then he had the purple MPV with the purple bbs. And the purple mpv was that.
Memphis Bleak
That was the one. What you was definitely ahead of it.
Bink
That was the one you needed that. He had the purple future jackets with the crazy Jew. With the guy John up there, you know, with the. You know, I know.
Memphis Bleak
I got the album. I had the album.
Bink
You remember that piece he had on the door? Yeah. It's like. But the Jude game was crazy. So you seeing that. Like, man, I want that.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy. Especially, yeah. Being in a quiet town, like Va. They pulling up like that.
Bink
But the crazy shit was his studio was behind a veterinarian. So it's on the main drag. But you can't just drive into the parking lot. So when you drive. When you turn in the veterinarian, he would have a security guard right in the driveway. So you go. Once you good. If you try to go past the veterinary, he gonna step out in front. Like, hold on. Yeah, where you going? Yeah, before you even get back there. That's crazy. So it was like, you know us, we like, man, I gotta get in that building. Like, man, I could just get in that up at one time.
Memphis Bleak
It's crazy to hear you say that. Cause in the Pharrell movie, he was saying the same thing, bro, listen, bro, I gotta gain that building.
Bink
I gotta to get in that, man. Some kind of way, I gotta get in it.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy.
Bink
So I end up getting there with my man Chance. And, dude, Cristo. I think Christo was married to his sister, Teddy's sister, so he was managing us. So he took us out.
Memphis Bleak
He had the cheat code right there.
Bink
But now I'm only in the writer's room, though, you know, It's a big difference from the A room and the writer's room.
Memphis Bleak
Hell yeah. That's the B group.
Bink
So you in the building, but you still ain't in the building.
Memphis Bleak
Yeah.
Bink
You know what I'm saying?
Memphis Bleak
You got one foot in.
Bink
You got one foot in. Word. So that's about as far as I made it. So when he said, what am I doing?
Memphis Bleak
Like, I'm with you, nigga.
Bink
Nigga, When I came in that. Finally came in that a room and seen his setup, it was just like this motherfucker's fucking geek, man. Like, this is insane.
Memphis Bleak
To me, that's still. To me, that's the best era. When it was tape in the studio, two wins. That was the best. The music hit harder. Everything, everything, everything. Drums was more crisp.
Bink
Everything.
Memphis Bleak
I felt like when Pro Tools came out, everything started sounding a little bit compressed. But I feel we. People that are so used to it, they don't even remember what it used to miss.
Bink
What you never had.
Memphis Bleak
Word up, man. You put on. But if somebody got some old 45s or old real classic record player, but me and dude throwing a classic, you would hear the sound.
Bink
Oh, for sure.
Memphis Bleak
Different.
Bink
We went. We went the extra mile. Me and Doug, when we did blueprint, we put the drums and bass on half inch. We bounced that shit down a half inch. Everything else was on 2 inch.
Memphis Bleak
That's crazy. Only thing I didn't like about the reels was when they had to cut that bitch. That shit took forever. When they had to cut it or they tell you they had to learn the machine. Oh, my God. You sitting there forever like, you motherfuckers, why come here today?
Bink
Alcohol in the Q tips, yo. Alcoholic Q tips, straight up.
Memphis Bleak
They could just splicing that like that was the big tape. Word. So, yo, out of everything you feel in it that you've done in this game, you contributed. Like, what's the legacy that you want to leave? What you want people to remember being the monster, not the humble monster no more, y'.
Bink
All.
Memphis Bleak
What you want them to remember being dog for?
Bink
I mean, I did it my way, you know what I'm saying? To me, that's the ultimate flex for any artist, whether producer or rapper or singer, to come in and put your own twist on shit, and people recognize and identify with something different. I think that's the major flex. So I've done that, so I feel like I did what I was supposed to do in that regard.
Memphis Bleak
Got any young talent you've been mentoring out here, anything like that?
Bink
He has a few producers, man. My man Baggs. I used to mentor my man Too High right now, too. My man Neff. I got a few dudes man, that my nephew Lil D. Okay, Neff.
Memphis Bleak
Tell Neff's in that heat.
Bink
Oh, Neff.
Memphis Bleak
Neff prices is low. Neff got 96 prices. Tell Neff's in that heat. Your prices is futuristic.
Bink
The zone that you pick. Yeah, that's man enough.
Memphis Bleak
No way. Nah, that shit fire. I had some shit. I laid some shit to it, but I'm gonna redo it. You know, I tried to get hov on that one. I already know.
Bink
That's the old. That's our vibe.
Memphis Bleak
That's the old signature of, like, nigga, you know what this is?
Bink
You know what that is, or.
Memphis Bleak
So what's next for Bink, man? Like, you know what I mean? What people should be looking out for. What's next for my guy?
Bink
I'm producing Az EP in Taiwan, so we almost finished with that, so. So shout out to my brother az.
Memphis Bleak
Oh, yeah, shout out. Az. He from Brooklyn, too. Stop trying to steal him Queens.
Bink
So, yeah, that's. That's. That's what's on the. On the table right now.
Memphis Bleak
That's what's up, man. I appreciate you coming through, Bink, you know you my guy. Anything you ever need from me, dog, I'm always here. My phone, my line is always open to you, bro.
Bink
I appreciate it.
Memphis Bleak
You always been a real one, bro. Love for life, bro. You already know what it is. It's another episode of Rock Solid Powered by Doucet. The only drink that you should keep stocked and the only drink that's gonna make sure everything's solid. We out that part. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows at. And you can follow me on any social media platform platform under the name Memphis Bleak. You see anybody frauding? Flag them.
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Come on.
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Bink
This thing is ancient.
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Date: September 23, 2025
Guests: Memphis Bleek (host), Bink (legendary hip-hop producer)
Podcast Theme: Deep-dive, unfiltered conversations on hip-hop culture, classic Roc-A-Fella stories, and exclusive insights from industry legends.
This episode features an in-depth and candid discussion between Memphis Bleek and renowned producer Bink, famously known for his work with Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, and many others. They explore Bink's musical origins, his unique approach to producing, memorable studio stories, opinions on the evolving music industry, and reflections on legacy and originality in hip-hop.
On Innovating the Sound:
“Name a beat that sound like ‘Ruler’s Back’ before the ‘Ruler’s Back,’ and I’ll be quiet forever.” – Bink (19:46)
Rihanna’s First Feature:
“A lot of people know that was Rihanna. First time ever being on the record.” – Bink (12:00)
Joking About Paying for Beats:
“This nigga looked at me and said, yeah, $5,000 for the texture. Just on the ceiling... How much for the beat? $150,000.” – Memphis Bleek & Bink (16:07–16:41)
Protecting the Recipe:
“Have you ever seen David Blaine explain how he cut people in half?” – Bink (27:45)
Missy Elliott’s Perfectionism:
“If it’s a comment on that board, it ain’t fix it yet. Don’t play that for nobody.” – Bink (31:53)
On Streaming’s Pitfalls:
“A billion streams on any platform, you can’t even go buy a house... You probably get enough money just to buy a Honda Accord... 20,000 spins on the radio will pay you triple times the money a billion streams will pay you.” – Memphis Bleek (56:25)
The episode’s language is candid, streetwise, humorous, affectionate, and sincere. Both Bleek and Bink celebrate hip-hop’s competitive spirit while lamenting changes in the business. They are relatable, nostalgic, and often playful, but always reverential toward the art and its culture.
For anyone looking for an unvarnished look inside hip-hop producing, ROC Solid delivers the wisdom, stories, and tough love that only true insiders like Memphis Bleek and Bink can provide.