ROC Solid with Memphis Bleek: Cousin E (October 21, 2025)
Episode Overview
In this episode of "ROC Solid," Memphis Bleek welcomes his longtime friend and “cousin,” Cousin E—a Philly legend with deep ties to Roc-A-Fella history. They reminisce about wild road adventures, Roc-A-Fella slang, legendary parties, and the grind from backstage hype-man to Philly’s top party promoter and beyond. The episode rings with nostalgia, hip-hop insider stories, blunt jokes, and honest reflections on loyalty, hustle, and what it means to be "ROC solid"—all in the fast, lively banter Bleek is known for.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Origin of "Cousin E"
- How did E get his name?
- E’s real name is Irving, so the nickname stuck through crew wordplay, not initial logic.
- “My name, Irving, start with I... So Dean's was like, nah, that name ain't right... he just started calling me E. Like, let's see if it stick with you. And it stuck.” —Cousin E, [03:19]
2. Road Stories: Early Roc-A-Fella Days
- Bleek’s first solo show and building the team
- Bleek recounts trusting Demarco and Cousin E on the “Hard Knock Life” Tour, which launched E’s journey as hype-man and DJ.
- Hilarious stories of hiring (and firing) security, and on-the-road antics—joining the ‘mile high club,’ wild groupies, and friendly crew competition:
- “You the only that joined the Mauha...Met the kill at the gate...that’s legendary, cuz.” —Memphis Bleek, [05:53]
- “Jay and Dane, they wanted to raise. We was going to San Francisco...put it on the radio. They gave me a shout out.” —Cousin E, [05:57]
3. Philly Meets New York: Crew Culture and Slang
- “Y’all bought mad slang, too, when y’ all came — all that ‘Joe,’... Everything is the jaw. Everything. I don’t care if you got the girl, the gun, the car... the sneaker is the jaw. And you gotta know, you gotta listen to the sense.” —Memphis Bleek, [07:18]
- Reflections on how Philly culture and vernacular reshaped the Roc-A-Fella circle.
4. Memorable Studio Sessions & Lost Footage
- The infamous "Crew Love" session at Quad Studios and a VHS that disappeared into ROC folklore:
- “I had all that recorded...I never got the tape back.” —Cousin E, [09:14]
5. Tour Life and Women: The Groupie Olympics
- Bleek and E swap stories about women (flowers, underwear, and even firearms as gifts) and the wild, competitive adventures on the road:
- “Remember Beans got a gun bought to him? ...a brand new .380 in the box... I’m like, damn, nobody never, not nobody bought me a gun.” —Memphis Bleek, [12:16]
- Legendary private jet flights, parties with high-rolling fans, Ferraris and Lambos in Miami, and wild mishaps trying to out-flex other rappers.
- “That’s how you know when fronting goes wrong…we thought we burnt out the clutch in the Lambo.” —Memphis Bleek, [17:53]
6. From Hype-man to Party Promoter
- Bleek grills E about switching from stage support to dominating Philly nightlife:
- “One day…you call...yo, I throw parties now. I’m a party promoter. Like, oh shit. N went from on the stage and now it’s my party. I’ma do what I want now.” —Memphis Bleek, [25:12]
- Open discussion on hustle, friendly rivalry, and booking Fabolous at incline “12” while Bleek jokes about being “on incline 4.”
- “He definitely was bringing more bitches than me. I was on a little decline. He was on incline.” —Memphis Bleek, [27:08]
7. Connections: Kevin Hart, Tour Management, and Grand Carmino
- E recalls how Philly ties led him to throw early parties for Kevin Hart, develop deep industry relationships, and eventually run tequila brand activations with Hart’s camp:
- “Kel looked at me like, yo, I'm gonna give you this. Don't it up. ...I took it and ran with it. Ain’t no turning back.” —Cousin E, [33:29]
- Bleek reflects on supporting and pushing each other to new lanes:
- “Now you got me some tickets, ...E take care of you. He show love.” —Memphis Bleek, [34:32]
8. Party Life: The Wildest Cities & Most Dangerous Events
- Detroit and Myrtle Beach top the list for “scariest party environments.”
- “Detroit…that’s one of mine too...Then I got another city: Myrtle Beach.” —Cousin E, [37:03]
- Bleek shares tales of wild nights in Cleveland and Detroit, weighing safety vs. money:
- “It’s only two cities I ever been booked in... made me feel like, ‘let’s give these n**s their money back!’” —Memphis Bleek, [38:16]
9. State Property & Movie Memories
- Iconic moments from filming State Property, including the legendary “What hand you roll up with?”
- “That script was never in the movie...We freestyled the whole thing.” —Cousin E, [47:53]
- Hilarious stories of on-set improvisation and how Bleek didn’t know his character was being killed off:
- “I walk in the office, I’m the killer…so today we kill you. Today you die, Blizz. So I’m like, ‘whoa, whoa, whoa!’” —Memphis Bleek, [52:04]
10. Hip-Hop Beef: Roc-A-Fella vs. The LOX
- E provides a blow-by-blow on the origins and escalation of the Beanie Sigel-Jadakiss beef, including “Powerhouse” disses, DMX’s neutral stance, Busta Rhymes’ encouragement, and Puff Daddy’s offer of shelter:
- “Soon as we walk in, DMX is like, I ain’t got nothing to do with it. My pups and pups. I feel though, y’all gotta get it off yourself.” —Cousin E, [62:35]
- “Buster make you feel like you a king... He make you feel like you royalty, God to the utmost.” —Memphis Bleek, [63:19]
- Behind-the-scenes of squashing beef at Russell Simmons’ suggestion—and how battles reignited just as quickly:
- “So they talk, hug, shake...then next thing I hear freestyle...I don’t want to talk to Russell. I’m like, ‘What the fuck!?’...that beef was wicked.” —Memphis Bleek, [68:13]
11. Life Lessons: Living, Learning, and Evolving
- Much laughter over past errors—like accidentally flying with a duffel bag of weed—and what old school OGs like Russell Simmons and Jay-Z later taught about moving wisely:
- “Russ like, young man, let me tell you...you just in the wrong places. That’s why you feel you need that gun.” —Memphis Bleek, [71:31]
- “If y’all feel y’all gotta take a gun out, y’all need to bring the party to y’all.” —Cousin E, echoing Jay-Z, [72:45]
- Reflections on family, raising daughters and sons, and changing perspectives with age.
12. Reflections on Roc-A-Fella After the Breakup
- Bleek and E express the emotional hit of the Roc split but underscore ongoing respect and loyalty across divisions.
- “I was campaign... always been good from both sides of the camp.” —Cousin E, [75:27]
- “Yo, I guess it was just like how I was with the parties. You wasn’t checking for me with the parties. You was like, fab, get Paul Kane on the phone.” —Memphis Bleek, [75:53]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
-
"His name don't even start with an E."
Memphis Bleek, questioning the origins of 'Cousin E' [02:06] -
"You joined the mile high club... that's legendary, cuz."
Memphis Bleek, sharing infamy [05:53] -
"I had all that [studio] footage... I never got the tape back."
Cousin E, on lost Roc-A-Fella history [09:14] -
"Girls just give me underwear bras... Nobody, never, not nobody bought me a gun. Beans was definitely certified for that."
Memphis Bleek, [12:16] -
"One day you call...I throw parties now. I'm a party promoter...N went from on the stage and now it's my party."
Memphis Bleek, on E’s transition from hype man to promoter [25:12] -
"Detroit…that’s one...that’s one of mine too...And Myrtle Beach."
Cousin E, on the roughest party cities [37:03] -
"Now you got me some tickets...He take care of you. He show love."
Memphis Bleek, about E's loyalty and support [34:32] -
"That script was never in the movie... We freestyled the whole thing."
Cousin E, on State Property's iconic “what hand you roll up with” scene [47:53] -
"DMX came with the pits, had the lobby wildin"
Memphis Bleek, on classic tour shenanigans [45:13] -
"Russ, it's active out here...that's why you feel you need that gun."
Russell Simmons’ advice to Bleek on moving wisely [71:31] -
"You just in the wrong places."
Russell Simmons, life gem repeated by Bleek [71:31] -
“Roc-A-Fella broke up...man, what we gonna do now?”
Memphis Bleek, [74:47]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 03:10 – The origin of "Cousin E"
- 05:53 – Wild tour stories, “mile high club”
- 07:00 – Roc-A-Fella & Philly slang crossover
- 09:13 – Studio session memories, lost tape
- 12:16 – Gifts from fans and the wildest birthday present
- 25:12 – Transition from hype-man to promoter
- 34:32 – How E looks out for people on his way up
- 37:03 – Most dangerous cities to throw parties in
- 47:53 – Iconic “what hand you roll up with?” State Property scene
- 62:35 – The night of the Powerhouse beef with Jadakiss & DMX
- 71:31 – Lessons from Russell Simmons on why security isn’t always the answer
- 74:47 – Reactions to the Roc-A-Fella breakup
Tone & Style
The conversation is funny, candid, loyal, and unfiltered—filled with brotherly jabs, inside jokes, and nostalgic energy. Bleek and E keep it real, balancing laughter about wild antics with wisdom from OGs and the value of true friendship and hustle in hip-hop and life.
Summary for New Listeners
If you want to understand what it meant to run with Roc-A-Fella in the golden era—and how that brotherhood, hustle, and history still echo today—this episode is a must. From street-to-stage, wild cross-country adventures, and iconic beefs, Memphis Bleek and Cousin E pull back the curtain on two decades of hip-hop history, keeping it 100% ROC solid.