ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek: Drag-On (August 26, 2025)

Main Theme / Purpose

In this engaging episode of ROC Solid, legendary Roc-A-Fella affiliate Memphis Bleek welcomes Drag-On, the famed Ruff Ryders MC, for an unfiltered and heartfelt discussion. They explore the realities behind their respective legacies, reminisce about pivotal hip-hop moments, and take deep dives into the unseen grind, personal evolution, and spiritual growth that shaped both their careers. Listeners get rare insights into hip-hop camaraderie, lyrical competition, business ventures, and Drag-On's spiritual journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lifelong Grind & Legacy in Hip-Hop

• Longevity & Relevance: Drag-On talks about still being driven after two decades, working on new music—"To have the pen gang for 20 years, bro, it's a blessing, man." (Memphis Bleek, 03:57).
• Current Projects: Drag-On is working on two albums, with Terry Sun coming before The Opposite of H2O Pt. 2 to “reintroduce” himself to the game (Drag-On, 04:01, 30:48–31:16).

2. Early Ruff Ryders & Roc-A-Fella Memories

• First Encounters & Competition: Drag-On and Bleek recall meeting on the Hard Knock Life tour, the pressure of living up to Ruff Ryders' spitter-heavy reputation, and friendly battles initiated by Swizz Beatz.
  • "Swizz is foul, too...he tried to get us to battle when we first met." (Memphis Bleek, 05:41)
• Impact of Legendary Crews: Both discuss how labels like Ruff Ryders and Roc-A-Fella threw their young artists “in the ring” for lyrical testing and sharpening against veterans—emphasizing pressure but also how it built camaraderie and respect (06:08–08:06).

3. Studio Process & Professional Growth

• Influence of Styles & Techniques: Drag-On was inspired by Jadakiss and Styles P writing without pen and paper, making him step up the professionalism of his own craft (08:06).
• Writing Without Pen and Paper: Drag-On first recorded "Spit These Bars" using this technique—"First song I did like that was Spit these Bars." (Drag-On, 09:19).

4. Collaboration Stories

• Recent Collab with Gat Murder: The process was organic, highlighting how loyalty and real connections drive collaborations in the underground scene (09:34–10:17).
• On Acting: Drag-On credits DMX for getting him into acting gigs, emphasizing that he never had a movie agent—"No, my agent was X." (Drag-On, 11:45).

5. Artistic Influence & Interpersonal Camaraderie

• Roles as “Under-Soldiers”: Bleek and Drag-On reflect on being overshadowed by “big homies” (Jay-Z, DMX), but note their vital roles in pushing their crews to greatness—"We help sharpen these guys…our young impact definitely impacted the OGs for sure." (Memphis Bleek, 12:49)
• Healthy Competition with DMX: Working on “Cradle 2 the Grave,” Drag-On spurred DMX back into the studio—"I could see X face like, hold on, hold on...next thing you know he started going in and blazing shit." (Drag-On, 13:09)

6. Overcoming Personal Struggles

• Speech Impediment: Drag-On opens up about his lifelong stutter and working to overcome it, notably through rap and self-training—"I was born with a real bad stuttering problem...in 2017, I actually started working on it." (Drag-On, 14:58).
• Acting Scripts: Memorizing scripts in advance helped him mask his stutter during film shoots (15:39).

7. Industry Game & Behind-the-scenes Stories

• Missing Artist in "Down Bottom" Video: Drag-On discusses how label politics kept Juvenile out of the video, despite him being scheduled, and how that strained relationships and expectations—"They did like some little slick shit...switched it on me right quick and said, yo, this a remix." (Drag-On, 18:59–19:22)
• Label Interference: Both reflect on how labels have kept key contributors out of music videos and features due to business politics (20:05–20:53).

8. Producer Talk & Creative Overlap

• Favorite Producers: While both have immense respect for Swizz Beatz, Drag-On names Timbaland as his personal favorite—"He's like my favorite...the sounds that he be using, where did he hear that?" (Drag-On, 26:55)
• Collaboration Without Meeting: They discuss recording tracks with artists they've never met in person, highlighting the remote nature of some classic collabs (28:01–28:19).

9. Regional Pressure, Roots, and Inspirations

• Upholding Bronx’s Hip-Hop Legacy: Drag-On reflects on coming from the Bronx—the birthplace of hip-hop—feeling the responsibility to live up to its reputation (35:02–39:46).
• Inspirations: Rakim and KRS-One are cited as huge influences—"Rakim was my favorite rapper in the world, bro." (Drag-On, 40:08). KRS-One was the first to hand Drag the mic onstage (41:14).

10. Spiritual Awakening & Israelite Identity

• Spiritual Journey: Drag-On goes deep into personal faith, identifying as an Israelite, reading the entire Bible, and the importance of scripture in understanding Black history and personal responsibility (42:44–54:30).
  • “I identify myself as an Israelite, so I follow the Bible...Five days ago, I just completed reading the whole Bible.” (Drag-On, 42:44)
• Advice on Studying the Bible: He encourages Bleek—and listeners—to read Deuteronomy 28 to understand historical connections (65:25–67:32).
• On Stereotypes: Addresses misconceptions about Israelite street preachers and advocates for open-mindedness—"Just stand there for like 10 minutes. I guarantee you gonna be like this. Oh, so hold up. Wait a minute. These niggas is yelling and fighting." (Drag-On, 60:50)

11. Business Ventures and Community

• Entrepreneurship: Drag-On plugs his daughter's Black Key Candle business and his wife's Light by Fire, highlighting a focus on family and generational empowerment (63:32–64:49).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “To have the pen gang for 20 years, bro, it's a blessing, man.”
  — Memphis Bleek (03:57)

• "Swizz is foul, too...he tried to get us to battle when we first met."
  — Memphis Bleek (05:41)

• “When I was talking to y' all before and stuff like that, man, if only y' all knew what I was doing in my mind just to create the conversation.”
  — Drag-On on battling his stutter (15:17)

• “We help sharpen these guys…our young impact definitely impacted the OGs for sure.”
  — Memphis Bleek (12:49)

• “X was a major, major goat. Major responsible for everything.”
  — Memphis Bleek on DMX (14:32)

• “If you want me in this movie, you got to put my little man in it.”
  — Drag-On on DMX getting him acting roles (11:45)

• “Rakim was my favorite rapper in the world, bro.”
  — Drag-On (40:08)

• “King James was a black man that ran England and Scotland and Portland and all these places.”
  — Drag-On (52:38)

• “It's like, see me, like, I never really knew that God gave us a manuscript for life.”
  — Drag-On (57:47)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------| | Memphis Bleek intro, Drag-On's longevity | 03:30 – 04:10 | | Early label competition & "Down Bottom" origins | 04:43 – 07:02 | | Recording with Ruff Ryders, studio pressure | 07:45 – 09:19 | | Freestyle/IG connection, recent collabs | 10:10 – 11:16 | | Acting, stutter struggle, movies with DMX | 11:45 – 15:39 | | Label politics: Videos with missing features | 18:53 – 20:53 | | Producer favorites (Swizz, Timbaland) | 26:01 – 27:15 | | Collaborating without meeting artists | 28:01 – 28:19 | | Drag-On's inspirations: Rakim, KRS-One, Fat Joe story | 35:24 – 38:37 | | Spiritual awakening, Israelite identity, bible discussion | 42:44 – 67:32 | | Candles/Business plug & community support | 63:32 – 64:49 |

Where to Find Drag-On

• Instagram: @dragon1
• Drag-On’s Candle Business (daughter): @blackkeycandle
• Wife's Candle Business: Light_by_fire

Tone and Takeaway

The episode is conversational, funny, and real—an authentic look at hip-hop life after the spotlight, emphasizing legacy, continued creativity, and the deeply personal journeys that go beyond the music. Memphis Bleek and Drag-On’s brotherly dynamic is evident throughout, mixing nostalgia, new-school advice, and reflection on identity and faith.

For fans, this is a rich listen packed with untold stories, peer insights, and life lessons—delivered 100% ROC solid.