Episode 1 w/ Ja Rule

Summary

Podcast Summary: ROC Solid with Memphis Bleek – Episode 1 w/ Ja Rule

Introduction

In the premiere episode of "ROC Solid," hosted by Memphis Bleek and featuring renowned rapper Ja Rule, listeners are treated to an intimate and candid conversation between two significant figures in the hip-hop industry. Skipping over the advertisements and introductory segments, the core of the episode delves deep into their shared experiences, collaborations, personal anecdotes, and insights into the evolving music landscape.

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Early Beginnings and the Hard Knock Life Tour (02:09 – 08:42)

The episode kicks off with Memphis Bleek reminiscing about his longstanding relationship with Ja Rule. He underscores their deep roots within the Roc-A-Fella family, mentioning, “One of the biggest artists I ever collabed with, ever rocked with, been on tour with...” [02:52]. Ja Rule reciprocates by reflecting on the significance of the Hard Knock Life Tour, describing it as their collective "coming out" party. He candidly shares, “I wasn't even like in shape back then... I was just skinny” [05:19], highlighting the grassroots beginnings of their journey.

Memphis adds, “that Hard Knock Life tour... was the first all hip-hop tour since the Fresh Fest,” emphasizing its role in uniting East and West Coast artists. This tour not only marked a pivotal moment for both artists but also played a crucial role in shaping the collaborative spirit within hip-hop.

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Collaborations and Personal Stories (08:43 – 20:32)

The conversation transitions to their collaborative efforts and the challenges they've faced. Memphis recounts missed opportunities, such as not being featured in certain Ja Rule music videos, leading to adjustments in song compositions. “We got burnt out of that and throw me in this? Like, huh...” [11:56] he laments, shedding light on the complexities of artist collaborations and management decisions.

Ja Rule highlights the importance of being proactive in the creative process, stating, “We need you to sign me up, man, get you. He said, I every song that gets played on the radio, video, all that, you get paid...” [10:14]. This underscores the necessity of understanding the business side of music to ensure fair compensation and creative freedom.

The discussion then shifts to their personal lives. Memphis shares heartfelt stories about his son, emphasizing his commitment to providing a stable and nurturing environment. “He on his fashion. He about to not be wearing shoes soon...” [44:00], he humorously reflects on his son's keen interest in fashion, illustrating the generational shift in interests and priorities.

Ja Rule, on his part, talks about the pride he feels watching his son engage in music, “I told him, come watch your pops make music. Last time I had you in the studio with me, he was on my shoulders, like 2 years old...” [43:21]. This highlights the passing of the torch and the hope for the next generation to continue the legacy.

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Business Ventures and Music Industry Insights (20:33 – 35:37)

Moving into the business realm, Ja Rule discusses his work with Icon, detailing strategic partnerships and future plans aimed at elevating the brand. “I'm working with everybody. I did the joint...” [46:35], he explains his vision of transforming Icon into a multifaceted network with original content, akin to platforms like Netflix but with a unique hip-hop twist.

Memphis echoes the importance of self-belief in navigating the music industry’s challenges. Reflecting on past disagreements with management over album releases, he states, “We gotta trust ourselves... I had to change the song because, yo, when I seen it, it seemed...” [61:27]. This underscores the necessity of artists maintaining creative control to stay true to their vision.

They also delve into the evolution of music consumption and the expanding demographic of hip-hop listeners. Ja Rule notes, “Hip hop has to have that growth that gross... 50 years old and beyond listen to hip hop” [35:40], highlighting the genre’s broadening appeal and the importance of catering to a diverse audience.

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Personal Lives and Family Dynamics (35:38 – 56:35)

The artists delve deeper into their personal lives, discussing the balance between career and family. Memphis shares the challenges of raising a daughter while managing a demanding career, “My son just turned 22, so I'll be traveling around doing with him 23...” [43:47]. He emphasizes the importance of keeping his son away from the pitfalls he once faced, aiming to provide a better environment.

Ja Rule complements this by discussing his own family dynamics and the pride he feels in mentoring his son. “Having kids, raising the family, it's cool. Me and my son, you know, we here hanging out...” [43:22]. Their conversations reflect the universal struggle of balancing fame and personal responsibilities, resonating with many listeners.

They also touch upon the cultural shifts within hip-hop, with Memphis commenting, “The more you know, the more you grow. That's a fact...” [54:32]. Both artists stress the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to stay relevant in the ever-changing music landscape.

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Future Plans and Projects (56:36 – 89:35)

Looking ahead, Memphis and Ja Rule discuss their aspirations and upcoming projects. Ja Rule unveils plans for expanding Icon, including strategic partnerships and a focus on original content creation. “I want to really set my mom with original content... my vibes concert series I'm about to do, laughing it up...” [52:00]. He expresses his desire to create content that resonates deeply with audiences, much like Def Comedy Jam did for comedy.

Memphis shares his entrepreneurial ventures, mentioning exclusive hotels in Phuket and Dubai, and the idea of organizing after-parties to enhance their brand presence internationally. “We need to go to Thailand... Sri Panwa... Six Cents is a private island hotel.” [86:50]. Their forward-thinking approaches highlight the integration of music, business, and lifestyle as pillars of their ongoing success.

They also reminisce about memorable tour experiences, including chaotic incidents during the Hard Knock Life Tour and interactions with fellow artists like Black Rob and Method Man. Ja Rule recounts an amusing jail experience in Cancun, “I'm a rapper... with Jay Z.” [68:22], showcasing the unpredictable nature of life on tour and the bonds formed through shared experiences.

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Anecdotes and Memorable Moments (89:36 – End)

The latter part of the episode is rich with vivid anecdotes from their touring days. Memphis narrates their adventures in Cancun, including a humorous yet harrowing incident involving police intervention. “We get off the bus, walk along... trying to block... And then the police come out...” [65:45]. These stories provide listeners with an unfiltered glimpse into the highs and lows of life in the music industry.

Ja Rule adds layers to these tales by sharing his own experiences with substance abuse, jet-setting lifestyles, and the constant pressure to stay relevant. Their stories about mishaps with law enforcement, partying, and maintaining relationships paint a comprehensive picture of their lives beyond the stage.

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Notable Quotes:

• Memphis Bleek [02:52]: “One of the biggest artists I ever collabed with, ever rocked with, been on tour with...”
• Ja Rule [05:19]: “My mama too. And N was, fuck, look, damn. Used to kill me for that shit.”
• Memphis Bleek [06:46]: “We need Dame up here, Jay.”
• Ja Rule [14:18]: “You my brother.”
• Memphis Bleek [25:22]: “Yeah.”
• Ja Rule [36:28]: “In this room, me too. I'm proud to be 40.”
• Ja Rule [43:47]: “Let me tell you something, man, I'mma send you some good Book.”
• Memphis Bleek [54:32]: “And all the time, bro, the more you know, the more you grow. That's a fact.”
• Ja Rule [80:16]: “This is why they didn't want you to do the video. They want you to hang with me.”

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Conclusion

Episode 1 of "ROC Solid" effectively sets the tone for the series, offering a blend of nostalgia, personal growth, business acumen, and raw storytelling. Memphis Bleek and Ja Rule's dialogue provides listeners with an authentic and engaging look into the lives of two artists who have significantly impacted the hip-hop landscape. Their ability to intertwine personal anecdotes with industry insights makes this episode a valuable listen for both longtime fans and newcomers seeking to understand the intricacies of the hip-hop world.

Stay Solid. Stay Roc.

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Transcript

[Ja Rule]

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[Memphis Bleak]

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[Ja Rule]

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[Memphis Bleak]

What up y' all. 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 you already know what it is. Y' all back with another one. Rock Solid here with my mother brother. Man, y' all have no clue. Me and this man go back, man. You know what I'm saying? We go back like stocking caps. You heard? It's my bro rule. You know, man, I don't even know what to say, man, You.

[Ja Rule]

You.

[Memphis Bleak]

You already know, man.

[Ja Rule]

Come on. You know.

[Memphis Bleak]

One of the biggest artists I ever collabed with, ever rocked with, been on tour with, got me in beef everything. You know what I'm saying? But I just here to let you know, I seen Blinky Blink.

[Ja Rule]

And he said, yeah, we dead.

[Memphis Bleak]

We deded the drum. We deded the drum. I deaded it. Cause I seen him, right? Y' all seen him at the B show in New Orleans. And I'm like, yo, I'm telling my wife. I'm like, y' all look like Blinky Blink, this nigga Diesel. And I'm like, damn, man, I don't want. No, I don't. You got it, Blink. I'm like, yo, but Rule Stol started that. He's like, yeah, tell Rude let's get our workout on. I said, yeah, I'm attacking workouts now.

[Ja Rule]

I text you too.

[Memphis Bleak]

You did, my man. Good seeing you, bro. You know it's love. I'm bumping to you all the time. My wives hang out. Yeah, it was just a Brooklyn chop house. I got smoke behind that. So for those who don't know, the Blinky Blink started from the Hard Knock Life dvd, definitely. We was in the limo, and I think this after I had gotten a motorcycle accident, I broke my foot, and I told you, I'm like, yo, first nigga on the set to see me when I was hurt was Blinky. And I'm like. I look up like, n. I'm okay. I'm not letting him see me hurt. Out of everybody, not you. So I'm telling Ru this nigga like, nah, that wasn't it. Blink won a battle. You scared. You scared N. You scared to battle Nicky Blink. So this shit. This is before Viral, before Graham, all that. So everywhere I used to go, niggas used to be like, yo, Blink, why you ain't battle Blinky Blink? And I'm like, yo, it was never no battle. Like, Josh just said that. So. So that's why when I seen him, I'm like, blink, what's up? He like, nah, tell R let's work out.

[Ja Rule]

Nah. For all those that don't know, like, Hard Knock Life tour, that shit was like. That was like our coming out, you know, party. And that was your combination for you. Me, I had one verse.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what I had.

[Ja Rule]

I had a verse.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, nah. But still, your verse was different. My verse was brought out. Yo, come do your verse. Get out of here. I used to sit there and be like, look at this. I'm taking his shirt off, running out there.

[Ja Rule]

My mama too. And N was, fuck, look, damn. Used to kill me for that shit. Then you like, oh, nigga taking his shirt off the night. Nigga running out. I'm like, yeah, I'm getting my 20 push ups in.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm gonna keep it honest.

[Ja Rule]

We was jealous.

[Memphis Bleak]

I was standing in the back like, damn, nigga, loan me two of those. Let me do it loan for the next show.

[Ja Rule]

I wasn't even like in shape back then, you know what I'm saying? I was just skinny.

[Memphis Bleak]

You was.

[Ja Rule]

I was just slim. I was like, like my son, you know what I'm saying? He, you know, he works, he's in good shape. Now.

[Memphis Bleak]

They say your son look more like you than you, you know?

[Ja Rule]

He do, he do, he do. He here with me. Got him with me. Stated thousand.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man, but that Hard Knock Life tour, man, that was the. That was it, man. Everybody, I seen everybody plant. They, they roots there and then grow. Yeah, and take it to the next level, my G. And watching you do what you did with all them songs, I remember this is something too. I remember being in la. This is two different incidents. This is when I knew. I'm like, nah, jah, he different. He threw the roof, he on his nori. We already in the Watch Club. But this Watch Club, this was before Watch Club. This is when I knew rue was that I made la. Shooting the video like, yo, Ja rule out here. I'm like, where are we at? What hotel you stand at? Niggas like, nah, he ain't in the hotel. They got the Murder Mansion.

[Ja Rule]

What?

[Memphis Bleak]

Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. They got the what? I have to go see this. Yeah, we go to the Murder Mansion and it was up.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm like, nah, these is it. It's over. Irving them out of here.

[Ja Rule]

Those are good times, man. Good times, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Beautiful times, bro. Beautiful times. That was one time. And then the second time we was in the mall in la. Both times in la, yo, I don't know what more we was in, but something happened in the mall and they was wild and everybody running through the mall and then I see you, you was with like 50 crips. I'm like, yo, r you like, bleak, what you doing here? I'm like, I'm going to get some sneakers. You like, yo, it's going down, Bleak. Hurry up, man. Hit the sneakers, man. Get up out of here. It's going down. I'm like this.

[Ja Rule]

I used to hang out with all Bloods, Crips, everybody. We Used to, you know, we kind of like started like the late night LA after party, house party vibe. Like. Yeah, like I went out. I went out there to do my second album and we got the crib. And it was like an ebb and flow, you know. Like we go party, you know, have, you know, Bloods Crips, everybody come back to the crib, party.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's all I said LA though.

[Ja Rule]

But it was like. It was different. Cause you know, Pac Death was still fresh even though he had. It wasn't fresh. He like. It lingered for years. Yeah, the freshness of his passing lingered in LA for years. And so when we first went out there, you know, to do my album and. And I got the crib and. And gotta. Got the crib. If still felt fresh.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell yeah.

[Ja Rule]

It still like felt real fresh. And for us to, you know, embrace everybody in LA the way we did and for. To embrace us the way they did.

[Memphis Bleak]

Y' all was the first east coast rappers besides I say. Cause like Duck down in them had the major west coast pass too. But Y has had the major west coast pass. Cause I'm in the mall like, look at this rule rolling.

[Ja Rule]

I love you. I love the West Coast. You know what I'm saying? The west coast felt good. Bring him.

[Memphis Bleak]

I seen LA both times, man. Like, I seen it before the Biggie pop.

[Ja Rule]

Come on, nigga, what we doing?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, I seen LA before. We. We been to LA before both times, man. With Ed Love and them and everybody. Rem Kaiser and the. With Fat Burger. Then after the POC is like LA.

[Ja Rule]

Just totally see what don't know is that me and Bleak was going to do an album. Yeah, yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

I was getting into that. I was going to ask you what happened. You know what I mean?

[Ja Rule]

You blew up. You blew up. Yo, I'm tell.

[Memphis Bleak]

True story, yo.

[Ja Rule]

True story. This is true story.

[Memphis Bleak]

Not that you told me that you was just on tour. Don't do that.

[Ja Rule]

Because, yo, my second video. My second video. Murder for life. What happened? You clipped me. You see this? You see the Jason?

[Memphis Bleak]

You gave me the punt, yo. You know they say watch for the hook.

[Ja Rule]

I'm gonna tell you what happened.

[Memphis Bleak]

He ain't let me watch for the hook. Cause he put me in the video for.

[Ja Rule]

You might not even know. Hold up. You might not know this. What happened? I'm about to tell you. I can tell you the God's honest truth, man. You my brother.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ja Rule]

Hell yeah. You know I wanted nothing more than for me and you. Rockefeller Murder Inc. Ja Rule. We just came off the tour, nigga. We was talking about doing the BQE project. Niggas Leak can't be in your video.

[Memphis Bleak]

Who said that?

[Ja Rule]

Who?

[Memphis Bleak]

That had to be Dame. Dame. You did that. We need Dame up here. That couldn't have been Ho, nigga, let.

[Ja Rule]

Me tell you something.

[Memphis Bleak]

I was hurt, nigga.

[Ja Rule]

I was like, what you mean my nigga can't be my. Yo, Bleak's working on his project. We bout to do Bleak's project. Put Bleak out. And Bleak can't do your project and be in your video right now.

[Memphis Bleak]

That was major Captain America. They ain't even want my project to come out. They wanted Picnic sequel.

[Ja Rule]

There was a lot of.

[Memphis Bleak]

We gotta get to the bottom of this.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, we need to get to Dame home. Somebody in the smoke.

[Memphis Bleak]

It definitely wasn't Biggs, because Biggs don't talk. Biggs would have been like, I don't give a.

[Ja Rule]

It wasn't Biggs that made the decision.

[Memphis Bleak]

We need Dame up here, Jay.

[Ja Rule]

I don't know who made the decision. I don't know if it was Jay or Dame, but I know that's the word that I got back to me. They said, Bleak can't be in the video. So now what did I have to do?

[Memphis Bleak]

I had to change the song because, yo, when I seen it, it seemed.

[Ja Rule]

So you need to go change the fucking song, man. I didn't change the record, nigga.

[Memphis Bleak]

I ain't know that.

[Ja Rule]

I wish you wouldn't hit me.

[Memphis Bleak]

I gotta find out who sent that message. Sent that message on the wrong wire. I was tight, yo.

[Ja Rule]

So. So I. And I think Real Talk, I think that would have been a dope coming out party for both of us. Like, I was kind of moving, you know, my album was, you know, moving a little bit. But, you know, that was my first album. I only had the. I only had the one single. Holla, Holla.

[Memphis Bleak]

And we did the remix. We smoked that.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, yeah, and you did the fucking remix. But that was after.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's why I was like, yo, did they set me up? Clip me from that and throw me in this? Like, huh?

[Ja Rule]

We got cause out of here. I don't know how that went down, but yeah, yo, that's. That's hip hop history. You see how two stories can be told? Yeah, he thought I took. Clipped him. I'm like, nah, I clip me.

[Memphis Bleak]

I thought, you know, sometimes the industry, they hit you with that Pac man scissors, get you out of here, yo. But talking about the homies, what's up with Black Child. That's my. Yo, Black. Out of all the artists y' all had on Murder Inc. I could say black. Me and him built a major relationship. We used to be out here in.

[Ja Rule]

Miami going black money. I love black.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's my and Vita, she lived in Jersey, in my same town. I used to see all the time at the store.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, I speak to you all the time.

[Memphis Bleak]

It was my peoples, man. I always with them, man. Shout out to Black Vita. Good people know them. The people.

[Ja Rule]

Those my peoples, too. Black, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, hold on.

[Ja Rule]

I with everybody. Of course. You know I love them all, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Let me see. Damn, you. We got to that already.

[Ja Rule]

You got your notes?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, I got my notes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, yeah, I'm learning, me. I'm on set, yo.

[Ja Rule]

I'm learning. Throw that shit away.

[Memphis Bleak]

I need to remember certain. We smoke too much. This stuff. That's a weed, y' all.

[Ja Rule]

Give him a teleprompter, something.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, but talking about paying homage, do you feel you get enough credit? Cause in my eyes, bro, you one of the first that started the. The rapping, singing, and on the low.

[Ja Rule]

I, I.

[Memphis Bleak]

Not that I hate it, but I was envious of that. You could be, like, in the studio. Like, hell, no. God didn't give me that baritone. He ain't give me those vocals. I used to be like this, going there and sing his own hook, let me tell you. Then put a little more on it. Be like, yeah, I'm out of here. These is cheating, B. What the happened over here? I gotta just rap all this.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, I'm gonna tell you why it worked, though. Like, with. Because I can't sing. You know what I'm saying? Honestly. So Real Talk niggas felt like I could do what that nigga's doing, and they can sing along with it, too. It's not like I was fucking, you know, a real thing. So it worked for me in that aspect. But, man, nigga, nigga, you had them bombs, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

Niggas don't even know. Like, I had one of my low key, biggest records that people everywhere I go, every girl is like, bleak, bleak. I know you. I know this record. It's my favorite record. Infatuated people don't even know that I called my dog.

[Ja Rule]

I'm gonna tell you right now, that's one of my favorite hooks that I wrote.

[Memphis Bleak]

My. They don't even know I put that call into my dog.

[Ja Rule]

That is dope. It was dope.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

I wish it would have got. I don't know.

[Memphis Bleak]

I should have Shot a video for that. I feel like it's two records. I should have shot a video for that. Infatuated. And of course, the record with Rihanna.

[Ja Rule]

But my don't work for everybody. Yo, look, it didn't work for Nori. Me and Nori did the joint. Leo called my watered down. And yeah, all those crazy. Why he over there flipping the popcorn, you know what I'm saying.

[Memphis Bleak]

Around here.

[Ja Rule]

Nah, let me tell you, though. But, but. But Lansky was a smart businessman. He knew how to. He knew how to put artists in competitive spaces against each other without them being envious, or it may be a little envious, but, you know, without them being that. That being a thing, you know what I'm saying? Without, you know, getting into their natural, you know, relationships, you know what I'm saying? He did it with me, J and X all the time. He just come in, he just pop up and be like, hey, you know, X is working on his new album. And I'll be like, damn, dog. Working again. You know what I'm saying? Like, Jesus Christ just dropped alb.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's one thing I feel like they don't give you enough credit for. Don't know.

[Ja Rule]

Rude.

[Memphis Bleak]

You was up there dancing with the dogs as a young man.

[Ja Rule]

Was different.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, you know what I'm saying? It's a lot of that. You couldn't just. A lot of people can't, you know, God bless. Can't just rhyme behind dmx. A lot of. Can't just rhyme behind ho. And I'm not talking about the HOV today. I'm talking about the hungry Jay Z trying to get to today. You was on those records, going toe to toe with hard.

[Ja Rule]

Like, we all had our own.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, y' all was on. Y' all sparring like a. On those records.

[Ja Rule]

We had our own thing, you know, and that. And I think that was dope, you know, X was the ultimate grimy street crazy. Jay was like the ultimate fly flossy. And. And I was. I was for the. So we all kind of have.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, but it ain't start that way. Rude Murder Graham and all that. You wasn't talking to. No, I mean, that's just.

[Ja Rule]

That's just rap.

[Memphis Bleak]

You ain't had a muscles yet. That' you ain't had a muscle yet. You just had the muscle.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

You wasn't talking to the. It's a motor gram. Y' all was going hard back then.

[Ja Rule]

Nah, it was. It was. It was. It was good. Good times. Yeah, man, like, enjoyed every I enjoyed every aspect of what I come up was.

[Memphis Bleak]

Of course, man. It was the best time.

[Ja Rule]

Everything.

[Memphis Bleak]

The golden eras, everything.

[Ja Rule]

I like beef everything. I enjoy it all. It was all. It was all, like, very. It was a learning curve at every aspect of it, definitely. You know what I'm saying? And I feel like I needed each thing to take me to where I'm at, you know? Now, the way I navigate is different. The way I move is different, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, if you ask me, you touring more now than before. Well, I mean, I think you just was in somewhere. Like, remember our wives? We was on there before. Our wives hang out. They go out. They was in Brooklyn, Chop House House. And she telling me, listen, and I'm gonna tell you on the low normal tried to. On you. Yeah, Nori on you. See, See, he ain't know I was.

[Ja Rule]

Gonna tell what he did this time. I sound like an INO move. What's up?

[Memphis Bleak]

Talking about the sunrise talk, right? And they like, you know, my wife like, yo, bleak, when we gonna go? Let's go somewhere. So I hit Nori, Nori, let's link up with, you know, let's pop out, say, yo, y' all gonna be in the PO Up.

[Ja Rule]

That I know.

[Memphis Bleak]

I told him. I said, man, ain't no countries overseas. Boring, man. I go everywhere I'm being. Yo, he was laughing at me. I told him I'm doing Ireland for New Year's. He like, ireland, you bugging.

[Ja Rule]

I'm only going for a check, nigga. If I tell you where I was for New Year's, nigga, I was in Virginia, nigga. I know a fuck, nigga, bag.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up.

[Ja Rule]

It was a bag in Virginia, nigga. I was in Virginia. You know, I had a good time, man. I don't give a. I don't care about holidays. Like, you know, would be thinking, I'm doing something, you know, dope squad special for birthday. I'm working on my birthday. I got rehearsals for my tour on. On my birthday night.

[Memphis Bleak]

You say it all the time, man.

[Ja Rule]

Starts March 1st.

[Memphis Bleak]

When you getting money? Birthday could be every day, bro. You can wait for one day to celebrate. I'm supposed to celebrate every day. You know what I'm saying? Every day is a blessing, bro.

[Ja Rule]

This is facts.

[Memphis Bleak]

And to be getting money on your birthday is even more of a blessing, you heard? Because I done lost money on my birthdays, thinking, yeah, it's my birthday. I'm gonna go to Vegas and come back broke. So, you know, I mean, to get paid on your B day is definitely up. All the time. My.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, for sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

Now all your albums to me. Crap. It's definitely singles. I always wish you dropped you. We would. What order do you rank your albums in that you think. What you think your best album is your favorite?

[Ja Rule]

Can we watch the sunrise together? The new.

[Memphis Bleak]

Ha ha. That's the new one. Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

I'm enjoying recording again. And. But. But if I had to rank the albums, you would have to be first. Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's special.

[Ja Rule]

That's the first. I would say first and then I would probably go with rule 336. And then pain is love.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo. I'm always.

[Ja Rule]

On 1, 2, 3 in that area.

[Memphis Bleak]

Talking about rule 336. I'm mad you never shot a video for Murder Rain is murder. Or Murder rain, whatever that I think I did. Every time it rain, it's on me.

[Ja Rule]

Murder for that I did.

[Memphis Bleak]

It might have been a time when, you know, I mean, wasn't in the crib watching BET no more. I gotta go check that.

[Ja Rule]

That video was good too. Yeah, I think I have Patrick Swayze in the video with me in that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, y' all was awesome. Rest in peace.

[Ja Rule]

Rest in peace, Pat.

[Memphis Bleak]

They saw some shit back in the day. They have no clue.

[Ja Rule]

Rude. That was a good. That was a good, good video. But that was during the time when niggas was off rule a little bit. And so it didn't do what it was supposed to do.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Unknown]

You've probably heard that sickle cell disease affects a lot of black folks, maybe even people close to you. It's more common than you think. Almost everybody knows somebody. For those living with it, blood transfusions help with their daily battles. And did you know one in three black blood donors is a match for patients with sickle cell disease? That's saying someone like you, your mom, your cousin, or even the neighbors you see every day can be a giant help for someone battling this disease. Watching a loved one go through it is tough. And that's a situation all too real. So everyone needs to step up. Because every time you donate, you're building something bigger, something that lifts the community. You have the power to show up for the next person, because finding a match can mean everything. Take that step forward and donate blood with the American Red cross. Head to redcrossblood.org our blood to make an appointment because blood saves lives.

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Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons n safeway now through June 24th. Score hot summer savings and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags on items like General Mills cereal, Drumstick, frozen treats, Outshine fruit bars, Oreo cookies and Capri Sun Pouches. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Enjoy savings on top of savings when you shop in store or online for easy drive up and go, pickup or delivery subject to availability restrictions apply. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details.

[Ja Rule]

Here's the crazy thing about music, right? And times and space. Don't realize when they was hating on the or what period they forget too.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying. So now when I do these records and they get the reaction that they get, I'm like was hating on me during this moment, right? I said you forgot too. So using you was enjoying the music. You know what I'm saying? But no but I'm saying here even thing I'm saying is you was enjoying the music.

[Memphis Bleak]

They just didn't want to admit it, bro.

[Ja Rule]

That's all it was because I I do class back. I do wonderful. I do New York, I do murder brains. The reaction for these records is crazy. And these is all records that I was putting out after, you know, all the. All the people. So it's like. It's weird in that way. But this is what's the beauty of music, you know what I'm saying? It touches people.

[Memphis Bleak]

Definitely, man. You know, a lot of ain't gonna admit it. You know this world where people choose sides and, you know, when something is hot, people on.

[Ja Rule]

But we shouldn't, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

But. And that's just how it is, man. And it's whack, you know, if you ain't got.

[Ja Rule]

If you ain't got something to do with something, think about this, right? And I say that all the time. But if you ain't got nothing to do with a situation, particularly right, yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

The fans be acting like they in the drama now.

[Ja Rule]

They are, yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, they be acting like they in the drama. I'll be reading these tweets and like. Like, yo, half y' all kids never even sink these dudes neighborhoods. Been to their cities. All you did was listen to them, to the music. How can you inject yourself into somebody's drama, though? Like, spot like the fans. That is crazy. But we're not gonna get it.

[Ja Rule]

The fans is. Is the fans.

[Memphis Bleak]

And they like what they like. You never could go against that. Music is what it is. But the fact that they don't want to admit that rule. Come on, man. Know you were smoking boots since the time you came out. Nigga, you kidding me.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, we gotta pause.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, fuck that. I'm too grown. Nah, fuck that.

[Ja Rule]

You started the pause game.

[Memphis Bleak]

Now you don't no dame started that.

[Ja Rule]

It started with Rockefeller. That's where it started.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, that's that dame started that. That's why I tell niggas all the time I'm implausible. Yeah, that's why Kevin them keep it going. Me, I got kids, man. What I'm supposed to tell my daughter? Get the rock. No, get the ball, man. Like, then what gonna tell my daughter pause now she a school teacher. Pause.

[Ja Rule]

Come on.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's nowhere. We got to draw the line up.

[Ja Rule]

I never played the pause game.

[Memphis Bleak]

Champ.

[Ja Rule]

And took this 20. Thirty years later, still playing.

[Memphis Bleak]

The illest pause in history happened during hard knock life. 20 were on our bus.

[Ja Rule]

You.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't even know if you remember Bobby Dash, the endless pawns in history. Yo, my was watching Braveheart. So this is sometime, I guess, after they killed his whole Mel Gibson, whole family, and he going to major rampage, kill everybody up. And it's a scene where he called. He got mad blood. He just slaughter bad, right? So that bought his dash. It's like, damn. I know. The Big Is like, he look good right there. He's like, what? Like, whoa, whoa. Yo, what. Yo, yo, my. That is infamous. That was infamous. My. Like, we was hurting on yo yo on the tour.

[Ja Rule]

I T. The yo, that's. That tour was crazy. Y. So I bust. They called us our bus. Rikers island and J. Bus was fantasy. Yeah, he had everything on his bus. It was beautiful. Yo, jail we took Clue in.

[Memphis Bleak]

Them peoples DeMarco, Diggs, all the. Remember, they came on the bus, yo, and talking about demarco stole my dj. Yo, y' all want to know why Bleak don't perform? I don't have a dj. I'm back to the. I got a dac machine, stole my DJ. 20 years later, now they cousins where this did that all these years. Like, yo, we used to be in the crack house baseline. And these used to just say, what up? 20 years later. Damn it, blood.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, yo, yo, you know. You know me grew up. I know we were.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, I called him one day to do. I'm like, yo, son. Yo, I need you to do this show. I got this party. I. He's like, yo, please, I can't. I gotta hold my cousin down. So, like, who your cousin? And said, you know, J. My cousin. Like, remind me.

[Ja Rule]

That's my cousin. You know, I got.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, like, now that's his cousin. He could have just said, yo, he paying more bleed. How you like your ass, blood?

[Ja Rule]

I'm. Wait, I saw you did my milk. He left. He left him until I had to take care of my cuz, Yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

And another thing, Southside, all these years, though, notice why you never had a hype man at your shows. It's that working out. 400 in the dressing.

[Ja Rule]

Nah, you know, real bleak. I seen the dog do this. Now, listen, here's the ill. I used to be the dog's hype man. Yeah, I used to hype man for the dog. You know what I'm saying? I was. You know, I was still rapping. I had my own going on, but this was during Survival of Illness tours. You know, I'm trying to, you know, get out there and move around. So I'm on the tour with the dog. Know I'm out there doing. On stage, doing with the dog, you know, doing my. Besides. So, you know, I'm starting to get a little. She's on. Came over to the door. So I'm like, yeah. So now I'm like, yo. I'm like, yo, what. What's Up. Why did, why the dog clip me? Why, why? I'm not, you know, can't come out and do the. No more. He said, nah, the dog said it's better for him to do, you know, his by himself. So, so I, you know, I, I took it for what it was. And when it was my time to move, I said to myself, I need the stage for myself. Like how the dog had the stage.

[Memphis Bleak]

For himself and the whole hard knock. He never had a hype man either.

[Ja Rule]

No. And let me tell you, Let me tell you what I took from. If you could command the stage by yourself without anybody else, you're a star. You're a big star.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's a fact.

[Ja Rule]

You're a big star because these people are locked in on you. Ain't no dances, ain't no, no other running around. Ain't nothing. There's nothing. It's just you connected to these people people. And you gotta carry that for 30 minutes, an hour. I'm on stage for an hour and a half a night. I don't, there's no I nobody my. And, and for me, that connection to the crowd like that is, is something that I don't know, man. You, you, you can't, you can't get that in, in any other form, you know what I'm saying? That is, that is music and music only. And that connection is my connection with my fans, strictly, you know what I'm saying? And they know even though I'm going on this big tour right now, I'm.

[Memphis Bleak]

Popping out for some tapes. Even though you want Nori think it's corny. I'm gonna be moving, hanging everywhere.

[Ja Rule]

Denmark, Listen, Paris and London's gonna be lit.

[Memphis Bleak]

I got, I got more deals.

[Ja Rule]

But I'm coming back to the states June 1st. I got, I got got, you know, on the low right now. I got about 30 dates coming back home to the States. I start June 1st.

[Memphis Bleak]

So ain't playing RU out there getting to that major chicken.

[Ja Rule]

You heard. Listen, this is my 25 year anniversary Blink. I just wanted to go celebrate, have a good time with my fans.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Ja Rule]

Make a new album, put it out for my fans. Go out and talk for my fans.

[Memphis Bleak]

Are you working with in house producers on this new project?

[Ja Rule]

I'm working with everybody. I did the joint.

[Memphis Bleak]

I see you got hit.

[Ja Rule]

My brother got hit.

[Memphis Bleak]

Make a walk in the building. So I know hit on the. Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

That'S his whole side of the building over there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Okay.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying? But, but he, you know, yeah, he came and blessed me with. With some magic. Some of the hitman hit maker magic.

[Memphis Bleak]

I've seen a tweet the other day. You like, yo, I got some. I'm like, yeah, I got. I was like, yeah, I'm about to see Ru. I want to hear this. And then gave you some shit. I definitely gotta hear this.

[Ja Rule]

You heard. I'm just enjoying making this. I seen you freestyling the other day on the, on Sway. Shit, how I feel. It feel good, don't it?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's my feel good.

[Ja Rule]

When be like, yo, this still got it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, they gassed me up. I'm back in the studio.

[Ja Rule]

See, you see what I'm saying? I heard the comments. I'm like, oh, I'm back, I'm going back. Nah, but nigga, let me tell you something. I just did an interview the other day, you know what I'm saying? I was on Tamron hall show and I said, yo, listen, artists, that's in our age group. And I need to start making music again. You know why that's a fact? Because hip hop's growing up. This is the 50th anniversary of hip hop. So you gotta understand something. People 50 years old and beyond listen to hip hop.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Ja Rule]

That's 60 and 70 listen to hip hop. So that's a very broad audience now that, that would, you know, are able to grasp. It ain't just the 18 to 35.

[Memphis Bleak]

Year old no more. No, it's not.

[Ja Rule]

And, and you know what I'm saying? So hip hop has to have that growth that gross.

[Memphis Bleak]

And I think for especially our era, the fans, our fans all grew up like, got two, three kids, you know, ain't outside trapping.

[Ja Rule]

Think about us.

[Memphis Bleak]

We gotta talk.

[Ja Rule]

Think about. About us. Yeah, just think about yourself, Nori. Me, you think about us. What the. We got to listen to? Because I don't listen. I can't listen to all of the young. I like some of it, I can.

[Memphis Bleak]

Vibe with some of it, but I can't listen to it all.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah. And so when Nas makes her album, it's refreshing for us. When Jay makes an album, it's refreshing for us. You understand?

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm.

[Ja Rule]

I'm like, yo, well, when Ja Rule makes an album, it should be refreshing for us because I'm, I'm. I'm not out here trying to be the young. I'm old, I'm 47, 48. I'm proud of that. You know what I'm saying? So.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's what I'm Saying.

[Ja Rule]

In this room, me too. I'm proud to be 40.

[Memphis Bleak]

We just want to see 21. My.

[Ja Rule]

But it's real though. Hip hop has changed in. In this way. A 45 year old even. Let's just take a 40 year old. A 40 year old 20 years ago was coming to be some hard bottoms in a suit. Because that was what a 40 year old man looked like. Looked like and represented himself. That's. And that. And that was nothing wrong with that. That was just the era. Hip hop now, 40 old look like all of us in the street, but that's a fact. And that's real. And so that's what keeps us younger. So the music has to still be getting made.

[Memphis Bleak]

I wasn't even gonna bring this up. You grabbed the shorts.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, I got.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, listen, man is above the knee.

[Ja Rule]

We gotta talk to Jerry. We gotta talk to Jerry. Jerry. But you make your me shits a little too cut. I'm. I'm sagging right now. I'm sagging.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's only one reason it makes that good. Listen, when the. When the shorts is above the knee, I say, on my man tata. Shout out my guy tata. You know what I'm saying? That's when your money is super. So that mean that article we read, J got a hundred M's. That check clear, baby?

[Ja Rule]

Nah, I'mma tell you. I'mma tell you the true side. This is the true side of a nigga just got some real money. When you see niggas start sitting like this, you see niggas crush their leg like this. This nigga got a lot of money. Nori, I seen you. I see you, but nah, I seen you, Nori. I seen your leg like this. I seen your leg like this.

[Memphis Bleak]

My man don't even want to break the weed down.

[Ja Rule]

Norman's getting a lot of money right now.

[Memphis Bleak]

I know, man.

[Ja Rule]

He getting no money, man, on that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Extra shit right now.

[Ja Rule]

Spread some love. Break bread. Yeah, listen, man, he's like, yo, I.

[Memphis Bleak]

Might need the old son. Stay on that, honey. Let's see what he got him and Gotti over there making moves. I'm.

[Ja Rule]

I'mma just say my catalog is very, very lucrative.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell yeah. You got them bombs, you. Yo, Listen, I think you invented getting 20,000 spins a week on record. That didn't exist until you dropped the records.

[Ja Rule]

Yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

Was getting 100,000 spins a week.

[Ja Rule]

I'm gonna say this.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm laughing at me.

[Ja Rule]

I'm laughing, but it's. It's a little bit Def Jam didn't even have Like a. A rhythmic pop radio department.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, this is what I'm saying, bro.

[Ja Rule]

I remember they didn't have a crossover. They didn't have that. That they didn't have a tap over. When I came and said, we need a department for this, what he's doing, Right? So I get a little bit. True, but for Def Jam, maybe.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. You invented that. You said her name was Martha.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, that's a fact. This records was putting up numbers and shit was being played every 10 seconds.

[Ja Rule]

And I appreciate you for giving me my flowers.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, definitely, bro.

[Ja Rule]

I'm appreciative of my flowers, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

I appreciate it.

[Ja Rule]

No, we gave me my flowers. I was very appreciative. I'm appreciative of my flowers.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man. Nah, you know what I'm saying? You were setting trends.

[Ja Rule]

My Appreciate my.

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember.

[Ja Rule]

Appreciate my. For giving me my flowers.

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember Irv Gotti tried to get me on the girl. He was like, yo, you see John, man? You see Ja Stop bleed. You over there worrying about bars. Just write the rhymes. Let somebody sing the hook. I said, but, yeah, I don't got the muscle. I don't know if they want a chubby right now. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, but Big was talking his. However, yo, I'm recording now, right? So I just told my man Cheech, yo, all these years, I used to look at John making these records, and I used to be like, how the is he doing this? But you had the cheat code back there. Because my been married for years, you know what I'm saying? I just wrote a song about it. And it's easy to write that song when you look at your wife life.

[Ja Rule]

And like, yeah, yeah, I won't put it on me if I'm a wife.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what I'm saying. It was hard to write when you got like, man, these kick this out.

[Ja Rule]

You write, you know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

But them Big. Them big, monstrous records, man, that had you doing shows in Turkey, Egypt, those records come from. You really have to know what that feeling is. And I used to say to myself, so this. Who. How he doing this? I ain't never put two and two together. This going home, looking at his wife like, stand right there like Mona Lisa. Baby, I got you. What would I be without you? Stand right there, man.

[Ja Rule]

That's kind of how I came.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm telling you.

[Ja Rule]

Nah, you. You going see like. Like, you know. Good records, too. Come from the pain. Yeah. I'm saying, so. You know, I was young and. And you know, in a relationship with my wife. And, you know, we went through our pain era, too, you know?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, no, definitely. Marriage is not easy, bro. For y' all thinking, it is definitely.

[Ja Rule]

Roll up coaster. I'm live. Yo, get it. Get that on film. That's what you get.

[Memphis Bleak]

God.

[Unknown]

Yo, chill.

[Memphis Bleak]

Try to kill me. Who wrote this? Just. And what's this straight do say y. Awesome. Murder, suicide. Murder, death, kill.

[Ja Rule]

In here, you almost choked on your.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's cuz said roller coaster. And that battle ends, man. Cause one day you high, the next day you low. Cause you miss a dinner date or you try a new restaurant before wifey go with you, it's beef. When you get back home, it'll be little.

[Ja Rule]

You watch the show. Oh, that's how I watch the Devil. You watch one episode. Oh, my God, it's smoke down now.

[Memphis Bleak]

You ain't talking for two days. She gotta watch three episodes now without you.

[Ja Rule]

You marriages. Marriages. Marriage is cool, you know?

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell yeah. Definitely, man.

[Ja Rule]

Having kids, raising the family, it's cool. It's fly. Me and my son, you know, we here hanging out and that's, you know, he made music now, so he, you know, I told him, come watch your pops make music. Last time I had you in the studio with me, he was on my shoulders, like 2 years old. No, he don't. Hell no, he don't on. You know what I'm saying? And so, you know, for him to be like, it's just. This is. It's amazing.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's a blessing, man, to be out here because, you know, my son just turned 22, so I'll be traveling around doing with him 23. So he say, yeah, it's like you get to do that. I never did with my pops. I never, you know, I grew up without a pop, so.

[Ja Rule]

Me too.

[Memphis Bleak]

So experience that with your son. I know it hit different. My son know see that 100 million hit. My son know he still got to live by the rules of society. Go get that job.

[Ja Rule]

Everybody smoke weed. And let me tell you something, he.

[Memphis Bleak]

Probably doing it on a low, low freaky ass.

[Ja Rule]

Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. My. If he is, go ahead and smoke a joint with. With the young man. It opened up a new door. A whole new door.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, my son don't nah, my son. My son different. He on his fashion. They. My son think he's Kanye. He about to not be wearing shoes soon. I'm telling you, my son different. Like, if you be lil Leak, you be like bleak. You sure that's your son? Like I always tell niggas, I tried to keep my son away from the shit that I, you know, that I was into. So I think I put him so far into the square life that I made them a rectangle. Because if Kanye meet my son, I might never see him again. Like, dead ass. Like, he on his fashion. No, like, everything is fashion. Like, don't even talk to him if you ain't talking about fashion. My son, I gotta talk to him about school. Like, yo, son, what's up? Yeah, you go through new balenciagas? Yeah. How the grades?

[Ja Rule]

That's cool. That's cool.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cool.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying? People speak different languages in life.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell, yeah. I love him. That's my boy. That's my first born. I just wish he would have been a ball player. Right? You know how you like yo little. I tried, I failed.

[Ja Rule]

You got it. One of the richest in the world is the. Is the amazing. You know what I'm saying? Let him. Let him do as fast as shit. You never know.

[Memphis Bleak]

He got his. He got his man.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, what'd you say? I know up in there, but I don't know. Yeah, you know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, so I work with them guys. Ace of spade. I just had a call with them before I came here. You know what I mean?

[Ja Rule]

Here's the thing about starting a business, right? It starts as this dreams up, ends up this.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, it starts as a dream, man. Like, starting a business to me is.

[Ja Rule]

A whole different business. And. And. And then become this. We could. We can look at examples that's right in front of us. Roc Nation started Rockfell's music. Roc Nation does everything.

[Memphis Bleak]

Everything.

[Ja Rule]

So this is what I'm saying. Amazon started as a book, selling books. Now they sell every thing. They about to sell some cars on Amazon.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, chill. Amazon, like, they don't made the world lazy. Order everything now. Like some. Like, my wife did a whole Christmas shopping on Amazon. I'm like, yo, you don't go to no stores. You know, you don't go through the aisle, like, actually physically pick up a box.

[Ja Rule]

No, the worst is.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, I'm gonna order the worst. Yo, the worst is I'mma order the patio set on Wayfair. So I'm like, all right, cool. Go ahead. That come like it's for your dog or something. That should be all small. It look bigger in the picture. I bet it do.

[Ja Rule]

It look bigger on the showroom floor, too.

[Memphis Bleak]

Let's go. Touch it, baby. Like, I can't shop online like that.

[Ja Rule]

I mad at you.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up that online shopping is murder. Like what the fuck?

[Ja Rule]

Shit don't never come the way you but that's the way the world, man. People want convenience.

[Ryan Seacrest]

If you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you. Today, American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own. Outright Rocket Mortgage can help you turn that home equity into cash. And that can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kid's college tuition, or pay off consolidated high interest debt. To learn more, just call 800 for Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC licensed in 50 states. NMLSConsumerAccess.org number 30 30.

[Unknown]

You've probably heard that sickle cell disease affects a lot of black folks. Folks maybe even people close to you. It's more common than you think. Almost everybody knows somebody. For those living with it, blood transfusions help with their daily battles. And did you know one in three black blood donors is a match for patients with sickle cell disease? That's saying someone like you, your mom, your cousin, or even the neighbors you see every day can be a giant help for someone battling this disease. Watching a loved one go through it is tough. And that's a situation all too real. So everyone needs to step up. Because every time you donate, you're building something bigger, something that lifts the community. You have the power to show up for the next person. Because finding a match can mean everything. Take that step forward and donate blood with the American Red cross. Head to redcrossblood.org our blood to make an appointment. Because blood saves lives There's a moment.

Every parent remembers the day their child takes off on two wheels. With Guardian bikes, that moment comes as early as 2 years old and with less stress and frustration. These bikes are built just for kids. Lightweight frames, low center of gravity, easy to use brakes. Everything about Guardian is designed to help kids ride confidently, often in just one day. No training wheels needed. And because Guardian bikes are designed and assembled right here in the usa, you know they're built to last with care in every detail. Their patented SureStop braking system stops both wheels with a single lever helping your child stop safely without tripping forward or losing control. Right now, save hundreds when comparing Guardian to its [e-mail] and get a free lock and pump when you join their newsletter, a $50 value. Visit guardianbikes.com today to save and help your child learn an essential life skill safely. Guardian Bikes Built for your kid. And for the memories you'll never forget.

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and safeway. Now through June 24th. Score hot summer savings and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags on Items like Pepsi 2 liter bottles, poppy prebiotic sodas, all laundry detergent, and Kinder's seasoning blend. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Enjoy savings on top of savings when you shop in store or online for easy drive up and go pickup or delivery subject to availability restrictions. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details.

[Memphis Bleak]

What's next for the rule, man? What's next for icon? What's next for the rule? I know you got the album coming out. What's next for icon, man? We. I next two, three years, man. What's your. What we doing?

[Ja Rule]

You know, I'm entering some cool partnerships, you know, strategic partnerships, you know, with, with people and, and. And companies that, that I feel it's gonna help icon go to the next level. This is my third year with icon now, so I. I've lost the money, you know, building it and, and now, you know, a lot of great things are happening definitely going forward for me to, to move the company forward. It's a network. You can, you know, go on Apple TV and. And get it 4.99 subscription. I'm, you know, now starting to. To acquire a lot of content for the network, but that's not the route I want to kind of go. I don't want to be Netflix. I want to really set my mom with original content. So that is what I'm doing. My vibes concert series I'm about to do, laughing it up. It's like Def Comedy Jam, my older Def Comedy Jam gotta have rush come out and do just. Just one night. Just open the night, you know, God bless, good night. You know, you gotta come out and do that for me. Pass the torch. Sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

The. The African homie that be b blasted on everybody show. What's my bad name? The African kid. No, not hell, man. I'm talking about the dude be talking dropping knowledge. Dropping real Dr. Yeah.

[Ja Rule]

Dr. Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You heard. We said that's what happens when you dip in that pool, baby. You know what I'm saying?

[Ja Rule]

Y. Listen, don't, don't. You can't quote Dr. Rumor. Y. This is for all the kids out there watching. I'm saying the one thing they can't stop you or take away from you is the knowledge.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Ja Rule]

So whatever I went through for me, you know, I was always, I was always on my learning, you know, use this opportunity to grow, learn from it. You know, while I was down in, in prison for two years, I read, I read.

[Memphis Bleak]

I forgot my G did a two year stretch on Rikers Allen for that.

[Ja Rule]

I didn't do it on Island.

[Memphis Bleak]

They got pulled with that slam of jail. I forgot, forgot about that.

[Ja Rule]

How would you Let me tell you, you know this when a your man this stupid man. This got going with that slam or jam. Stupid man.

[Memphis Bleak]

I forgot my man. You ain't away, man. Yeah, y' all both was like, yeah, that's crazy, man.

[Ja Rule]

But these took me on a jail tour bleak. I swear to God.

[Memphis Bleak]

They took me on the gym.

[Ja Rule]

Jail, jail, yo. These things everywhere. That's crazy. But through that process, learn, learn, learn from.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Ja Rule]

I, I, I became a reader while I was in prison. I, you know, I read some books and before I went to prison. But I, I unders when I, when I went to prison, I learned and understood that the importance of me anything.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm not a reader. I ain't gonna cap.

[Ja Rule]

But I'm, I mean, you should.

[Memphis Bleak]

I watch your movie. I'm bad at the read. I read contracts read. That's important.

[Ja Rule]

You ain't gotta read that rapper. You ain't gotta. Just like they got, they got audiobooks. No, I know podcast you can listen to that you're interested in.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm ready to get on that.

[Ja Rule]

But knowledge is, what I'm saying is power.

[Memphis Bleak]

And all the time, bro, the more you know, the more you grow. That's a fact. I mean, like, and me, I, I learned. Me, I taught myself. I say more from just reading. I like to put boots on the ground. Like me like to learn about my history. Most people read about black history on the Internet. I went to Africa, stayed for a month. You know what I'm saying? Like, to really learn about our culture. Like, so I do shit a little bit different. Like, but books, the words don't, they don't move to me. It's just like I'm, I'm wasting time. To me, it makes it feel like I'm.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

What am I doing?

[Ja Rule]

What, what it. That ain't for everybody.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Don't get it twisted.

[Ja Rule]

What is for everybody is what's inside.

[Memphis Bleak]

Don't get it twisted though. Can read, you heard. You know what I mean? I don't take. I ain't on this four minutes for a drop, you heard.

[Ja Rule]

Trying to tell you, man, I'mma send you some good Book. Yeah, I am.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, like I used to read back in the days. Like, you know, hov put me on the Donald Goings books back in the day. I read a lot of like that, like that interests me. Yeah, like, you know what I mean? I read the real Freeway Ricky Ross book. I even got a sign, you know what I mean? Like, like I said, not just go sit there and be like, it's a book, let me read it.

[Ja Rule]

Those are stories. I'm talking about knowledge books.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, that's what you're gonna learn from like, you know what I mean? Like I've read 48 laws of power.

[Ja Rule]

Everybody read Destiny.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, everybody, right? Yeah. You know, I mean, I, I, that's what I'm saying. I did will dabble, but I'm not gonna be like, yeah, I'm joining the book club, Cap.

[Ja Rule]

It don't preach.

[Memphis Bleak]

Even my daughter, even my daughter be.

[Ja Rule]

Like, my dad capped, gotta read. You gota gotta let the kids understand that. That's what it.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, I'm not.

[Ja Rule]

And knowledge, however you get it, you know, like I said, you don't got to read.

[Memphis Bleak]

The more you know, the more you.

[Ja Rule]

However, learn from people, you know what I'm saying? You can learn each one, teach one.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Ja Rule]

Whatever it is, I learn from you. Learn what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember. You don't even know I learned this from you. I was on tour with this one day and this got a check over envelope. They're like, yo, what's that from? He's like, yo, this from being my publisher check. Like publisher, check? What's that like? You don't get that? He's like, yo, you never signed up to Ass Cap none. I'm like, nah, what's that like, yo, I'm put you on. Tell your lawyer sign you up, man, get you. He said, I every song that get played on the radio, video, all that, you get paid. I'm like, you seriously? Like, yeah, every three months. So you definitely put me on to that, you know what I mean? Like, you learn from everybody you're around. And I took knowledge and a piece from everybody. Like Earth Gotti was a major, I'm a sponge.

[Ja Rule]

Bleak don't realize, you know, our people watch and. Yeah, I watch and analyze everybody, you know what I'm saying? In the room at some point, you know what I'm saying? I do that. That's just how I move.

[Memphis Bleak]

You definitely sit back and.

[Ja Rule]

Because there's a lot to learn and.

[Memphis Bleak]

You don't, and you don't in front of everybody.

[Ja Rule]

You.

[Memphis Bleak]

You ain't one of those dudes who be like, yo, new faces in the room, we bugging out. You would be like, hold on, let's check the scene out. Because like I said, we've been on many, many missions on tour, man. That night with Axeman was one of the illest nights. Or talk with the rental car. When he took Kai's car, we was in the rental.

[Ja Rule]

That's the something X. X used to do so much crazy. God bless the dead man. Yo, he used to do a lot of crazy, man. But it was fun back then.

[Memphis Bleak]

Definitely fun. Remember we used to have them dice games on tour, was losing.

[Ja Rule]

We used to kidnap each other. We used to kidnap each other on the tour from different crews. From different crews. Like we go and had a. And now y' all gotta come get him. Yeah, yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, yo, we used to be wild in. They don't have no idea.

[Ja Rule]

Don't have that camaraderie today in hip hop like that. At least. I don't know. Maybe they do. I don't know.

[Memphis Bleak]

The southern artists rock together. They be doing Christmases them be chilling.

[Ja Rule]

But I know I went on a tour recently and yo, it was like crickets, man. I was in the back just floating around, you know, it wasn't my.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nobody wasn't rocking.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, everybody's in their room doing they want to. It was. It wasn't like it wasn't. It didn't have that vibe, you know.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. But now a lot of southern artists, they rock New York. I feel like we especially that burrow like it was on that. You from here, we from here. We stick with our own crew. Like didn't really rock with everybody outside like that. Like big. I even had in my only rock outside of rock is rule. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I didn't rock with everybody.

[Ja Rule]

You and normal self contained and all of us.

[Memphis Bleak]

I could say like a hip hop out of. Outside of the Rockefeller Crew. Like what are the. This I was the closest it would be you and Nori.

[Ja Rule]

Like. Yeah, Nori. Nori like I with outside of. Of my. Of you and you know, crack. Yeah, not too many.

[Memphis Bleak]

I just got cool with Fat Joe with Nori when he gave me the call, you know, I mean, I'm on the turp. He like bleed. What you doing? Like, I'm driving like. Yo, I'mma tell you something. Fat Joe got the record. He want to see if hov can get on it.

[Ja Rule]

What?

[Memphis Bleak]

He's like, I'm like, you serious? He's like, yo, I call him on three way. The fat joke, like. And then the rest is history. Here we are. Joe Cool as, man. Cool as, man. Yo, they said Joe was riffing. He said, you ain't clear. What's love for him? He said, he gonna see you for that. He said.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

I thought that went triple platinum, didn't it?

[Ja Rule]

Was love, right?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's the joint with him and Ashanti. I thought it went triple, but he said, you ain't clear. Then it's a little bit of smoke.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Go kill the messenger, you know what I'm saying? I told you, we friends now, you know what I'm saying?

[Ja Rule]

That was a great record for crack.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell, yeah. Think of that smoker.

[Ja Rule]

Me, too.

[Memphis Bleak]

Super smoker. I'm not kind of mad. I ain't get at the meat me. You feel me? I ain't never have a job feature.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah. Let me tell you, it'd be weird with the records, man. They really, man. Like, sometimes certain records work and then you own records and don't. Or you think this record is gonna work if it doesn't. Or you. You know this. You never didn't think this recording and that one works.

[Memphis Bleak]

Talk about what you said about Leo earlier, how he ain't believe in certain things. I remember when my second album, the Understanding, was coming out and we tried to go with the record. Everything's a go with ho, and it ain't go. It ain't work. And Leo was like, blake, we can't push it back no more. We have to drop the project. So I'm like, all right. I've been telling y' all for months, let's use Around Here as the single. And he was like, you sure it's not New York? I don't think New York is gonna like this. I'm like, trust me. We dropped that single. The album with Goldie. Or was like popping champagne. You with right.

[Ja Rule]

Sometimes you got to trust yourself.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. That's a fact, man. You got to believe in yourself, man. So I ain't going to hold you. It's a blessing always seeing you, my brother. You know I love you like a brother. You probably don't remember this, man. How we first linked up, man. What's your memory on how we first linked?

[Ja Rule]

Like, I remember the whole thing. Yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

You said Cancun. That's another story. We gonna get on that one, too. Yo, we was already. We was already. We was in Long Island, Connecticut somewhere. And hov was you? Irv had to do the produce, the record. He had to Produce the record, cuz he was in the video with them. And they was all on the golf carts at the mansion. Y' all was wilding. It was for the remix of Can't Knock the Hustle with Mary J. They added it to the full paradise beat. You sure, bro?

[Ja Rule]

It wasn't that the. Remember when Jay did the shit with him and Big? It wasn't at that video shoot?

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, man, no. At that mansion for Fool's paradise remix, bro. I'm telling you. And then the next time we linked up, was going to Cancun for my video shoot with Hov that it's all right. When you got locked up.

[Ja Rule]

That, that, that I remember that wasn't honest. That was up.

[Memphis Bleak]

But then you remember. Used to come to Marcy with me. I used to pull up in Queens with you. We linked up, we used to move around together. Body.

[Ja Rule]

Word. Word.

[Memphis Bleak]

But yeah, yo, Cancun Trip was. Was, Was a. Was a nightmare, man. My man got locked up. I got sick. Rest in peace. Almost had a fight with Black Rob.

[Ja Rule]

Me out too. That.

[Memphis Bleak]

Was crazy. Yo.

[Ja Rule]

We get together, almost had a fight with Romeo, you know, break it.

[Memphis Bleak]

We get the Cancun, right? We get the Cancun.

[Ja Rule]

My Robbie, all of us.

[Memphis Bleak]

Irv, you, Jay, all of us. It was a bunch of old crew then. I ain't gonna mention their name now because it's no irrelevant. But we in Cancun. Emil was with us being everybody. And I remember, we seen, you know how they always have in the, like the Spanish countries, the policia. Yeah. And it's like called now nine one one and a mill. My bad, man. I gotta say, is the world. Now we here. She was like, yo, oh, I ain't know. They had 911 out here too. And Hov was like, what? So if something happened to you, what you was going down 21 2. 911 was out there dying, like, yo, chill. So then that happened. I forgot. What, how, how. Why you got locked up if you started with the girls too? They did something.

[Ja Rule]

It was the funniest. So we ride. You know how to strippy mad package.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Ja Rule]

It was in like this big ass bus going down the Strip. So one of the girls had to use the bathroom. We decide, all right, we'll get out. Or I off the bus, walk along and, you know, try to use one of the girls who's better. By the time the bus catch up, we, you know, get back on the bus up. So we get off the bus, walk along. They ain't find nowhere to pee. They get the bright idea, I'll just pee right. Just kind of COVID me, you know what I'm saying? I'm trying to think which one it was. I don't remember which one it was.

[Memphis Bleak]

Remember it was three of them. It was the major figures or it.

[Ja Rule]

Was just all three of them and it was me and them. Yeah. I don't know how it just ended up with me and them. So now. So. So now, so, boom, we trying to. We trying to block. We trying to a block, you know what I'm saying, happening. And so a come out of nowhere, and he's, like, trying to get his peeking and you know what I'm saying? So one of the girls, like, pushed the back the, like, you know, tried to, like, L. So I just can't catch the. We jump. Jumping the. You know what I'm saying? So that's the funniest. So now we run over down the block. It's the funniest. We run over down the block. We, you know, laughing, celebrating our victory over this. We just up laughing. It was real. It. So one of the girls hit, like, the car. It was coming out of the, like, a driveway. She hit the car. Coming out of the back of something. She hit the car and like, three Mexican got out the car. These was living and they was. The girls was on fire. Now the want to fight me, you know what I'm saying? So now I'm like, all right, so, boom. I pick up a little rock and some sit and I'm going back and forth. And these is, like, surrounding me. And so why they. Why they surrounding me? The police come out the car. These start talking to the police in Spanish, saying.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, you going down.

[Ja Rule]

Next thing I know, the police is grabbing me the up and throwing me in the. In the car. In the police car. And this was like a VW Bug.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. They got the smallest car.

[Ja Rule]

It was three other in the back. They put me in the back with. I was like, yo, it A cups to put in. These other two had cups. I was the only B cups. I get to the precinct or the precinct. It was. It was like. It was weird. The satellite put me. Put me in there. Like. Like. Like. Like bunch of. In like five, six in there. And there's no, like, bars or nothing. There's no. It's just like a holding barrier there. No, boss, there's two. Two officers standing there with, like, guns. And so that's how you don't come out. You know what I'm saying? So now I'm in there and I'm trying to, like, tell a. I'm like, yo, you know, I'm. I'm a rapper, you know. You know, ain't speaking away. So I'm trying to get them to get a. To speak English. I start screaming, USD. USD. He said, wait, he said, Said. He said, you USD? Yeah, we got a.

[Memphis Bleak]

That no English.

[Ja Rule]

That no English. This came. I said, yo, listen, man, I'm a rapper. I'm here to do a video shoot, you know what I'm saying? With Jay Z. I'm like, jay Z? You know Jay Z? They like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Me. They ain't know Jay Z, but they like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

He was getting on there.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah. So I said, look. I said, look. I said, we. We got USD. I said, I can have them. I said, can have them. Bring money to you. I said, how much? Give me out. I think Jay brought like a thousand dollars, you know what I'm saying? Oh, he sent somebody and they brought it and got me up out of there. Yo, that was funny as hell, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

Now, my night with Black Rob, God bless his soul, bro. We was in Senior Frog partying after the video shoot. That was the only club open out there in Cancun. We in there getting lit now, you know, all day they like, don't drink the water. And nobody told me bleak. Don't get ice cubes in your drink.

[Ja Rule]

Drink.

[Memphis Bleak]

I get the ice cubes in my drink. Now I'm out there, little half dead. Oh, I'm the little half dead. Put his dick on that. Yo, so we out there now, right? I'm. I'm telling hov. I'm like, he wanted to shoot another scene for the video, and I'm like, ho, I'm freezing right now. Like, it feel like. Like I'm in the snowstorm and I'm in Cancun. Like something ain't right. I gotta go to my room. I. I can't do this shit. So that's why, if you look at. It's so right, the third verse, his verse, I'm nowhere near nowhere to be felt because I go back to my room. So now I'm going to the room, my key don't work. I gotta come back downstairs, get a key. Now that's a arguing. Now I'm standing there dying, feeling like I' ma throw up. And it's a arguing about his credit card not working with the incidentals. Remember when we was young, that was a big thing with incidentals. Ain't had that death debit card. They like hundred dollars. No Check in. So you know I ain't know who homie was. So I'm standing there and I'm like, yo, fam, you look the out, man. I gotta get this key. Get out of here. And it comes to be Black Raw. So he like, what? What you talking about? And I'm like, yo, whatever family want scrap, whatever, but I gotta get this key, get the out the way family out. Colleen was there. Colleen like, no, beat what you doing?

[Ja Rule]

Do it.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's giddy new artist. That's Black Rob.

[Ja Rule]

He's from Harlem. We family.

[Memphis Bleak]

And ever since that day, me and bro was like this. But that's how I met Black Raw.

[Ja Rule]

Robio was my. That was my hotel. Probably was a funny yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

He was with the smoke. He wasn't backing down. He wasn't on on no sucker. He was definitely with the functions. Colleen seen, it was like, chill. Y' all wilding. But yeah, I almost died in Cancun, bro. My first time going straight up drinking. The motherfucker drinks.

[Ja Rule]

I used to love Cancun, yo. I got trouble. I got back wifey and shit, man. Video too.

[Ryan Seacrest]

If you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright. Rocket Mortgage can help you turn that home equity into cash. And that can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kid's college tuition, or pay off consolidated high interest debt. To learn more, just call 804Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage, LLC, licensed in 50 states. Nmlsconsumeraccess.org 3030 you've probably heard that sickle.

[Unknown]

Cell disease affects a lot of black folks, maybe even people close to you. It's more common than you think. Almost everybody knows somebody. And for those living with it, blood transfusions help with their daily battles. And did you know that one in three black blood donors is a match for patients with sickle cell disease? That's saying someone like you, your mom, your cousin, even the neighbors you see every day can be a giant help for someone battling this disease. Watching a loved one go through this is tough. And that's a situation all too real. So everyone needs to step up. Because every time you donate, you're building something bigger, something that lifts the community. You have the power to show up for the next person. Because finding a match can mean everything. Take that step forward and donate blood with the American Red cross. Head to redcrossblood.org ourblood to make an appointment because blood saves lives.

There's a moment every parent remembers the day their child takes off on two wheels. With Guardian bikes. That moment comes as early as 2 years old and with less stress and frustration. These bikes are built just for kids. Lightweight frames, low center of gravity, easy to use brakes. Everything about Guardian is designed to help kids ride confidently, often in just one day. No training wheels needed. And because Guardian bikes are designed and assembled right here in the usa, you know they're built to last with care in every detail. Their patent SureStop braking system stops both wheels with a single lever, helping your child stop safely without tripping forward or losing control. Right now, save hundreds when comparing Guardian to its [e-mail] and get a free lock and pump when you join their newsletter of $50 value. Visit guardianbikes.com today to save and help your child learn an essential life skill safely. Guardian bikes built for your kid and for the memories of you'll Never forget.

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Now through June 24th. Score hot summer savings and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags on items like General Mills cereal drumstick, frozen treats, outshine fruit bars, Oreo cookies and Capri sun pouches. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Enjoy savings on top of savings when you shop in store or online for easy drive up and go pickup or delivery free subject to availability restrictions apply. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo Cancun was we was we was on some I couldn't even finish the.

[Ja Rule]

My one little scene that you could barely see me in the I had to shot at the chicken yo yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah you definitely yo those was the days man. Cancun boy Damn. But yeah that video shoot I know definitely even me ho why that video never came out baby. We need that remix the cup what was it Remix the cannock the hustle we need that I was in there first cameo to see I was outside. You know what I'm saying We was outside. It's little they need to see that footage man. You know I mean I wish they.

[Ja Rule]

Had a have a bunch of footage of us see just cameras and wasn't around they had a bunch of footage of us hard knock yeah what was.

[Memphis Bleak]

The girl name who was filming us E or what was Easy easy easy with the camera.

[Ja Rule]

We need to find her Easy if you watching this reach out to a I need that for my doc man. I need some of that footage for my document. Y' all, all the footage, all the footage. Where the was easy from?

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't know. I don't have a clue. But I know that white lady seen some black guys going crazy.

[Ja Rule]

I know she left that tour like these is insane.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, straight up.

[Ja Rule]

Cause I'm gonna tell you something. We. I always talk about, yo, the Hard Knock Life tour was very, very important, yo, because it was. It was the first all hip hop tour since the Fresh Fest.

[Memphis Bleak]

See, I was young. I wasn't even thinking about that, nigga.

[Ja Rule]

The Fresh Fest was 20 years prior to that Hard Knock Life tour was the first all hip hop tour since the fucking Fresh Fest. And you remember Jay made the speech. He was like, yo, listen, this is important. And we all go out, no incidents.

[Memphis Bleak]

And the press conference, I wasn't there. Oh, man, I wasn't there with you. I wasn't. I wasn't lit enough.

[Ja Rule]

Hell yeah. I wasn't lit either. Let me tell you something. I was sneaking in the rooms. I wasn't gonna be left off the.

[Memphis Bleak]

You were not resolute enough for the press conference.

[Ja Rule]

Bleak. See, this is. This is the difference. Niggas didn't have to invite me, nigga. I was. I was coming. Nigga. I'm there. It is. Oh, there's a press conference today. I didn't know we had a press conference today. I'm there. I ain't got nothing to do with it, but I'm there. I'm saying. So let me tell you. So he made a speech. He made a speech about how important the tour is and, and, and you know, to hip hop, basically. Like if, if we don't. If we get into fights and, and getting in all kind of crazy on this tour, they'll never bond or ensure another hip hop tourist.

[Memphis Bleak]

And now look.

[Ja Rule]

And we did it. And we. And then we celebrated that night. Yeah, that's when we was all celebrating. We were celebrating the celebration right over. But the fact that we. We accomplished that with no incidents and nothing. And now. And now you see what is able to do with the foreign game. Foreign game is crazy right now.

[Memphis Bleak]

Insane now, bro.

[Ja Rule]

And so, yeah, you, you, you, you was. We was all a part of something very vague with that.

[Memphis Bleak]

That tall life. They have no clue rule, man, the fun we had. I learned so much, man. Like, I went on tour smoking. The biggie was rhyming about you pick seeds out your weed. Remember? Remember I bought like 3 pounds of weed on tour under the bus. We were smoking. Yeah, bitch. It wasn't until I got to la, you the first who gave me gas was Meth Method Man.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

He walked in the dressing room like, yo, what you smoking on, Young? And I showed him that, like, you smoking on this, you bugging. He was like, yo, my man here, One Stop. And you was like, one stop. Here, tell him pull up. That's my dude. That's when we first met. One Stop. And he sold us the Sour Diesel.

[Ja Rule]

We wanted to rob One Stop at first. No, that was the. That was the whole yo, One Stop word. Because, yo, I told One Stop on the top. I said, we gonna run your ass. He came into his little dogs and split flops on, yeah. And yo. And so, yo, I first. Let me tell you how this went down, yo. So Kev was giving red meth. I forgot who he was. He was giving these money budgets to go get weed from this. So I caught on to the that was going on. So I said, hold up. I said, well, we probably money at Kev. Where my money at? Kev said, yo, you know, this is only for, you know, the article. I said, all right. I said, good. I said, well, we gonna rob that then, you know. So we go, kevin, hold on, hold on. You go and you get a little something for you. And please. And then we bought the week.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, you bought that. You bought that.

[Ja Rule]

Tell you this. Cap gave me the money, yo. Because he was giving everybody else money.

[Memphis Bleak]

Listen, that's yo holding them. They don't know how foul they are with the Monogram. Now. I used to get looked at like the major crackhead on tour, lighting them sticks up. Remember? They used to look at us, Tata. Everybody looking at us like, y' all bugging. I couldn't even. When I was a young. They used to even tell me, blink, you can't smoke that. After the show. I used to be like, they suddenly made me. You can't wait. Wait till I get older. Yeah. I just ain't gonna be telling me none of that no more. But then it's like, no bloods after the show. And it was that beehive tata on me like this. I'mma you up the show.

[Ja Rule]

This is why they didn't want you to do the video. They want you to hang with me. This rule. This. This rule don't listen.

[Memphis Bleak]

Definitely. And then now they all lighting up sticks everywhere. Monogram. Happy year, OG og. Huh? Take OG like what?

[Ja Rule]

When this happened, you gotta love it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Lenny even lightened up.

[Ja Rule]

I remember.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, I'm gonna tell you when that happened.

[Ja Rule]

We was in, yo. I don't know if it was the first Time or whatever. But I, I. This is the first time I seen Jay smoke. We was in Jamaica.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, yeah. He knows overseas. He used to like to stick if we were. So.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, hot night, Jamaica. That's where we was at.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's why I'm here.

[Ja Rule]

And we go, me and Angie. Matter of fact, me and Angie Martinez. Me and Martinez go out like, into the. To the bush, to the stick somewhere. That's what the said. Go out to the stick, to the bush, and you get. You find.

[Memphis Bleak]

So we were staying at the Trey Lonnie Beach Resort. Yeah, I remember that.

[Ja Rule]

We went and this gave us a ill stick of weed. Like some ills.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like honey.

[Ja Rule]

It was like. Yeah. Was it what he called after. Back in the days? It was called, like, it was some gold or some. Man, I forgot it was really pen gold. Maybe some, like, Acapulco. That's what it was. That's what it was. Yo, that back in the day, yo, I'm telling you. Yeah, we came and brought that back. And then, yo, everybody smoked. Irv, too. Irv didn't smoke. And I told her, I said, yo, we. If we. If I go platinum, you gotta smoke some weed with me. You know what I'm saying? He was like, bet. So I was like, what the. You saying I ain't gonna go platinum? I know you a want to smoke. You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

He's like, nah, nah, nah.

[Ja Rule]

I'm just saying when we do, I'll smoke. I said, okay. Him and Big, we was on the seat. I roll that up, put it right in his hands, like, yeah, I'm platinum Smoke.

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember when Big smoke. None of them, man. Man, all the OGs, they just switched the game on us and then bought the game. Monogram.

[Ja Rule]

Huh?

[Memphis Bleak]

Monogram. Og. What the.

[Ja Rule]

You know what I'm saying? It's good. It's all right.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, definitely. But we used to get fine. Nah, I never. Yo, mushrooms, man. Yo, I remember when I seen you. Yo, listen, hold up. Yo, yo, J, you're a funny man. Y. I remember we was out back in the day. I don't care what city we was in, but this with ludicrous, had the. The snake burn. And he was there. Nelly just came out. He was down, down, baby. Super, tremendous Platinum. And all three of y' all was in the hotel, and I come through and I like, yo, Rule, what's up? You like, ain't, man. Yo, they got this new bleach. And I'm like, what? He's like, look, these blue pills, man. This Turned the party up my get everything going crazy. I'm like, what? He like, trust me.

[Ja Rule]

My looking at this.

[Memphis Bleak]

He like going to the party with them now.

[Ja Rule]

I'll be back.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm like, yo, this rule next level now.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

I never with. I. I never with nothing I can't control. That was always my thing, cuz.

[Ja Rule]

Nah, yo, mushroom. Mushroom. I promise you. Mushroom.

[Memphis Bleak]

That man lost his feet, bro. Who rat, man? He lost his feet. You don't remember a hard knock Life tour?

[Ja Rule]

I might say he lost his with him.

[Memphis Bleak]

They strapped him up. He took the shrooms. They say he took too much. So I'm in there like, yo, what he take? They like, yo, mushrooms. He run around talking about, I can't find my feet, yo, let me take this. Them so in my mind. Oh, I ain't never taking that. I need these, baby. I can't.

[Ja Rule]

I'm tell you the other in the world I'm hanging out with with Red in la. Just recently we all flew out there and I'm hang out with Red in la. Red don't smoke weed, don't drink, don't.

[Memphis Bleak]

Do nothing no more.

[Ja Rule]

I said, yo, you ain't even Red man no more. I said, red, how you don't smoke your new W. So yeah, his Red. We get off.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, yeah, you be on this.

[Ja Rule]

We get off the bus, they go raise again, bro. Get one of them joints we had smoking outside the hotel. He gave high as a cat. I might do miss. I don't know Red one know he smoking. He smoked a little bit of the joint.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, you can't get away from it, man.

[Ja Rule]

Not when, yo, Red don't smoke no more. Red don't drink them washing, you know, that's what master. See, this is the, the growth of them. But so what he do? He switched his.

[Memphis Bleak]

That camera game now.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, he do his camera. He was shooting a video on the plane, right?

[Memphis Bleak]

You know he do his camera.

[Ja Rule]

But no, he jump out of planes. That's his. This jump out of planes.

[Memphis Bleak]

You did that before. I remember. Yeah. And I'm like, yo, I remember hitting you.

[Ja Rule]

Like, yo, no, but noble Red certified. Like, Red can jump by itself. Red can jump like just jump out of planes. Like.

[Memphis Bleak]

I never jump with Red, man. I won't jump with nobody. It's me. I ain't jumping out no plane.

[Ja Rule]

Come on.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't have the complexion for that.

[Ja Rule]

We're going to do some mushroom and then we're going to jump out.

[Memphis Bleak]

Where you want me to go?

[Ja Rule]

We going do it in Dubai. All of us.

[Memphis Bleak]

Where you want me to land that if I jump out playing on a mushroom?

[Ja Rule]

Listen, I'm going to tell you how you're going to do it going to be. It's going to be me, him and the wives, yo. And that's when I would. That's when. That's what I'm in Dubai.

[Memphis Bleak]

You going to need a mushroom cuz you can't smoke. You can't do nothing, man.

[Ja Rule]

They may not have no mushrooms in Dubai.

[Memphis Bleak]

Off camera, I got the block. I don't want to get them hung. You know they hang my.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, listen. Sky by skydive Dubai.

[Memphis Bleak]

We need to go to Thailand, bro. It's right there same. You know they, you know, you know they, they, they. I've been to Thailand, you know they no listen. But they section every drug in the world. You know that, right? You could go buy 4 Bangkok.

[Ja Rule]

Trust themselves.

[Memphis Bleak]

I got some peoples out there, bro. We need to go to Phuket.

[Ja Rule]

Come on. Yeah, we all taking the ws. Nor we we go. All of us.

[Memphis Bleak]

I want y' all to look up new hotels. Even everybody in here to look up these two hotels in Phuket. One called Six Cents and one called Sri Panwa. My own these with the club. The hotels. Oh, Six Cents is a private island.

[Ja Rule]

I think I've been to the other one. What's the go to Repair one.

[Memphis Bleak]

Repair one. My homie owned it and somebody been to that one. So when y' all want to go, just let me know. I'll make sure know on that arm muscle job muscles the other muscle.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, yo. Well yeah, I want to go whenever you stop touring.

[Memphis Bleak]

My you on 4,000 dates right now.

[Ja Rule]

You just said I know I'm home.

[Memphis Bleak]

24 or 25.

[Ja Rule]

Oh, like August. August, September.

[Memphis Bleak]

That works. That's perfect. It's always nice in in Thailand, my g. Thailand. I'm telling you. Phuket. Yeah, blow your mind, bro.

[Ja Rule]

I've been to Phuket too. Phuket is dope too. It's ill, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm telling you. Sri pad while my homie on that Six cents is a private island hotel.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, you know what? You know what we can do this we could do. See, we got film this camera. Yo, here's what we can do.

[Memphis Bleak]

He just came up with the master.

[Ja Rule]

We just talking now and. But yo, no, here's what we can do. I got some shows for the tour. That's that they want me to do.

[Memphis Bleak]

Out there in Thailand?

[Ja Rule]

Yes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like oh, we there. I'm there. 100,000% I'm there that I'm set up some after parties, too. Hey, you know what?

[Ja Rule]

You probably know my man over there that do the shows. And over there, there, it's two. Over there, my man Muhammad, and then there, my man.

[Memphis Bleak]

T. See, I. I with the rap homie Khan. Man, these is telling you, Titanium. These is like. And they got his own Red Bull. Drink everything, bro. These is through the roof.

[Ja Rule]

He's. I think I know you talking about. What's the name of the drink?

[Memphis Bleak]

Titanium. Red Bull.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, I know. I know you talking about.

[Memphis Bleak]

I know you talking about my homies.

[Ja Rule]

I'm telling you, that's the. I just. My man Ty, he with them.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, bro, I'm telling you.

[Ja Rule]

We all did dinner one night. We getting off topic.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm telling you, bro, it's through the roof out there, G. We. It's next level. Before we sign out, I want to know why I ain't got no rude rose at my crib. My man got a wine company. I drink wine. I got a wine fridge. I'm supposed to be low it.

[Ja Rule]

I'm sitting.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm. I got a CE40, too. I don't know why I ain't got a case of Earl at the crib. You heard? I need Earl so I could call Earl. Yeah, and I need Ja Rule at.

[Ja Rule]

The crib like my. My. My red rose is. Yo, I'm not bullshitting. It's one of the best Savon Cabernets.

[Memphis Bleak]

On I already know we got, and.

[Ja Rule]

It'S one of the strongest. My is like 15.4 alcohol content.

[Memphis Bleak]

I need that. I got a.

[Ja Rule]

My guy.

[Memphis Bleak]

My white rose, y' all.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, it's called. I Got White Rose coming, too. I did all the roses. So I got red rose, I got a white rose, I got pink rose, my white rose, my white wine. I'm doing Savion Blanc, and I'm doing a Pinot. And with my red, I got.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nori was P. No grease. That was not playing, boy.

[Ja Rule]

But I got my.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm.

[Ja Rule]

I'm. I'm. I'm still testing my. Because I wanted to. To be, you know, favorable to a Santa Margarita, which is. Nori put me on the Santa Margarita, you know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

He's been on that for years.

[Ja Rule]

Yo, it's a great. It's a great bottle of wine. And. And. And it's cost efficient. It's not out of, you know, out of the price range for. For people to go get. My. My red rose is. Is a little pricey, but it's a great bottle of wine. I can't. I cannot give it to any less than what I'm giving. Great taste cost, but it's still not that expensive. $100 a bottle, man. You know what I'm saying? It's not, it's not crazy, but you know what I'm saying? But it search for a good red. And then I got my, my pink rose. Yeah, that's my rose. And I got that coming. And then I got my concrete rose, which is my tequila that I'll have.

[Memphis Bleak]

Coming to kill again.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah. But all these going forward now. Listen, man, listen.

[Memphis Bleak]

That fishing line out, you heard spirit game. Is that like selling oil? Because I remember when we first launched Doucet, used to look at me like, what's this?

[Ja Rule]

Yeah, sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

Now every believe. How can I get that? I'm trying to tell you, you know what I'm saying?

[Ja Rule]

Special launches with my, with my wine and some, you know, some. Some very sexy restaurants that we all frequent.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a low key spot. People don't know, man. The restaurants is where you hit them at.

[Ja Rule]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know, I mean, because it gives you.

[Ja Rule]

It gives your, your, your, Your beverage a premium.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. Like the restaurants is where you hit a mess, where you make your beverage. Like you said, a premium beverage. So, you know, it's been like I said, man. You my bro. We did the intake already. Gotta do it twice, my motherfucking brother.

[Ja Rule]

Love you, money.

[Memphis Bleak]

Love you, nigga. You know it.

[Ja Rule]

You did it.

[Memphis Bleak]

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 under the name Memphis Bleak. You see anybody frauding, flag them.

[Unknown]

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[Ja Rule]

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[Unknown]

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[Memphis Bleak]

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[Ja Rule]

This is an I Heart podcast.