ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek | Episode ft. Rel

September 16, 2025 – Podcast Summary
Host: Memphis Bleek
Guest: Rel
Podcast: ROC Solid (The Black Effect & iHeartPodcasts)

Main Theme & Episode Overview

This episode of ROC Solid reunites Memphis Bleek with Rel, the soulful voice behind many classic Roc-A-Fella hooks and one of the earliest non-rap members of the Roc dynasty. The conversation is a raw, open reflection on the foundations of Roc-A-Fella Records, Rel's musical journey from South Carolina to Brooklyn, untold stories of the grind, and the realities of surviving in the industry as an R&B vocalist in a label dominated by hardcore hip-hop. It’s about brotherhood, trials, authenticity, and the legacy they’ve built together.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Foundations of Roc-A-Fella & Early Grind

• Organic Beginnings:
  • Both Bleek and Rel reminisce about the formative days of Roc-A-Fella—college radio tours, promo runs, and performing with little industry guidance.
  • “We was basically mapping out our own way as we went, you know, there was no guide, no blueprint before J, Damon, and then us... we carved our own way.” — Rel (04:36)
• Personal Dynamics:
  • The tour stories highlight close bonds, collective hustle, and chasing fun amidst chasing dreams.
  • “Rel used to take all the chicks... Rel came out there with that. He hit you with that. He was like, oh, shit, yo.” — Memphis Bleek (07:03)
• Rel's Impact:
  • Bleek credits Rel for bringing genuine soul to Roc-A-Fella:
    • “You the voice. Like, if nobody ever told you... I felt like you brought the soul to Roc-A-Fella.” (03:41)

2. Rel’s Roots & Path to the Roc Crew

• Southern Beginnings:
  • Rel shares about his upbringing in Bowman, Orangeburg County, SC, and how singing in church built his voice and confidence.
  • “In church, all they ever say is, keep singing...it was about giving people something they could feel.” — Rel (09:12)
• Breaking In:
  • Rel recounts joining Roc-A-Fella via Dame Dash, DC, and Don Blanks, over crab cakes and grits, not boardrooms (11:21).
• Brotherhood:
  • The family-like vibe extended beyond music:
    • “Everybody on Roc-A-Fella...literally like a family...if they introduced you as their brother, you was our brother.” — Bleek (12:37)

3. Carving Out a Role: The R&B Guy in the Hip-Hop Wolfpack

• Pressure & Authenticity:
  • Rel discusses the challenge and privilege of being Roc-A-Fella's sole R&B artist among "predators" (“lions, tigers, bears, sharks”).
    • “I'm at this...exquisite table and it's all predators...everybody rhyme. Yeah, it was pressure.” — Rel (18:26)
• Strategy & Style:
  • He adapted by mixing singing and rhyming, taking cues from West Coast artists (Nate Dogg, Domino), making a unique lane.
  • “There's really been no one on the East Coast to flex that...so all that thought went into me deciding that I was gonna do that...eventually I became the wolf.” — Rel (20:35)
• Legacy of Hooks:
  • Rel notes he eventually became proud of being the hook king, amassing more hip-hop features than any other singer.
    • “Years later, all of those choruses...they turned into a catalog that nobody else in R&B has... I've got more features with hip-hop than anybody who sings in the history of singing.” (21:05)
• Notable Bleek Quote:
  • “My whole Made album is damn near your album too.” — Bleek (20:57)

4. Favorite Collaborations and Authentic Expression

• Rel’s favorite collabs spotlight “No Better Love” and especially “Understand Me Still,” a track born from real pain and real moments:
  • “Understand Me Still is at the top for me...I'm more proud of the things that allowed me to be real than where I had to emulate something else.” — Rel (24:14)
• The duo discusses putting genuine pain and stories into the music and the importance of not “messing up” sampled classics.
  • “If you gonna sample a nigga record, make it better than what they did. Don't fuck a nigga record up.” — Bleek (26:30)

5. Industry Lessons & Advice to Young Artists

• Know the Business:
  • “Learn the business. Ask every question that you can. Read every manual that you can...major in business, minor in music, or vice versa. All our stories are different.” — Rel (27:09)
  • Persistence and adaptation are key: “If you want to win in any game, the key is to stay in that game. Because like Jay said, a broken clock is right at least two times a day...” (27:57)
• Handling Setbacks:
  • Rel’s long-delayed album: “Even with all that mess happening, what I loved was hearing a song, having an idea, laying it down and enjoying that finished product...You gonna have days where the love is all you have.” (35:42–38:00)

6. Mentorship, Community, and Giving Back

• Rel reflects on mentoring many younger and international artists, giving specific shout-outs to names across Yonkers, Jersey, Atlanta, South Carolina, and beyond (30:15–33:05).
• He’s working on an RNG (Rhythm & Gangster) compilation and encourages Bleek to feature (“Send the record, that shit done.” — Bleek, 33:54).

7. R&B’s Past, Present, and Future

• What’s Missing in Today’s R&B:
  • “You could feel where people were coming from in their raps, in their singing. You could understand every word. They wanted you to hear every word.” — Rel (44:17)
• Evolution & Cycles:
  • He predicts the same cycles and returns to soulful basics:
    • “Eventually it's gonna go back to seasonings and smells that people are familiar with…it’ll revert back, then evolve again.” — Rel (46:23)
• Nostalgia:
  • Rel’s playlist is “predominantly 90s” and he’s moved by seeing old friends like Wu-Tang, Freeway, and Jim Jones back in music (47:27).
• Memorable Bleek Moment:
  • “Yo, we both better than Nas. Don't worry about it.” — Bleek joking with Rel (48:07)

8. Personal Lives, Full Circles, and Unexpected Connections

• Music is Therapy:
  • Bleek shares a moving story about how music helped him through family hardship, and a full-circle story where a song and an artist he loved became managed by a close friend (41:03–43:14).
• Personal News:
  • Bleek discovers live on-air that Rel is married to an old friend, underscoring the small-world, family vibe of the Roc (52:26).

9. Legacy, Motivation & What’s Next

• Rel’s Desired Legacy:
  • “I want to be remembered just for being real…being first knowledgeable and then responsible for passing that knowledge on…leave a mark where my love for music is everywhere.” — Rel (50:18)
• Upcoming Projects:
  • New music: The Remedy album (out), the re-release of Revelations (live album), the forthcoming RNG compilation, new acts (Malcolm Simmons, Navarre Yaru, Rucka Boy Phil), and hints at TV/music placements (53:49–54:22).
• Family, Inside Jokes & Callbacks:
  • A laugh about the “rollerblade weed man” in Perth Amboy (56:05) and the Latin “Yeah, Daddy” in-jokes (57:34), ending on a high note of brotherhood and laughter.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You the voice... I felt like you brought the soul to Rockafella, you know what I'm saying? That soul, that grit, that grind.” — Memphis Bleek (03:41)
• “Eventually I became the wolf at the table. Not the biggest predator...but I'm only a face. It's a bunch of me. And you don't wanna see them.” — Rel (20:35)
• “Years later, all of those choruses...turned into a catalog that nobody else in R&B has.” — Rel (21:05)
• “Everything we did was authentic. Everything we did was to the heart. And we just was speaking our truths, man, just trying to win.” — Memphis Bleek (14:56)
• “If you want to win in any game, the key is to stay in that game...even a garbage pan gets the steak. Everything gets its moment.” — Rel (27:57)
• “When I'm in that vocal booth, I'm as close to God as I'm gonna be on Earth.” — Rel (36:03)
• “You gonna have days where the love is all you have. That's right. You're not gonna make anything.” — Rel (37:50)
• “I want to be remembered just for being real...my love for music is everywhere.” — Rel (50:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Roc-A-Fella early grind & tour stories: 03:41-07:45
• Joining the crew / Southern beginnings / Family vibe: 08:28-13:25
• Only R&B singer in the crew – Pressure & Adaptation: 18:12-21:50
• Favorite collaborations & authenticity in music: 21:50-24:42
• Industry insights & knowing the business: 27:09-29:36
• Mentorship, giving back, RNG project: 30:15-34:07
• Handling setbacks, album delays, creative process: 35:17-38:00
• Music is therapy, stories from the road: 40:58-43:20
• Nostalgia, state of R&B & hip-hop: 44:06-46:23
• Rel’s playlist & modern inspiration: 47:15-49:23
• Personal lives & full circle moments: 52:26-53:13
• Upcoming projects, new music, what's next: 53:49-55:54

Summary Tone

This episode feels like a reunion between true brothers. It’s generous, nostalgic, and funny but always candid – heavy on wisdom, storytelling, and the profound emotional roots of hip-hop and R&B. For fans of the Roc legacy and students of the music business, it’s a masterclass in “keeping it real,” daring to be yourself, and surviving the grind, with gems that resonate beyond the world of music.

End of Summary