Rell | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek

Summary

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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

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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.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Rel]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Memphis Bleak]

You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, healthcare, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world.

[Emily Maitlis / John Sopel]

The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping Daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current.

[Memphis Bleak]

Affairs and the newsagents USA.

[Emily Maitlis / John Sopel]

Listening to the newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the news agents to start listening.

[Memphis Bleak]

What up y'?

[Rel]

All?

[Memphis Bleak]

This your main man? Memphis Bleak right here. Welcome to Rock Solid, a production of iHeartRadio in the black Effect Network in partnership with my guys over at Drink Champs.

[Rel]

Big whipping.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah Memphis, I'm back at it. Notice the difference. Just more prone Prezi, no stones. Right back at it. With another one, this rock solid podcast. Like I told you, if you on this platform, it means one thing, that you solid, and it definitely means this brother right here, he more solid than a man, than a boulder. Like the rock. Like I say, it's certain people that built the rock. Me and this man right here, we started the rock off, you know what I mean? I got my brother Rel in the building. We here, make some noise for Rel on the platform, my guys, you know what I mean? Big shout out. Oh, yeah, yeah, you already know. Ral. How you been, my brother?

[Rel]

Bless.

[Memphis Bleak]

Blessing. Long time.

[Rel]

Look at you, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

Long time.

[Rel]

Super proud.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, my God.

[Rel]

Super proud. Super proud of bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

Voice behind the Nate, yo. You the voice. Like, if nobody never told you. Me, from what I always feel and felt about you, my G, I felt like you bought the soul to Rockefeller, you know what I'm saying? That soul, that grit, that grind, like. And I always admired your voice, your hustle. You was one of the grinders. We started this shit together, so I want to take them back and let them know, like, when it's all right. Dropped, which was my first single. That's when you had your first single featuring Jay. Yeah. What was the name?

[Rel]

Love for Free. Streets is watching. Oof. Oof.

[Memphis Bleak]

Streets is watching. Love for free. Monster. Me and this man went on the chitlin circuit together. Some of y' all call it the promo rundown. When we got on, it was called the chitlin circuit. All we did was college radio and radio pirate radio.

[Rel]

We. Yo, tell em Real, all right. We was grinding, grinding. Like early days, you know, of Roc A fella. Yeah. Like, we was basically mapping out our own way as we went, you know, There was no guy, no blueprint before J. Damon and then us, you know, coming in the ranks. There was no guy, you know, we went out there, we carved our own way. And yeah, salute to us. That's all I can say.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, that's a fact. We. We held it down, man. That run was crazy, bro. We. I remember us being in. I think our first city we got to was Virginia. And I remember saying to you, it was me, you. We was on the road. Big shout out to Diamonds in the Rough. They was on the road with us. Word up. Rebel and Chink. I remember we got to Virginia, and my first thing to you was like, yo, bro, we ain't sitting in this hotel all day. We gonna walk the block and see what's out here, man. Remember, we went to. I think we went to TGI Friday. Remember we met some young ladies and all that was like, yo, we lit. We was in there chilling. You remember that?

[Rel]

It was a habit I had. Like, even once we got off that tour, I was everywhere I went. You ask my management team, they be like, where's the dude at? Because as soon as I get my bags in the hotel room, if I got downtime, I'm with the locals.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, that's right.

[Rel]

What's happening? Where this at?

[Memphis Bleak]

And I think, take me over there. I think that tour is what started it. I remember we left, too, the day DMX rest in peace. Dmx, remember his album dropped that day. When we first left to go on the road, it's dark and hell is hot. That was the soundtrack to the tour. So, you know, we was all torn. Demon time. Yo, we was out there barbing out.

[Rel]

There telling every lie you can think of. Yo, Radjiv Wilding, youngest yo, like, putting in that work, but maximizing on the fun.

[Memphis Bleak]

And this is what I want people to understand. This is before the Gurus, the Just Blazes, Kanye West's. There wasn't even no Beanie Siegel, no Freeway, no Petey Crack. It was just me, Ral and Diamonds in the Rough, Rebel and Chinks, and that's it. We was out there mobbing, and they used to perform, making the dough. I love the dough.

[Rel]

We need the dough.

[Memphis Bleak]

We need the dough. Yeah, I was performing this, all right. Rel would come out there, shut it down, love for free. Then they'll come, get the party cropping with I need the dough. But Rel used to take all the chicks.

[Rel]

Nah, not true.

[Memphis Bleak]

I ain't gonna lie. Rel came out there with that. He hit you with that. He was like, oh, shit, yo.

[Rel]

Hey. I was on stage the first time, like, when Jay was there, and when your verse came up on It's All Right, all right. Soon as Bleak went in the middle.

[Memphis Bleak]

Of the war, Jay's like, nah, but I'm talking about where we Dolo. Yeah, Jay used to get it when we Dolo. Them girls used to go crazy. You had that voice. And I used to say that. I think back now, I was tripping. I could have been the first Drake. I could have told you back then. Yo, Rel, teach me some moves, nigga. Like the last dragon.

[Rel]

Listen.

[Memphis Bleak]

Teach me some moves. God, I could have had the blueprint.

[Rel]

On this shit early, man. Let me tell you something. Like, being the only R and B artist on the roster and throughout tenure, I wanted to be more like y'. All. I mean, I'm serious. It was like, you know, I wanted that street savvy that hip hop had, that definitely our label mates had, you had. And it was a big deal for me when I first landed in north from South Carolina to just kind of blend in, just get along, peep the vibe. I learned a lot about the terrain, being around y', all, dc, my big homie Gales and all of them.

[Memphis Bleak]

So dc, we used to be Marvin out there.

[Rel]

And we would go there. We would go to their shows all.

[Memphis Bleak]

The time, to the radio station, they shows, the step in concerts, all that, man. Crazy. But Joe, I one thing I wanted to ask you too, man. What? Being from the South, Being from South Carolina. What part of South Carolina?

[Rel]

Orangeburg. Bowman. Small town. Bowman. Orangeburg County.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's out there? Yeah, that's out there. It's so out there, I never even heard it. That's how I know it's out there. When you say a town in these places, any place in the Carolina or Virginia, and they be like, this town, you'd be like, where? That just know is way out there. So is that where you developed your love for singing? Like, get into the game?

[Rel]

Absolutely. Absolutely. You didn't have any talent shows or any type of platforms like that. So we were in church. It started out, you know, Moms was just dragging us in there. But then when I tapped into the music, you know, that's when, you know, I really started to, you know, mature as a vocalist, as a performer. Being in front of people, you know, in church, all they ever say is, keep singing. You could be hoarse, you could have an off day. They don't care, you know what I mean? And so I developed the understanding that if you give people something they can feel with your music, a lot of times it won't matter, you know, how perfect you are with your vocals or your lyrical delivery or anything like that. If you just give them something they could feel. If it's some therapy and what you doing for folks, then, you know, you got every reason to try this game out and see what could happen. But when I got here, everything else that happened, Rockefeller, you know, Don Blanks and Perth Amway, all them folks out there, you know, dc, the Bronx, Dinky Bang in Brooklyn, like. And that's where me and you met. I met live out there before I was rel. You know what I mean? Like, I was just Jerrel Gaddis, but I hung out on Myrtle Avenue a lot. I knew them boys in the hall of Faze Barbershop. So I go over There, you know, hang out with Tory and Jay and the crew when I ain't had no studio time. But then when me and him linked after the Rockefeller thing, it was a rap.

[Memphis Bleak]

How did you. How did you get with the Rock crew, like. Cause, you know, I just came around one day. They like, yo, this Rel. This the single. We showed up to the video shoot. You at home shooting the video, and I'm like, okay, this Rel. We outside. This is my guy now. Like, but how did that happen for you to even make it happen to get that deal?

[Rel]

It was by way of, man, I gotta go back then. All right. So Finesse is a group that I was in when I first left home in South Carolina to venture north with them. That's when I first met Rock. Don Blanks from Per Fanboy. They told me about DC and I would meet him eventually, but Rock was the first one I met. Rock was in business with dc. DC was real, real tight with Dame Dash, and then the rest is history. The deal came over crab cakes and grits uptown.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn.

[Rel]

Yeah. We wasn't even in no office, you know, so that's why I love Dame forever for that.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up. I've been trying to tell people, Dane, man, he. He handle business, man. He definitely handled business. And damn, you bringing up Per Fanboy. I remember y' all had the club out there, like the crew you was with.

[Rel]

Yeah, man. They still talk about the fact that Rel brought Jay Z and Rockefeller to Per Fanboy, and that was my home. So salute to Per Fanboy. Still, even though most of my homies, they moved away, Washington the Mechanic and High street and all of that, that's just legendary for me. That's his story.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'mma tell you something. I don't think you know, man, I have a son. Cause of y' all club in Perth. Family.

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean? Gleek is here.

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Being in that club in Perth Fanboy with y', all, man.

[Rel]

But see, a lot of people don't know. We was like, what, five, ten minutes away from each other. At one point in Old Bridge, when I did level up, like, we was like five minutes apart. That's where he let me use the whip when I was furnishing my crib. I dropped my car off at his crib, pick up the Tahoe, go handle my business. We had that relationship, you know what I mean? It was that way. It was an intertwined. Yeah, we was family artists. And so we just took it to that next level and where we could be brothers, we were. And that's right. That's what it was.

[Memphis Bleak]

Everybody on Rockefeller. I'm so used to saying the nation now. That's what I was about to say. But everybody on Roc A fella. It was literally like a family. And we treated it like that. You know what I'm saying? So it didn't matter. It didn't matter where you were from. It didn't matter what you did. If they introduced you as they brother, then you was our brother. G, you good. Let me get the lighter. You good. Keep that L for you, baby. Like, if someone introduced you as they brother, then you was all of our brothers, and we accepted you as that. Like, you know what I'm saying?

[Rel]

Only you can mess that up.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Rel]

Long as you. You know, long as you was on point. You was, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember.

[Rel]

Cause it was a business. Respectfully, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

I used to have Rally Marcy with us, man. You know what I'm saying?

[Rel]

When we went there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Ye. Yeah. You said Myrtle Avenue, man. Come on. That's my backyard.

[Rel]

Yeah, but I think I'm the best one to tell this story. Cause right now, R and B. Hey, check this out, y'. All. Where I look at here, here, here.

[Memphis Bleak]

Anywhere you can.

[Rel]

Hey, check this out, all right? This for the whole world. Okay? All right.

[Memphis Bleak]

Bleak.

[Rel]

100% authentic.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean?

[Rel]

Day one, authentic. All right? Like, I got asked over the years, you know, how is bleak? What's up with bleak? What's going yada, yada. Look, bleak is authentic. Bleak gonna be good always. Cause bleak is authentic. Yo, I saw the picture of the Porsche on the wall.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean?

[Rel]

You feel me?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, I remember when you see me.

[Rel]

I go to sleep with a picture of a Porsche on my wall, man. I'm trying to come up on y'.

[Memphis Bleak]

All.

[Rel]

I saw the picture of the Porsche, red convertible, taped on the wall over the bed. All facts, yo, I had a one.

[Memphis Bleak]

Name in the crib.

[Rel]

I saw that with my own eyes. I was like, bro, yo, I had.

[Memphis Bleak]

A wall of fame. You bringing that up. You got me thinking. I had a wall of fame of rappers that I used to be like, damn, these is the guys right here. And then I had the things in.

[Rel]

The apartment in Marcy, you know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, I definitely had the Porsche on the wall. I had a picture of Stadman crib. I still ain't get Stadman crib, though. I got the Porsche. I never got the Stadman crib. I think I just never met a Oprah.

[Rel]

Exactly. That's all that like, you know, Steadman had to do a whole lot by himself.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that was Steadman, yo. And that was Steadman vacation home. That was on my wall. It wasn't even the real crib.

[Rel]

All right, but it was there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. Nah, definitely. I'm glad. I'm glad you remember that, man. Cause, you know, a lot of people think, you know, when you rapping, you making music, that you just making stuff up. And I tell people, man, Jay used to always tell me, when the lies stop, the rhyme stop. So as long as you lyin, you better keep it up. So everything we did was authentic. Everything we did was to the heart. And we just was speaking our truths, man, just trying to win. So it was no made up raps. Those was real dreams I wore for the Porsche on the wall, man. I'm trying to come to come up on y' all with Stadmin crib. I don't think I came up still. I gotta check that out, man. Stan, we gotta holler.

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[Memphis Bleak]

You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own, with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules health care, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world.

[Emily Maitlis / John Sopel]

The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitland and me, John Sopal with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current.

[Memphis Bleak]

Affairs and the newsagents USA listening to.

[Emily Maitlis / John Sopel]

The newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening.

[Memphis Bleak]

So I wanted to always ask you, being the only R and B guy, you know, once we got beans, we got the young guns, freeway, state property, everybody came. Did you ever feel like it was pressure for you to like keep up with any of us or anything like that?

[Rel]

All the time. All the time. Unwavering pressure. Because, you know, I'm at this table, this long, exquisite table and it's all predators. I mean, it's all lions, tigers, bears, sharks, you know, predators. You know, people that, you know, they not gangster, but they not people you can just do any, you know, handle any kind of way either. You know what I mean? Like, they are people that respond. So you sitting at that table, you the only one that sing everybody rhyme. Yeah, it was pressure. It was pressure to say the least because, you know, I had this burning desire to deliver as far as contemporary R and B was concerned.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Rel]

But then once I got with Roc a fella and became a part of that, understood, you know, the authenticity, the authenticity that went along with our music. Yeah. Then it became this other thing, like, all right, you know, it's some realness to my life too. My backdrop ain't all, you know, how can I blend who I am into this mix? Cause we definitely got, you know, we have similarities. Like we come from backgrounds where we all seen a lot of the same stuff. And so in between me not being able to move on the contemporary because of everything that Rockefeller was up against, you know, trying to get R and B off the ground. Hip hop was cool. It was harder to get R and B off the ground for them. So with everything that they was up against, I started looking for, you know, alternative means to reach my audience. And so that became rng, that became. When I started doing all that mixtape stuff. You sayin that and you know, singing but sounding like I'm Rhyme. But singing, it's like, you know what? To my knowledge. Cause I'm a student, you know, there's just really been no one on the east coast to flex that. You got Domino, you got Nate Dogg. And as far as I'm concerned, they the only two before me. So all of that thought went into me deciding that I was gonna do that. It wasn't just I was out there trying to be a rapper. It was like, nah, strategically, I gotta figure out what my place is at this table. And eventually I became the wolf.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

I'm 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.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like I told you. Like I told you, your voice is iconic. There's no one who sound like you. There's no one you sound like. They never ever confused you. Yo, rail. Trying to be like this guy or y' all sound this guy? Trying to be like this guy?

[Rel]

He ain't want that, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

You did some of the most. You saved a lot of records on Roc a fella. Listen, like, my whole made album is damn near your album too.

[Rel]

But. But, and, but y' all saved me too. You know what I mean? Like, I'm from an era where you're shunned upon if you're only on choruses. You see what I'm saying? Like, if all you can get is choruses, back then, you weren't looked at as that guy. You know what I mean? You would look like you were lacking. You know what I mean? But years later, all of those choruses, they turn into a catalog that nobody else in R and B has. That's right. Where's the camera? Again, I got more features with hip hop than anybody who sings in the history of singing.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's a fact. And that's a fact. Classics too. Not just regular joints.

[Rel]

Check it. Don't matter who you look up. They don't have more features with hip hop, solid hip hop dudes than I do. I'm bi coastal with that salute to all.

[Memphis Bleak]

Out of all the collaborations you ever done, what's your favorite?

[Rel]

Ooh, bleed.

[Memphis Bleak]

We ain't dissing nobody, so if you. I know we did a lot of classics, but if it's me picking, I would pick no better love over any record we did. Cause I always felt like, God damn, why I ain't get a beat like that for me and my G? Why I always got rap about some fucking pain?

[Rel]

Well, but. But what D.J. rogers Jr. My homie was able to bring to the session that night when we did. Understand Me still.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, oh, bro, it's classic. That's still to this day, bro, bro.

[Rel]

Like, that's one of my favorites because I got to be real right there. See, to a singer, at least to a singer, a real one like myself, I totally enjoy everybody else's music. And I have, you know, those people that are my idols when it came to vocals, you know what I mean? Old school and new school, male and female, mind you, you know. But I always had the burning desire to be real because in my mind, Michael Jackson became Michael Jackson because Mike stayed Mike, Marvin stayed Marvin, Stevie stayed Stevie, Luther stayed Luther, you know. And I wanna be real. I wanna make an impact where they hear me, they go, that's real. And it's not because he sounds like anybody else or reminds them of anybody else, but because he's still carrying that torch that those great vocalists and lyricists carry. Where they wanna make their own mark. They don't wanna be known from just borrowing from what was great before them, but making their own great mark, you know what I mean? So understand me still no better love. Definitely. I mean that's obvious, you know, that's Grammy nominated, that's obvious.

[Memphis Bleak]

Black tie affair, baby.

[Rel]

Okay, but then you got songs like the joint I did with Jim that let me fly See Let Me Fly talks about my entire career going all the way Back to Rockefeller. 7:00am turning over you got that smile on my manager Blowing up the phone in my suite A smile on my face I don't mean to make him wait but she's that much sexier when she sleep, you know, that type of stuff, it allowed me to be real. So I'm more proud of the things that I did that allowed me to be real in that mix than where I had to emulate something else. So Understand me still is at the top for me.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh wow, that's crazy.

[Rel]

No better love is obvious. Yeah, you see, it's obvious. You borrowing from great components and elements and energy. So it's almost a no brainer that you're gonna come out with something that people like. But when you going from scratch, you see what I'm saying? Understand Me still is from scratch. And, and you know, I covered that because, you know, that, that, that, that was our inspiration. All the inspiration for that record came, you know, from that room while we were in there.

[Memphis Bleak]

And we was really.

[Rel]

Yeah, we was like, we wasn't trying to let that one go.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's What I'm saying, like, remember my brother was in the hospital at that time, right? So we was really. I just moved my mom. So all that shit you hear in that song, the fact that I know is 100,000% facts. That song I can't even listen to. Cause it's like a period in my life that I don't want to remember. You know what I mean?

[Rel]

That's the part I love about what Rockefeller was. It was like, you know, you got this cast, this ensemble of talented people who live every word they speak. And I mean, everybody. Everybody there was just authentic. From J down to, you know, denim. Yo, I remember everybody, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Listen, yo, the Rock was home.

[Rel]

Like you said. It was a family. And, and. And that having that experience and being able to attach myself to that platform, that's now part of, you know, hall of Fame, bro. Rock and roll. I mean, hip hop hall of fame and all that. I mean, what else can you ask for coming from Bowman?

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm bring you this. Bring this up. Cause I just thought about this as you talking. Yeah, I remember when we did as one and it just was the sample hook, and Jay was like, nah, man, we need to bring this shit to life. And he's like, man, call Rel, man. Rel gonna kill this shit. And you came down there, smoked as one. We heard that shit. Like, oh, nah, that's it. That's it.

[Rel]

That's Earth, Wind and Fire.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. You know, we had to go with that one.

[Rel]

Yeah, we got it. We gotta. We got. Yeah. So like, it was more pressure doing no Better Love and Earth, Wind and Fire than any other record because you.

[Memphis Bleak]

Know, you want to make. You want to pay homage.

[Rel]

Winning fight. And that's Kevin Vandross, you know what I mean? You don't want to. Even on that other one, the one I did with Beans Change, that was another one. It's like, I don't want to mess this up.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact. And you saying that leads me to something I say about these kids today. They be sampling, you know, everybody record, right? If you going to sample a nigga record, make it better than what you did. What they did. Don't fuck a nigga record up, right? You just wasting beats and bars and studio time and label money. Don't do it.

[Rel]

They gotta clear it, you know, like, make sure they're hearing something. They gonna enjoy listening. Yeah, man, like, no, borrow from their likeness. You just.

[Memphis Bleak]

So that's a no brainer. That's all I gotta say. But one question, another question. I Have for you? What? What would you say your biggest lesson about the business side of the music will be for you?

[Rel]

Learn the business. Learn the business. All right? Ask every question that you can. Read every manual that you can. Have some experience in business management. Before you go into the music industry, then all you gotta learn is music business. But business management you already have down. If you are one of those collegiates, but you have a passion for music, major in business, minor in music, or vice versa. You 21 years old, when you graduate, you're still a baby, ready to take on the business and show your talent, you know? So that's the lesson. And don't look for detail from me or any other artist. There's no one way to success. All our stories are different.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

You know, if you want to win in any game, the key is to stay in that game. Simply stay in it. Because like Jay said, a broken clock is right at least two times a day. Even a garbage pan gets the stake. Everything gets its moment. If you stay in, you know, stay the course. Yeah, you stay the course. It's gonna happen.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact, man.

[Rel]

It's gonna happen. You know what I mean? Because as you're moving, you're growing, you're learning, you're networking, you're expanding, you're trying, you're failing, you're trying again. You know, these things are happening as you continuing, you know what I'm saying? And then you just reach this point where you happen to be this place and this person happened to be there, and this thing happened to go down the way it did, and then you just happened to be in that mix. Like, it's about timing, you know what I mean? But you gotta be on time in order to, you know, to achieve that timing. At the end of the day, it's timing. It's like, man, anybody asks you how it happened, it's like it's the same thing. You scratch your head because you don't know where to start. It's like, you know what I mean? But so I narrowed it down to that. Know the business. I came in with talent. Talent got me in the door, but I had to learn what the business was in order to stay in the door. You know, these doors revolve and, you know, it's a fine line you gotta walk, you know, until you're confident enough to position yourself in a way where, you know, you're solidified.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up, man. That's a fact. Definitely learn the business, man. You heard it right here, man. The business first. I love what you said that. You said business first. Music minor. Business major. Music minor.

[Rel]

Music minor.

[Memphis Bleak]

I like that. That's a good one, man. You young boys need to write that down, man. That's a good one. I wish I'd have known that one. Cause I was out here.in major rapping minor. Nigga was bugging out here. But, yo, I always wanted to know. Cause I heard the whispers. I never got confirmation. Is there any artist that you ever mentored or, like, guided behind the scenes or, like, you know, like, plenty came to you for advice or. You know what I mean?

[Rel]

Plenty worldwide. Like, I'm a OG a hundred times over.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, that.

[Rel]

Of course. Of course worldwide, bro. And it's funny that you say that. In Yonkers, I got ra's Sean. Like, I'm trying to, you know, see him, you know, really take his to the next level. If it's still in him to do that. There's Dashi, There's a couple other, you know, music sets up there that I'm looking forward to dealing with. Ski and I, we reconnected. He's in Yonker, so I'm looking forward to working with you.

[Memphis Bleak]

Shout out Ski.

[Rel]

Definitely, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Ski always had that heat, you know.

[Rel]

And then the homies, Scrazz Warburton family, all of them, Glenwood Jones, you know, just everybody. It's too many to mention, you know what I mean? Like, I make that family network everywhere I go. If it can happen. Manhattan, we got spice and Mr. You know, my roommates, outside of everything that I was doing in Rockefeller, you know, my sanctuary, you know, when I had to be in the city and couldn't go back to Jersey, to Old Bridge, where Bleak was. Or, you know, those nights. I had to stay in baseline, like, you know, those my brothers forever. Like, Mr. Spice. I love y'. All. Jersey, we got per fanboy again rock. We got, you know, my Gladys, Kathy. We got Intercontinental Kent. That's the artist I'm dealing with out there now. Salute to him, big bro. We got Chris and Johnny Vega down a long branch down that way. Two Latin brothers who I look forward, you know, making a big pun run because, you know, they. They got the English and the Latin market when it comes to hip hop. They also the sons of Tony Vega. He's a famous horse jockey, you know what I mean? But. But with, you know, he got. He got one of them background. So, like, they life is a movie. We got Chase Hill and my. And my folks out there, Atlantic City. Way, you know, that whole set. Respect to all of y' all family. I'm trying to remember everybody. We go back to the Bronx, though. Cause we gotta remember DC Gales, Tom, Big Joe, you know, everybody that was, everybody that was there making sure that things were situated. You know, my team outside of Rockefeller, we filling in our own pockets. Whatever the label didn't do, we accommodated ourselves. So love y' all forever. On to South Carolina and, man, my beloved. I'm so proud of all of you. My Southern soul artist down there. I'm so proud that the light is on you. And y' all finally getting recognition even with Southern soul as it is. Keep pressing, it's gonna expand, it's gonna evolve. My little cousin, Malcolm Simmons, he's doing his numbers in Southern soul right now. We got my other little homie, Navarre, Yaru. He's gonna be a beast. And, you know, I don't know what is really to come of what he's gonna do, because he raps and sings and produces, see? Yeah, he's a female that I should.

[Memphis Bleak]

Have got from you. Right, See, right? So Blizzard should have went to the art, rhythm and gangster school.

[Rel]

Absolutely.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Rel]

Yo, that's something you might have to put.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what I'm telling you. I was saying that in my mind as you speaking. You know, you showing love to all the young artists up and coming, artists from different regions, different parts of the city. And that's so dope. Like, I was thinking here, and I'm like, why you don't Just like, why? I ain't gonna say why you don't. We. I can help you or get you in the right position to get a little distribution set up or something, but you should definitely be doing something with that rhythm and gangster.

[Rel]

Listen, I got talent.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's too much talent out here, man. You got a lot of it under your umbrella already.

[Rel]

I didn't think you know that far. But I do have the RNG compilation coming. And I want. Like I want. You know, I need bleak on that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Come on, man. That's nothing, bro. Send that, man. Send the record. That shit done. Yeah, you family, you know. You get that verse tonight. Send the verse, send the record.

[Rel]

Y' all heard it here, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's been the same since day one, bruh. You know that ain't gonna never change forever, brother.

[Rel]

Like, I'm trying to get the. I had a studio situation, but I don't have my own pre production set up yet. But what I'm trying to do is get that up and running, because it's a list of y' all that I'm just gonna, you know, who you need.

[Memphis Bleak]

To get with, who got all the pre production, everything set up ready?

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cheat joke behind the camera. Cheat joke. He got everything. That's who got me back in the studio. Like, I'm. He got me. Like, Remember how Rocky, when he fought Drago, he was in the snow training. That's how he got me feeling like I'm. I'm that Rocky.

[Rel]

See all this music, I'm putting out, like, respect to you. Respect you. Like, let's try and make.

[Memphis Bleak]

He got all the pre production, everything. Yo, but with all that being said, with the mentoring and all that, I always wondered, and this is a couple questions. I'm gonna phrase it together. Like, your album was always delayed for years. Like, you know, I always wanted to know what happened behind that, and how did you stay grounded during those letdowns at them times, you know what I mean? Cause that's a major setback when you have your hopes up high in this game, thinking something gonna happen, and then it don't.

[Rel]

And it don't.

[Memphis Bleak]

And then what would you say to younger artists in a similar situation? What advice would you give your younger self?

[Rel]

I would say, well, my younger self. I would give my younger self the same advice I just gave them. And that's. Know that business.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

But know that business. Like, for me, though, you know, to answer that question, like, with the album.

[Memphis Bleak]

And everything, you stay grounded, bro. You never waver who you are and who you were, and I respect that. And I just always wanted to know.

[Rel]

That, you know, walking in the door as a. As an artist, I guess just as a man, too, who I was, was somebody that wanted to provide therapy. I knew that if I was great at providing therapy in the music to whoever I was, you know, trying to shop that music to or whoever, I wanted to hear it and enjoy it, even if it was street, you know, I knew that if I did that, then I'd be okay in a sense, you know, because again, like I told you earlier, my love for music is not the thing. It's not the sale. It's not. It's not the attention. It's not my love for music is the therapy. It's the creative process. Like, when I'm in that vocal booth, I'm as close to God as I'm gonna be on Earth because I'm doing the one thing I love so much that I will give my all my very best to. It so when I'm in that vocal booth, I'm closer to God than I'll ever be doing anything else. You know what I mean? Even prayer. Because I'm literally summonsing that God energy when I'm in there working for myself or anybody else. So that's why you don't hear anything where I'm taking it light because pause. But where I'm just, you know, not taking my craft seriously. Let me say it that way you're gonna hear that I'm taking everything I do seriously, even if it's on a mixtape. Because that's that God energy I summons every time I in there. So what kept me bleak back to the main road is the love for the creative process. Even with all that mess was happening. What I loved was hearing a song, having an idea, laying it down and enjoying, you know, that finished product. Right. That was always. It's like cutting grass and having lemonade and then looking at the yard when you done.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Rel]

You know what I mean? You know, other shit gonna go down after that. But that moment right there, you like, I did this.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Rel]

You know what I mean? And that's what it was. So that's what kept me. The love for what I was doing is what kept me. You gonna have days where the love is all you have. That's right. You're not gonna make anything.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Rel]

You know what I mean? You're gonna have days where you up. You gonna have days where you down. But you're gonna be okay if this is something that you love on that level. Like that stuff ain't gonna phase you unless you let it faze you. But I didn't. When that stuff would show its ugliness in my life, I would revert to that. I'd just be this introverted recording artist who wasn't paying attention almost, but was.

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[Memphis Bleak]

Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world.

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[Memphis Bleak]

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[Memphis Bleak]

You just sparked another memory in my brain just by you saying music is therapy.

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

And I'm, I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna tell you something that is, is the illest ever, right? Just picture this. I'm in Greece, right? This is how music is therapy. Cause this is at the time when my brother was, you know, just getting out the hospital, going through therapy. And you know, he was always my security guard, right? So, you know, just listening to different songs. I get the grease. It's me and bi, right? So they had one music channel in the whole hotel. So this one artist song kept playing. Her name is spelled A Y O. And I pronounce, of course, I'm from New York, so I pronounce it as ao. You know what I'm saying? But it's really pronounced IO so. And her song kept coming on down on my knees right now, mind you, I didn't know this artist didn't know where she was from nothing. And the song kept coming on and I'M like, let me listen to this song. It's a reason they playing this. So I listen. I'm like, no, this song is fire. Like, she talking some real real. Almost what I'm going through. So I went to the record store in Greece and looked for that album, right? Found her album. Listen to the album. I'm like, yo, this woman sounds like the female Bob Marley. So when I was dealing with the situation with my brother, that album helped me, you know, really get, you know, think of happier thoughts and happier moments instead of being so down. So I'm gonna tell you an ill story on how this goes full circle on how music is therapy. Because we was on the same tour. Remember Colleen, that used to be Jay assistant? So, you know, God bless. That's my sister for life. So she went through a family tragedy on this time, right? And she was dealing we all the way in Greece, all the way way from home, going to Italy, everywhere. We not back in America. So she was dealing with something. And I'm like, yo, listen to this album. You know what I'm saying? Like, this helped me on a dark moment traveling on the road. Yo, bro, you know, Karleen managed the girl now. Whoa.

[Rel]

Whoa.

[Memphis Bleak]

How ill is that?

[Rel]

That's full circle.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's therapy, my G. That's therapy to where she introduced me to the woman, to where I know her now.

[Rel]

Wow.

[Memphis Bleak]

And it came from just watching a video in Greece. So when you say music is therapy, it's 100% that, like, thousands of years.

[Rel]

Ago, that's all music was.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean?

[Rel]

Like, you had drums. That's how villagers communicated, you know what I mean? That's how they sent signals to each other.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, that's a fact.

[Rel]

Big drums and you could hear miles. And that's. We need y' all today. Everything's cool. Like, you had signals, you know what I mean? Like, people were sick. You know, you had somebody with a Barry White tone, like, baritone bass voice come in and just put their hands in your chest and. And vibrate and loosen phlegm. And, like, it was. It came from a time where it was more than, you know, what it's been narrowed down to.

[Memphis Bleak]

So with that being said, what do you miss most about the era of your R and B? Cause today's R and B, I feel like they singing. But it's rap. It's rap and beat, bro.

[Rel]

I'm gonna be honest with you. What I miss about my era. Salute to the 90s 90s Bucky's all y' all all over the world.

[Memphis Bleak]

There was assassins out there in the 90s.

[Rel]

Yes, yes, yes. All right, it was nothing but assassins. But what you had in the music in the 90s, and I'm not going to limit this to R and B, you know, I'm just gonna say it because it's the truth. What you had in music all over the 90s, all across the genres, was so you could feel where people were coming from in their raps, in their singing. You could feel where people were coming from. Like, you understood every word. They wanted you to hear every word, and they wanted you to. They wanted to deliver you something that, you know, was worth you going to the store and buying that material, you know, which equivalents to a down low. Now, they. They wanted you to have something that you coveted. Like, nah, they're going to get this period, you know what I mean? The lines. You remember when the Lions used to be around Towers? Like, the line is for Jordans now. Or used to be for Jordans before. You know, they ain't around there.

[Memphis Bleak]

They're around now for balencies.

[Rel]

Right, right, right. People would be, like, waiting for their record to be delivered, you know what I'm saying? Just based on what they heard and what's been promoted. You had your right arm and black beat magazines. All of these things that tied into the culture. You know, it's. It was a different feel because the music had feeling. It had feeling. I respect all the finesse that I hear now. I'm not saying I don't like a lot of what I'm hearing now.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, you gotta respect it.

[Rel]

I respect it. You know what I mean? Like, a lot of artists now are dope. Phonetically dope, vocally dope, lyrically dope. But I just wanna feel where you coming from.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Rel]

That's all.

[Memphis Bleak]

I just feel it's even like that in rap now.

[Rel]

Exactly. That's why I said it's not limited.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying? Some of these guys rap. You don't even know where they from. They just rap. And with that being said, though, where do you see R and B evolving to? Do you see a comeback for that soul, that sound that you miss?

[Rel]

I see the same recycling. It always happens, you know, it's. You know, it's like being in a mess hall or a restaurant. It's not. But so much different shit that, you know, you can serve people. You know, eventually it's gonna go back to seasonings and smells that people are familiar with. Like, whoa, I know this. Yeah, we double back on a Family favorite. And it's gonna happen with the music. It's gonna happen. It's like, okay, a lot. All of the, you know, all of the digital, you know, technology that we have now, you know, everything that you can try with that stuff, it's gonna be tried. But at the end of the day, it's gonna revert back to where it was, and then it's gonna evolve again from that and then revert back to it again. It's just what it is. You know what I mean? That's just how I see it.

[Memphis Bleak]

With that being said, what's in rel? Can't say tape that. Can't even say CD player. What's on rel? MP3 player. What's on your playlist, Scott?

[Rel]

Predominantly 90s. Predominantly 90s. And quite honestly, man, I go where, like most people now, I'm going where social media takes me outside of what moves me. If the same people I've been around are the same people I look to, you know, for that feeling, you know, I love that Wu Tang's doing stuff. I love that you were back, you know, in the music. Chi Cho, I love that, you know, Freeway and all of them are back into music.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Rel]

You know, like, I love what I see going on with Jim outside of all that other, you know, activity.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, we both better than Nas. Don't worry about it.

[Rel]

I love it.

[Memphis Bleak]

We both better than Nas. Don't worry about it. Me and Jim, we agree.

[Rel]

Say less.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, I'm just fucking around. Good, Jim.

[Rel]

Yo, shout out to Davies, too. We got a joint together.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, word?

[Rel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I've been moving around since I got back.

[Memphis Bleak]

I gotta get Davies up here. I gotta tell Dave. They said he shouted me out. You know, I always like certain shout outs, but Davey shout out, I think he told a little bit too much information. He told niggas, you wanna holla at the big homie, holla at Bleak Dave. Don't set these people up. My guy, you got holl at me. Don't set these people up. Nah, I fucks with East. That's my guy. But word, when I heard, it was like, why are you going lie to these people like that? They know damn well I ain't passing the plug off. I'm keeping them. Non. Say, yo, he tucking the plug. He'll share the plug. I ain't sharing the plug no more. I'm tucking the plug. I'm getting mine for 10 again. All right, okay, I'm around.

[Rel]

But, yo, it's one more person I gotta mention I gotta mention my. My current manager, Mr. Ben Johnson.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. It's always that one person that gets you back motivated, man. So if it's Ben Johnson, Ben Johnson got me back. Gotta holla at Chicho, Ben.

[Rel]

Gotta holla. I gotta. Gotta salute you, sir. You know, I know you don't like no attention, but.

[Memphis Bleak]

And those the ones who don't want no attention. You see Chicho, look, he behind the.

[Rel]

Camera like, he directly stop calling my name. Absolutely.

[Memphis Bleak]

They always the ones that don't want no attention. So Ben Johnson.

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

The Chicho. Y' all niggas need to get y' all them niggas behind the scenes motivators. Get you back, right? Told you. Have you like Rocky in the Snow. All right.

[Rel]

Absolutely.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean? So before we. Before everything is said and done, what do you want your legacy to be with Rock and Beyond Roc a fella? What do you say rail legacy is?

[Rel]

I want to say that Rel would be known for just being real and the reputation that I'm trying to build as far as being solid, as far as, you know, being first knowledgeable myself and then, you know, being responsible in my own way for passing that knowledge on.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

Helping those who are ready and prepared to level up. My legacy is to. Is to leave a mark where my love for music is everywhere. You know, I want to be. Excuse me. I want to be remembered the way Jordan or Kobe or any of them is remembered. And for them, it was never about the stats. They just played the best game they could every night, and then by the time the game is over and they, you know, wiping the sweat off and talking to the people from ESPN and all, that's when they're finding out what they actually did numerically.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Rel]

Most of them, they didn't know that they did that till the game was over, and they didn't care when they found out.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

They didn't care when they found out. It was about the next game already. This was over. We got the win. You know, we got in the bag. Wasn't our best night, but what's next? You know what I'm saying? So we just gonna take some time off, get some rest, and focus on the next.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Rel]

That's it. And if I could be remembered for being a guy that did that and had that reputation everywhere, I mean, your name will never die that way.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact, man. And you. You got that reputation with me. Like I said, every Time I call Rat. Yo, I need. I ain't came through Superman with the cape on done. I got you blizz like you, bro. And I just want to say, man, I just found something out that blew my mind away. I'm in the office today. You know, I had to stop by Roc Nation real quick, see my home girl, you know, I ain't seen in a minute. Going there, give a hug. She like, yo, you got my husband pulling up to the pod today. So I'm like, girl, who your husband? She said, rel. Yo, my nigga blew my face off, bro.

[Rel]

My bad.

[Memphis Bleak]

Congratulations, bro. Yo, thank you. And she's a beautiful woman, man. Like, she's one of that. Been down with us since day one and never changed. Always been the same beautiful, respectful woman that she is today. So when I seen that she knew, I was super excited to see her because I haven't seen her in a while. And then she said, y' all got married. I'm like, no.

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[Rel]

Way.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, congratulations. Welcome to the circle, dog. It's a few of us. We in here. A lot of. A lot of niggas join the circle and don't be enjoying it.

[Rel]

We.

[Memphis Bleak]

You look like you enjoying it.

[Rel]

Cause I'm enjoying it.

[Memphis Bleak]

She'll you up if you.

[Rel]

I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying it, bro. I'm still. I'm still waiting on our first fight.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, man, it's never gonna happen.

[Rel]

It ain't gonna happen.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's never gonna happen.

[Rel]

At that point, it's like, I'm still waiting on that. I'm one of those happily ones, you know what I'm saying? Happily. That's why I got the 6 millimeter band.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, that's right.

[Rel]

I want you to see this. From across the street.

[Memphis Bleak]

Me and my wife probably get in one dispute a year, and it's over. Basketball wives or love and hip hop. Like, we either going ratchet or we going classic.

[Rel]

All right?

[Memphis Bleak]

And it's a debut, so we. We dispute that. But after everything, man, I just want to say congratulations. Thank you for pulling up. What's next? For real. What the people could expect. You know where they could find you with the music. What's next, my guy?

[Rel]

Well, I'm gonna say in the immediate future, more music, of course. That's right. If y' all following me on. On my social media platforms, y' all see that I put out, you know, a bunch of material lately. The Remedy album was just released. I'm re releasing the Revelations Cost of living live album I did with the band. My brother's from Brooklyn, from the Bedford area. Brooklyn. Also, I'm about to release the RNG project.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Rel]

So I'm looking forward to rhythm and gangster. Yeah, Just got a word from bro here.

[Memphis Bleak]

So gangsta, I'm back outside. Gangster is on there. Don't worry.

[Rel]

Oh, we always outside, motherfucker. Yeah. So it's gonna be some more acting. I can't give any more detail on that right now, but you're gonna hear some of my music in upcoming TV shows, and you might see my face here and there as well. So we got that on deck. We working out the details on that. More music from my little cousin, Malcolm Simmons. He's got another single coming out soon, so he's about to shake that cage up again with Southern Soul. Navarre, Yaru again, my homie. Also Rucka boy. Jesus Christ, bruh. All right. Nah, I think. I think it was. I think it was a piece of the mess here when I took.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, oh, yeah.

[Rel]

When I smoked last. But Rucker Boy Phil, he's a rapper from my area. Orange Bird celebrated, and we look forward to his material coming out. Mimi Green, the king, Malachi's course, 803 fresh, you know, doing his numbers. We got Intercontinental Kent again, that's Perth Amboy, my homie out that way. So we got a lot of material. We shot some videos down in Isle of Palms in South Carolina. I'm so excited to be here with y'. All.

[Memphis Bleak]

How I forget. Nah, I'm cutting you off right now. You said Perth fanboy, and you struck another memory. Used to have a nigga in the roller skates pull up with the weed on us.

[Rel]

Oh, yeah, Remember I used to come.

[Memphis Bleak]

To Perth with you? That nigga like, yo, the weed man coming. This nigga come down the block rollerblading like this with the zips on them. So we like, yo, this the smoothest drug dealer ever. Yo. Yo, I just thought about that. Like, yo, they got the rollerblade dealer. Yo, we had everything, man. Spice. Shout out, J. Spice.

[Rel]

Yo, Spice. Love you, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, Spice was the realest. He's like the hip hop weed, man. He was not no more. We live better lives now.

[Rel]

Yo, I'm gonna tell you something crazy. Like. Like the Usher Raymond record I wrote. Here I Stand when Dre and Vidal was in Sony.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, I didn't know you wrote that.

[Rel]

That's where my Grammy nomination came from, writing that down.

[Memphis Bleak]

Talk, that big dog shit. You know what I mean?

[Rel]

You know, But I got on that record because Spice was going there to see Dre and Vidal.

[Memphis Bleak]

No way.

[Rel]

Dead ass. And they like, yeah, we in here doing some stuff. And then Spice put the word in. Yo, you know how he talked. Yeah, Yo, Rel's at the crib. What's up?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, yeah, he got that. He popped out.

[Rel]

And Vidal was like, yeah, Rel can come through, and the rest is history. So, Spikes, Spice got me in link with Don Omar. The Calm My Nerves record I did with Don Omar. Spice, here I stand. Usher spice, roommate, Mr. And spice boots. What up? Yeah, Spice was taking it back.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, Spice was the plug, right?

[Rel]

Spice was that dude.

[Memphis Bleak]

I steal that dude. Only thing Spice knew that used to piss me off. And it could be like, yeah, Daddy, whatever you need, Daddy. Like, yo, Spice, don't. Don't call me that. Spice, I think, Spice, I got a nigga in the crew. You need to link up with. My man Prez. Y' all niggas could daddy each other to death.

[Rel]

Hey, I was just about to say that.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm the only two niggas I know that do that. Yeah, Daddy, I got you. Huh?

[Rel]

That's definitely a Latin thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, it gotta be.

[Rel]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cause a black nigga, like, ain't do, nigga, like, what? I don't even call my pops Daddy.

[Rel]

It's like.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, Ray Mama said bring the juice, Ray Pops.

[Rel]

That's all you getting? Word you might get dad.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, my son never said daddy. I don't think he ever like, yo, Daddy. Yeah, y' all niggas gotta stop that shit, man.

[Rel]

This is it.

[Memphis Bleak]

After this episode dropped, no nigga should ever say to another man, yeah, Daddy, I got the weed. Whatever, Daddy. You need to the dude say, daddy is right. No, after this. Over. So Spice and Press, it's over.

[Rel]

All right.

[Memphis Bleak]

We go end it on that one. Spice and Prayers is over. It's rail in the building. Remedy album is out rhythm, and gangster is dropping. We on some. And the gangster is definitely in the building. Appreciate you, my brother.

[Rel]

Appreciate you, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

Love is always, man. You know that, man. 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.

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[Memphis Bleak]

Fox 1 is now live. It's the new way to stream all your Fox favorites all in one place. That means NFL Sundays and college football games, breaking news with the Fox voices you trust and your favorite shows streamed as they happen. So nothing gets spoiled. With Fox one, you get it all live, edge of your seat plays, jaw dropping moments and that feeling like you're right there in the action. Start your seven day trial today. Offers are subject to change. Go to Fox One for complete terms and conditions. 1. We live for live streaming now.

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[Rel]

This is an Iheart podcast.