The complicated history of Roc-A-Fella Records continues to spark headlines, with Beanie Sigel once again offering a glimpse into the dynamics behind the label’s golden era. Sigel alleged that Jay-Z, the label’s co-founder and megastar, ghostwrote verses for his protégé Memphis Bleek and gave him preferential treatment during the creation of group tracks.
“Jay Helped Bleek Out a Lot”
In a recent interview with The Art of Dialogue, Beanie Sigel didn’t mince words when discussing his perception of Jay-Z’s role in shaping Memphis Bleek’s career.
“Of course, Jay helped Bleek out on a lot of sh*t,” Sigel asserted. “You can hear it.”
He urged fans to pay attention to Bleek’s rhyme schemes, suggesting they often bore the unmistakable touch of Jay-Z’s pen. Sigel went further, claiming that when all three artists collaborated on tracks, Jay-Z would allegedly “cheat” to make Bleek look better.
“Especially if us three was on a record together. If I ain’t right there with Jay, too far behind him, Bleek wouldn’t have stood a chance,” he explained.
Recording The Dynasty Album: A Turning Point
Sigel pointed to the recording sessions for Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000) as a significant moment where this favoritism allegedly played out. According to Sigel, Bleek was initially absent from several tracks during the album’s early sessions.
“Let’s just say it was five records. Me and Jay and Bleek was supposed to be on ’em. And he wasn’t on none of them. Like for weeks.”
He then recalled how, seemingly overnight, Bleek’s verses appeared on four of those tracks.
“I know he had a little assistance. He got the alley oop,” Sigel concluded.
Dame Dash Backs the Claims
Beanie Sigel’s allegations aren’t the first to suggest that Memphis Bleek relied on Jay-Z’s ghostwriting. Dame Dash, Roc-A-Fella’s co-founder, made a similar claim in a 2024 interview. Dash alleged that Bleek’s career was tightly tethered to Jay-Z’s involvement.
“Jay was writing a lot of his rhymes, so if Jay retired, that meant Bleek’s business would’ve ended too,” Dash claimed.
Memphis Bleek Denies the Allegations
Unsurprisingly, Memphis Bleek has vehemently denied the accusations. Following Dash’s 2024 comments, Bleek took to Twitter to clap back, accusing his former boss of seeking attention.
“He wilding right now, bro,” Bleek tweeted, dismissing the claims as baseless.
As of now, Bleek has yet to publicly address Beanie Sigel’s latest remarks, but with both Sigel and Dash raising the same allegations, fans are left wondering if there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
The tension between Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, and Memphis Bleek serves as a reminder of Roc-A-Fella’s complicated legacy—a blend of groundbreaking music and enduring controversy. While Jay-Z’s influence and Bleek’s loyalty have never been questioned, these ghostwriting claims cast a shadow on one of hip-hop’s most celebrated eras.
Whether or not more details emerge, one thing is clear: the dynamics within Roc-A-Fella will continue to captivate fans and fuel discussions about loyalty, talent, and artistic collaboration.
