Memphis Bleek says JAY-Z isn’t dropping new music because no one in Hip-Hop is pushing him to do it.
During a sit-down on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast Monday (September 17), the Roc-A-Fella alum explained that the rap mogul’s creative fire was once fueled by rivals like Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and Eminem—but today, that competitive spark is missing.
“So now I feel it’s to a point Jay needs to be challenged to do music,” Bleek said. “Not saying that somebody need to diss him or competition. He just feels like there’s no one on his level. When Eminem was making music, Pun was making music, Biggie, Tupac, those guys, he had competition to be like, ‘Oh, I got to be number one.’ It’s no competition for Jay now.”
Bleek also pointed to JAY-Z’s early ambivalence about fame, noting that his longtime friend never intended to stay in the spotlight for decades.
“If you go back to his first album, second album around that time, he always was talking about retiring after his first album,” Bleek added. “Then he was like, I’mma retire after the second album. He never wanted to do this and be this glamorous superstar. He wanted to be the biggest businessman. So that’s why, if you see music, is the backbone, but his business is his personality. That’s who he is, the businessman. And that’s what overshadows the music.”
He even joked, “Unless he want to battle me.”
Memphis Bleek Sparks JAY-Z Comeback Rumors
The conversation comes weeks after Bleek unintentionally stirred up buzz about a possible JAY-Z comeback during an appearance on “Drink Champs.”
He recalled a backstage chat with Hov at Beyoncé’s final “Cowboy Carter Tour” stop in Las Vegas, where he asked for a verse.
“I said, ‘Listen, I know you working. Save me a verse,’” Bleek said. “He’s like, ‘Alright, I got you.’ So if it happens, it happens.”
That offhand comment snowballed into full-blown album rumors—rumors JAY-Z quickly shut down.
According to producer Cash Cobain, JAY-Z personally called him to deny any new project was in the works.
Bleek later confirmed the clarification himself on his “ROC Solid” podcast with Cam’ron, saying, “That n#### called me, ‘Yo Bleek, when the last record you heard of mine that the album dropping?’ I said, ‘N#### chill. Let’s just call it wishful thinking.’”
Jay-Z personally called Memphis Bleek to tell him when was the last time he seen him record new music after
Memphis Bleek’s recent statement on Drink Champs and told Bleek there’s no new album dropping anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/KpyuLhCosS
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) September 9, 2025
As of now, JAY-Z has made it clear he’s not planning to release new music anytime soon.
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