The Understanding

The next artist from Roc-A-Fella records releases an album. This time it comes from Memphis Bleek with his sophomore release "The Understanding". Does Bleek have what it takes to make us understand, or is he yet another of many to fall into the hell of sophomore slump.

Intro – Boy, please tell me that this Intro doesn’t mean that the entire album is going to be like this. If so, we’re in for some trouble. Basically talks about how hot he is, and that’s he’s back. By listening to this track, all I can think of is…so.

"And them white boys shoot shit up, they can listen to this shit. I don’t give two fucks?" –Memphis Bleek

$.05

Do My (ft Jay-Z) – Beat is a head bouncer, kind of futuristic. Memphis does ok. I guess as good as he can do. The track is basically a dance track, which asks, "Do my ladies, fellas, ect. run this motha?" Not very original track, and Jay-Z just throws in a few words in chorus and background.

$.50

I Get High – It appears that Memphis does better when he’s telling a story while rapping. This track is laid back, and I’m feeling it. The chorus will become annoying to you after awhile, but if you are high when you’re listening to it. It will just further relax you.

"I gets high, rolling down the I-95. Ma, Don’t ask why. I love getting high while I drive. I can’t lie, I puff la." - Memphis Bleek
$1.25

We Get Low – Funny the track that says I get High, is slow paced and the one that says we get low is fast paced. Whatever. This is yet another track about weed, and the life. Nothing special. This sounds like a song that Bustah Rhymes would do…don’t know why. (Note, ALL of these songs are short ass hell. We’re talking just cracking 3 minutes or less.)

$.25

Change Up (ft. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) – I would just like to start this by saying the track is 2 minutes long..not a good sign. Beanie starts this track, letting the hard beat ride through. Memphis comes in and gives an equally good verse, matching the baseline of the beat as he rhymes (the beat changes). Jigga comes in and says how he can’t rap on this beat..he needs some real ish. This track was a lead in to the following track. A shame to, cause I was really feeling this one.

$1.00

My Mind Right (Ft. Jay-Z & Money Bags) – This is a remix to the track of the same name. Jigga comes in and lays down a tight ass verse (was there any doubt?), Bleek comes in and keeps the intensity of the song in tact. This is a get hype fight song, and it works very well.

$1.85

Hustlers (ft. Beanie Sigel) – This track is hot…REAL HOT! There’s a holy-esque hum in the background, with a simple snare and rimshot beat. Bleek and Sigel bless the track like no one could, telling the life of Hustlers. It may be a tired cliché of a topic, but these two do it well.

"I done learnt from that Puff and that Lopez shit, I ain’t runnin in no club on some loco shit. I’m a catch you where you sit put four in yo whip. Catch your girl in the club..put nut in you bitch" – Memphis Bleek

$3.00

All Types of Shit – Man, just when I was starting to get a new opinion of Bleek…his pissed on me. This track uses the style similar to Juvenile with "HA" and Nelly with any song he does, where the last words of each line rhyme with shit or is the word shit. I’m not a fan of when Juvenile did it, nor when Nelly did it. Though Memphis is better lyrically than those two (not that hard to be), it just doesn’t work. Those two guys’ songs were better than this, and I loathe them..with a passion. It’s a boring track that takes me down off the hype ride I was starting to get on.

$.10

PYT (ft. Jay-Z, Amil) – Pretty Young Thing is what the title acronym stands for, and this song is pretty hot. Jay-Z handles the hook, which is hot and Memphis handles the verses very well as he describes the kind of girl he wants. Ugh...there’s Amil. Heh, well seeing as how she’s just guesting for a very small portion of the song. Her voice doesn’t become they annoying drill that it usually does. (Note, I actually liked Amil’s album but will agree that her voice will cause massive suicides). She doesn’t mess up the track.

$1.50

Bounce Bitch – Ok…who turned on my Playstation 2? What, nobody. You mean that videogame beat I hear is coming from this Memphis Bleek album. Uhhhh. I believe this is supposed to be a party track, but it fails cause its way too fruity for anyone to get hype to. I feel like playing Q-bert now. Unlike where Beanie Sigel used Pac-Man to back his track on his album, Memphis Bleek allows this beat to control his track.

"And I’m a juvenile bitch, so back that ass up. You drink, I’m a cognac ya ass up." – Memphis Bleek

$.01

They’ll Never Play Me – WHOOO! This is some hot ish, didn’t know Bleek had it in him. This is all Bleek, and he rips it hard on this one. The beat is laid back, but has a sort of western vibe to it. Hard to explain, but its still hot. He’s basically telling everyone who hates and compares him to Jigga and claim how he’s not all that to go to hell.

"My fans askin me, "Bleek, you dissin squads?" Ma, I’m dissin everyone and everyone feel they involved" – Memphis Bleek

$3.00

Everyday (ft. Carl Thomas) – Memphis does the best he can with this track, but Carl Thomas is one depressing ass bastard. No matter what he’s signing about…Rain, being emotional…whatever. He starts up massive suicides, and it has a negative effect on this track. I have nev…zzz..zzz..zz

$.00

Is That Yo Chick (ft. Jay-Z, Twista & Missy Elliott) – What, there’s more?!? I was so ready to go to sleep after that track. Oh my..this is hot ish!! Wait a minute…I’ve heard this before. The same song was cut from the final track list of Jay-Z’s volume 3. Heh, I loved it then..and it’s still hot. . This is the full version, unlike the video..the extra Jigga verses are there and Twista verse returns. Timbaland blessed the hell out of this beat, and Jay-Z and Twista's verses are unbelievable, those two seem to do exceptionally well on Timbo beats. Memphis holds his own compared to the two veterans. Memphis gets lost in this track.

$5.00

In My life – This is another great story song, unfortunately the placement of this song on this album seems a little odd. Most people end their song with the slow, family/story song…but for some strange reason this entire album seems badly paced.

$.50

Wow, not sure how this album got an $18.01 price worth. I may have to work on my rating scale. This album is ok, not great…but it doesn’t put Memphis on that Sophomore slump that so many people find themselves on. This album would have been even greater had the songs that were good been longer, and the slow songs such as "Everyday" were completely removed. There are a handful of REALLY great songs, and a ton of filler material. So buy this album with extreme caution, you may just want to wait until singles are released separately and purchase them then. Cause even as high as this price worth is, I can’t honestly recommend the entire thing.

Album worth: $18.01

Album price: $13.99

Click on the picture above to head to Memphis Bleek's official site.

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-Interested in buying this CD? Look no further: Memphis Bleek - The Understanding.