Memph Bleek is…yes, he’s back. After the retirement of his friend Jay-Z, young Memphis Bleek who’s been in this since 96, before he could drive whips, is releasing his third solo album “M.A.D.E.”. After two records that were not able to fulfil the people’s hopes, this third on hopefully will give him the credits he deserves: it’s a good album.

“M.A.D.E.” stands for money, attitude, direction, education. Only the title of the album already shows y’all what Memph said and stressed in our interview with him: He’s grown now. Doesn’t mean he’s gonna change all over though, he’s still the same man but just takes on more responsibility, meaning that some of this album’s tracks go deeper than anything you ever heard of this cat. The sound carpet of the album is very Roc-A-Fella: Just Blaze did a lot, Kanye West did some tracks, Scott Storch is on it, Darrell “Digga” Branch, not to name all. Especially Kanye and Blaze (of course!) make the album Roc-A-Fella , ‘cause their name brand tracks just give you this vibe.

“Roc-A-Fella Get Low Respect It” is, in my ears, the dopest track on the record, and it’s the first one on the record. We start with some mafioso-type of intro, then Coptic lazes the beat which is a trumpet-driven anthem – “I’m back” style. Memph spits a couple of good lines, nothing extraordinary though, but a good track, and the beat is fat and catchy. However, I don’t like the next one: “Everything’s a go” feat. Jay-Z is one of the few Just Blaze things I don’t like: Too nervous for me taste, but decide yourself. Check “Just Blaze, Bleek and Free” with Just Blaze and Freeway to get another type of Just Blaze tune – now that one’s fat, got more drive, but still one that’s gonna make your girlfriend run to the dance floor. Bleek shows his coming of age on “I Wanna Love U” feat. Donell Jones. Now this one ain’t polygamy no more, but is about one girl. “Murda Murda” with Beans and Jay is extremely hot, a beat awakes the dead and goes straight into your neck (Scott Storch shit), and these three cats exchanging rhymes. “Hood Muzik” has got the right title: M.O.P. make the track worth it’s name with their so-down-to-earth street style. “1,2 Y’all”, to end this part of the review, is banging.

Bottom line: A good album, a record that hopefully will make numbers, that will give Bleek the credits he deserves, that finally will make Bleek standing for himself as an artist on his own and not only as Jay-Z’s sidekick. “M.A.D.E.” is worth listening to – and worth buying. Especially if you like Just Blaze and Kanye. Memph Bleek is…