Memphis Bleek Says JAY-Z’s Haters “Deserved that spanking”
The Roc Nation rapper-turned-podcaster shared his take on Hov’s Roots Picnic freestyle.
Memphis Bleek recently offered his take on JAY-Z’s Roots Picnic freestyle from late May. Bleek sat down with Boardroom and shared his thoughts on JAY’s freestyle and spoke about the mogul’s approach.
“JAY just be having verses. I know,” he said after admitting that he didn’t really get to hear the freestyle until it hit social media due to how chaotic it was backstage. “I be trying to get him to spit, but he got too many verses that he just tucks. When you’re a writer, you’re a rapper, you’re an artist, you’re gonna continue to write. Whether you release it or not.”
At the Roots Picnic on May 30, JAY-Z performed as one of the event’s headliners. During his set, the Brooklyn rap icon unleashed a freestyle that took aim at critics, rivals and former friends, including Dame Dash, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj.
“Everybody get hit. He put the fully on,” Bleek said. “These kids got the switch, they don’t know about the fully. They know Shawn Carter, they know JAY-Z, they don’t know Jigga. That’s Jigga. Welcome, man.”
Bleek went on to say that he’s glad JAY took shots.
“I’m happy he did ’cause a lot of people they just talk and talk and talk and its no one to rebuke it, to go against it, speak the truth,” he said. “So lies get spewed all over the Internet and turned into truth. Because, you know, these guys are gonna believe what they want, but it’s not the other side fighting against it, only the lie seems like the truth. So, I’m glad he put belt to ass on certain people. They deserved that spanking.
“JAY always responds through music,” Bleek continued. “Anything he’s feeling or going through, it’s always been in the music. That’s how we’ve always been. All of us. We really don’t get on here like, ‘Yo, I hate this rapper. When I see you, I’ma catch you.’ It’s on the record. If we’re going to entertain, I’ma make money off it. I’m not gonna just go on here and just be on everybody platform. Your algorithms go up and I’m just angry.”
“I’m glad he put belt to a** on certain people; they need that spanking.”
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) June 29, 2026
Memphis Bleek reflects on Jay-Z’s freestyle and the Roc-A-Fella reunion at Roots Picnic as he reveals he recently told Beanie Sigel and Freeway that they should all get in the studio to record a 5 to 6… pic.twitter.com/T6qQvJgxV7
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