M.a.d.e.

Personnel includes: Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Chris, Proof, Trick Daddy, Jay-Z, Donell Jones, Beanie Sigel, Latif, Nate Dogg, M.O.P., Rell, Lil, Cease, Geda K.
Producers include: Just Blaze, Kanye West, T.T., E Bass, Art & Life.
Recorded at Baseline Studios, New York, New York.
From the Scorsese-like voiceover intro referencing Memphis Bleek mentor Jay-Z's retirement from music and Bleek's initiation as a "made" Roc-A-Fella, this follow-up to 2000's UNDERSTANDING feels like the attempted anointing of a successor to the Godfather. Whether Bleek can fill Jay's shoes is a matter for conjecture, but on this showing he's got the chops and the ideas to make a respectable attempt. M.A.D.E. builds on the foundations of Bleek's previous two albums and shows increasing confidence on cuts such as the insistent "Everything's a Go" and the snaky "Murda Murda," with its hushed, urgent lyric. On this showing though, one thing's clear--Memphis Bleek is a rapper who's not about to desert his roots, no matter how big his future might be.