There were lots of New York crews fighting for hip-hop supremacy in the 2000s. Ruff Ryders, Dipset, and Terror Squad all made legitimate strides, but Roc-A-Fella ultimately came out on top. It helped that the Roc had the biggest solo star of the era in Jay-Z. Memphis Bleek was one of the rappers who held it down alongside Hov, so he got to see the absolute best that NY had to offer. It carries a lot of weight, then, when someone like him praises a crew from a younger generation.
Memphis Bleek recently discussed the lineage of New York hip-hop during a recent appearance on Fresh Pair. The rapper was asked about the lasting impact of Roc-A-Fella Records, and he claimed that nobody has surpassed it. "Some people still try to create that Roc wave," he explained. "You got a couple people that came close." The one Bleek has been most impressed with was ASAP Mob. Apparently, he's a fan of what the Harlem collective has done over the last decade.
Memphis Bleek Praised ASAP Mob For Coming "Close"
"The closest team that I thought was gonna do it was the ASAP crew," the rapper noted. "I can't front that, they all was shakin." It's easy to see why Bleek was so impressed. ASAP Mob helped to popularize "cloud rap" in the mainstream courtesy of ASAP Rocky's 2011 mixtape, Live. Love. ASAP. Rocky went on to become a bonafide pop star off the success of singles like "Goldie" and "F*ckin' Problemz." Ferg was the next one up, and he bolstered the Mob's street credentials. ASAP Mob's aesthetic also carried over to the world of fashion.
ASAP Mob agrees with Memphis Bleek's sentiment. During a Billboard interview, the crew referenced Roc-A-Fella as a major influence. "We look up to Wu-Tang Clain, Dipset, G-Unit, Roc-A-Fella, all them n**gas before us, but we’re the best, bro," ASAP Rocky claimed. "You can’t be mad at us thinking we’re the best." ASAP Ant doubled down. "We, like we were one of the crews that brought it back to Wu-Tang, Roc-A-Fella Records," he added. "We provided the wave to the new generation."