Memphis Bleek

Rapper/Actor A protégé of Jay-Z, this Brooklyn-raised rhymer came to the attention of the hip hop nation when he appeared on the song “Coming of Age” from Jay’s classic debut Reasonable Doubt. After stand-out cameos on several Jigga singles, including “It’s Alright,” Bleek (one of the first artists signed to the Roc-A-Fella label) launched his own stellar rap career with 1999’s gold-selling Coming of Age. The next year, he followed up with The Understanding, which also went gold. With his high profile at Roc-A-Fella, Bleek also parlayed a brief acting career, starring in such classic hood films as State Property and Paper Soldiers.