Coming of Age (Memphis Bleek album)

Coming Of Age is the debut album by American rapper Memphis Bleek.[1] It was released August 3, 1999 via The Island Def Jam Music Group, Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records on August 3, 1999. The album spawned the hit single "Memphis Bleek Is...". The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 14, 1999, for shipment of over 500,000 units.

Coming of Age
Studio album by
Memphis Bleek
ReleasedAugust 3, 1999
GenreHip hop
Length50:13
Label
ProducerDamon Dash, Kareem Burke
Memphis Bleek chronology
Coming of Age
(1999)		 The Understanding
(2000)
Singles from Coming of Age
  1. "Memphis Bleek Is..."
    Released: June 8, 1999
  2. "What You Think Of That"
    Released: October 6, 1999

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
USA Today[5]

Matt Diehl of Entertainment Weekly praised Bleek for holding his own lyrically alongside guest artists Ja Rule and N.O.R.E., and displaying striking sensitivity on "Regular Cat". He also noted how the album's production of "ominous inner-city symphonies and raw street beats" was ageless.[3] Keith Farley from AllMusic noted how Bleek's vocal delivery was more "street-level" than Jay-Z's, along with the album containing an "urban funk" style like most of his material, concluding that "Still, Coming of Age is a fine debut that shows Memphis Bleek already leaps and bounds ahead of most rappers."[2] In a dual review with Ja's Venni Vetti Vecci, Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield felt that Bleek came across as a cliché-filled rapper that lacked witticism in his lyrics and wasted the beats given to him by his producers.[4]

Track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Pain in da Ass Intro" 0:43
2."Who's Sleeping" (featuring Reb)Patrick Viala2:40
3."Memphis Bleek Is..."Swizz Beatz4:08
4."What You Think of That" (featuring Jay-Z)Buckwild4:40
5."Murda 4 Life" (featuring Ja Rule)
4:47
6."You're All Welcome (Pain Interlude)" 0:37
7."Stay Alive In NYC"J-Runnah4:14
8."You a Thug Nigga"Irv Gotti4:14
9."N.O.W." (featuring Da Ranjahz)Dark Half4:16
10."Everybody"Omen4:00
11."I Won't Stop" (featuring Dark Half)Big Demi3:07
12."My Hood to Your Hood" (featuring Beanie Sigel)
  • Irv Gotti
  • Mr. Fingers
3:47
13."Why You Wanna Hate For" (featuring N.O.R.E.)The Burn Unit3:49
14."Regular Cat"J-Runnah5:12

Samples

Regular Cat

Stay Alive in NYC

What You Think of That

Who's Sleeping

  • "If This World Were Mine" by Zulema

Personnel
  • Juan Allen – Engineer
  • B-High – Executive Producer
  • Big Jaz – Producer, Executive Producer
  • Buckwild – Producer
  • Kareem "Biggs" Burke – Executive Producer
  • Eric "Ebo" Butler – Mixing
  • Eric Butler – Mixing
  • Shawn Carter – Executive Producer
  • Tim Coyne – Mastering
  • Tom Coyne – Mastering
  • Da Ranjahz – Performer
  • Dark Half – Producer
  • Damon Dash – Executive Producer
  • Irv Gotti – Producer, Mixing
  • J-Runnah – Producer
  • Ja Rule – Performer
  • Jay-Z – Performer
  • Robert "Shim" Kirkland – Producer
  • Lil Rob – Producer
  • Jonathan Mannion – Photography
  • Mr. Fingers – Producer
  • Monica Morrow – Stylist
  • Noreaga – Performer
  • Bernard "Big Demi" Parker – Producer
  • Joe Quinde – Engineer, Mixing
  • Beanie Sigel – Performer
  • Chico Spades – Engineer
  • Swizz Beatz – Producer
  • Tai – Multi Instruments, Producer
  • Darold Trotter – Producer
  • Patrick Viala – Producer, Engineer, Mixing
  • Carlisle Young – Engineer

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "Coming of Age: Memphis Bleek: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  2. Farley, Keith. "Coming of Age - Memphis Bleek". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  3. Diehl, Matt (September 3, 1999). "Music Review: 'Coming of Age'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  4. Sheffield, Rob (August 19, 1999). "Memphis Bleek : Coming of Age". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  5. USA Today review
  6. "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  7. "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  8. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  9. "American album certifications – Memphis Bleek – Coming of Age". Recording Industry Association of America.
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