In the fifth episode of Artist 2 Artist, an unfiltered conversation series, Harlem’s Jim Jones and Brooklyn’s Memphis Bleek found themselves addressing old tensions between Roc Nation, Dipset, and G-Unit. The chat quickly turned into a fiery defense of loyalty and independence after Bleek and Capo responded to recent criticism from Tony Yayo, longtime friend and G-Unit lieutenant of 50 Cent.
Yayo had previously implied that Jay-Z doesn’t “take care of his people,” a claim that struck a nerve with Bleek, one of Hov’s most loyal protégés since the Roc-A-Fella era. During the discussion, Bleek firmly pushed back against that narrative.
“That’s why you got ns like Yayo talking about, ‘Yeah, Jay don’t take care of…’ Nah, I don’t need Jay to go on tour,” Bleek said. “Ain’t nobody taking care of ns over here, B… All these n****s worrying about who taking care who. We lit. We getting money.”
Jim Jones & Memphis Bleek Rip Tony Yayo
His words reaffirmed what fans have long known — Bleek’s bond with Jay-Z runs deeper than money. Still, his defense lit a spark in Jim Jones, who jumped in to amplify the message and fire back at Yayo. The Dipset rapper unleashed a series of sharp jabs that blended humor and hostility.
“People look at Bleek and don’t understand the business he’s doing. They always look at Jay like… But Bleek out here making moves,” Jones began, before taking direct aim at Yayo. “Yayo smoke hard coke, ya heard me. You look like you need to be taken care of. Go to the dentist, brush your teeth, get some hygiene, n***a. You look like you need help.”
Jim didn’t stop there, calling out Yayo’s perceived financial struggles while invoking a line straight out of Paid in Full: “Tell your man 50 to send you an ounce or something. I got a G for every bump on your face.”
The remarks reflected years of rivalry among the crews as each ascended to the top of hip hop at different periods. Resurfacing the long history of competition in New York City hip hop since its birth in the Bronx.
The viral clip reignited long-dormant tensions between New York rap factions once at the center of the 2000s mixtape wars. Jones’ outburst highlighted a key truth in hip-hop: real hustlers define themselves by their grind, not by who supports them.
Leave a Reply