534
A grayscale photo of Memphis Bleek, showing him wearing three Roc-A-Fella pendants, arranged to form a triangle. The text "Memphis Bleek 534" is placed above his head.
Studio album by
Memphis Bleek
ReleasedMay 17, 2005
Recorded2004–2005
GenreHip hop
Length48:51
Label
Producer
Memphis Bleek chronology
M.A.D.E.
(2003)		 534
(2005)

534 is the fourth studio album by rapper Memphis Bleek. It was released by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings on May 17, 2005. The album was executive produced Bleek's mentor and childhood friend Jay-Z, who also recorded the song "Dear Summer" for the album. Other guests include Young Gunz, M.O.P., and Rihanna, whose appearance on the song "The One" was the major label debut.

534 debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 60,000 copies in the first week. The album received mixed reviews from music critics, with most of them praising the production on the album, while criticizing Memphis Bleek's lyrics and performance.

Recording

534 was recorded in a "relatively stripped down studio setting", with help from Young Guru. In an interview with Billboard magazine Memphis Bleek said this setup was reminiscent of the times when he just started rapping.[1] The album was executive produced by Bleek's childhood friend Jay-Z, under the name "The Carter Administration".[2] Jay-Z, who previously announced his retirement, also recorded a song for the album, "Dear Summer", which was supposed to be his final song.[3] Unlike other songs on the album, "Dear Summer" doesn't feature Memphis Bleek's vocals.[4]

According to Memphis Bleek, 534 was a "people's album", as he was trying to appeal to the tastes of various people around him. "I let a good opportunity slip by", said Bleek in an interview to HipHopDX.[5]

534 included the first major-label recording from Rihanna, "The One", which preceded her debut single "Pon de Replay" by a few weeks.[6]

The album's title is a reference to the address of Marcy Houses, 534 Flushing Ave., where Bleek and Jay-Z grew up.[1]

Release

534 was released on May 17, 2005,[7] by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings.[8] Upon its release, the album charted in the US Billboard 200, where it debuted at number 11 with 60,000 copies sold in the first week.[9][10] 534 also reached number 3 on Billboard's US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 1 on US Top Rap Albums.[11][12] As of 2009, the album sold 164,000 copies.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Blender[14]
Entertainment WeeklyC[15]
HipHopDX[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]
Pitchfork Media4.3/10[18]
PopMatters5/10[19]
RapReviews7.5/10[20]
Rolling Stone[21]

534 received mixed reviews from music critics. In his review for AllMusic, Andy Kellman said that "[e]ven in its best moments [...] it's usually the production work [...] that attracts the attention, not Bleek".[7] Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly praised Jay-Z's performance on the track "Dear Summer", while simultaneously criticized Memphis Bleek as his "unimaginative apprentice", who's left with the rest of the album, which she called an "uneven mix of contrived party songs and well-produced yet lyrically insipid street tales".[15] Anthony Springer from HipHopDX wrote of the album: "While 534 is a step up for Bleek, several missteps keep this album from reaching its full potential". Despite that, he considered 534 to be one of the best Bleek's albums.[16] Soren Baker of Los Angeles Times thought 534 was an "uneven [collection] of rap cliches and music production styles that have been pioneered by other artists", similar to Bleek's previous albums.[17] Pitchfork's Tom Breihan criticized the album, calling Bleek's lyrics "staggeringly lame" and "bizarrely terrible", but praised the production and Jay-Z's performance on "Dear Summer".[18] Justin Cober-Lake of PopMatters described Memphis Bleek's performance on the album as "a steady if uninventive flow and straightforward lyrics".[19] James Corne from RapReviews assessed the album as above average, claiming that it's a "good listen, but [Bleek is] just not a top rank contender" and that 534 is "still too generic to stand out". He ended his review stating: "Each song aims at hitting a different listener instead of using the universal appeal of emotion and empathy to sell us all".[20] Rolling Stone magazine published a positive review for the album, saying that Memphis Bleek "matches the sleek intensity of Just Blaze's beats, providing smart and brassy [...] rhymes".[21] The Washington Post's Joe Warminsky characterized Bleek's performance as "monosyllabic, slang-heavy lyrics [that] rarely offer more than one-dimensional descriptions of life", while commending the album's producers.[22]

Track listing

Credits are adapted from Tidal.[23]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."534"Graham Preskett, Justin Smith, Malik CoxJust Blaze2:42
2."Interlude"Smith, Lisa KochJust Blaze0:16
3."Dear Summer" (performed by Jay-Z)Don Blackman, Smith, Shawn CarterJust Blaze2:53
4."Like That"Ken Williams, Kasseem Dean, Cox, Paul Simon, Rudy Clark, Ralph BaileySwizz Beatz3:16
5."Infatuated" (featuring Boxie)Demetrius McGhee, Irving Lorenzo, Jeffrey Atkins, CoxDemi-Doc, Irv Gotti4:05
6."The One" (featuring Rihanna)Carl Sturken, Charles Jackson, Evan Rogers, Cox, Marvin Yancy, Roosevelt HarrellBink!4:00
7."First, Last and Only" (featuring M.O.P.)Eric Murray, Jamal Grinnage, LeRoy Bell, Leroy Hutson, Cox, Michael HawkinsLeQawn Bell3:01
8."Get Low" (featuring Livin' Proof)Bobby Pointer, Chad Hamilton, Cox, Obress Guy, Ronald Simmons, Ryan Presson, Walter Simmons, Wylie DixonChad Hamilton, Ryan Press3:03
9."Oh Baby" (featuring Young Gunz)Christopher Ries, Hanif Muhammad, Cox, HarrellBink!4:06
10."Smoke the Pain Away" (featuring Denim)Dexter Wansel, Cox, Patrick Douthit9th Wonder4:27
11."Hater Free"Cox, Shea TaylorShea Taylor3:58
12."Alright"Cox, Douthit, Teddy Randazzo9th Wonder3:52
13."All About Me"Bruce Fischel, Eric Matlock, Gerald Stevens, Cox, Randy Klein, Vicky GermaiseCoptic4:20
14."Straight Path"Al Green, Smith, Cox, Willie MitchellJust Blaze4:52
Total length:48:51

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.[24][23]

  • Jay-Z – executive producer (credited as "The Carter Administration")[2]
  • Young Guru – mixing, A&R
  • Doug Wilson – mixing
  • Milwaukee Buck – mixing
  • Tony Dawsey – mastering
  • David Brown – vocal engineer
  • Rob Heselden – production assistant
  • Andrea Derby – production coordination
  • Andrew Huggins – A&R
  • Erica Bowen – A&R
  • Shalik Berry – A&R
  • Terese Joseph – A&R
  • Eric Weissman – sample clearance
  • Robert Sims – art direction, design
  • Nichell Delvaille – design coordination
  • Jonathan Mannion – photography
  • Andrea Mitchell – photo production
  • Monica Morrow – stylist

Charts

Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[9] 11
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 3
US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[12] 1


References

  1. 1 2 "Hot Product". Billboard. 15 May 2005. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 Godfrey, Sarah (8 July 2005). "Punk Roc". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Kangas, Chaz (19 December 2012). "What the Not Jay and Ye Members of Roc-A-Fella Records Have Been Up To". The Village Voice. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Charity, Justin. "Memphis Bleek Is Still a Hit Away...And That's OK". Complex. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  5. ↑ Arnold, Paul (25 December 2009). "Memphis Bleek: Strength & Loyalty". HipHopDX. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Walker, John. "9 Forgotten Features From Beyonce, Katy, Gaga And More". MTV. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. 534 at AllMusic. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. 30 Jul 2005. p. 49. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2021-11-21. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Mar, Alex (25 May 2005). "System of a Down, Toby Keith Top Chart". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2021-11-17. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Top Rap Albums". Billboard. 4 June 2005. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Erwin, Jack (November 17, 2009). "Long Player: XXL Presents Def Jam's Entire Rap Discography". XXL. Harris Publications (119): 72. ISSN 1093-0647.
  14. ↑ Blender review
  15. 1 2 Watson, Margeaux (May 20, 2005). "534 Review". Entertainment Weekly. No. 820. p. 77. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  16. 1 2 Springer, Anthony (2005-05-17). "Memphis Bleek – 534". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  17. 1 2 Baker, Soren (May 22, 2005). "Record Rack: Memphis Bleek – 534". Los Angeles Times. p. E.38. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  18. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (2005-06-05). "Memphis Bleek: 534 Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  19. 1 2 Cober, Justin. "Memphis Bleek: 534". PopMatters. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  20. 1 2 Corne, James (2005-05-17). "Feature for May 17, 2005 - Memphis Bleek's "534"". RapReviews. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  21. 1 2 Hoard, Christian; Dibenedetti, Christian (June 2, 2005). "Memphis Bleek: 534 : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. No. 975. p. 75. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  22. ↑ Warminsky, Joe (June 1, 2005). "Memphis Bleek's '534': Rap Strictly by the Numbers". The Washington Post. p. C.05. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Credits / 534 / Memphis Bleek". Tidal. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  24. ↑ Memphis Bleek (2005). 534 (liner notes). Roc-A-Fella. B0004164-02.
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