Malik Deshawn Cox (born June 23, 1978),[1] known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper.

He is best known for his affiliation with fellow New York City-based rapper Jay-Z, with Cox often described as his hype man and protégé.

[5] After the widescale success of Vol 2… Hard Knock Life, the label released Bleek's debut studio album, Coming of Age (1999).

The album was the week's now-defunct "Hot Shot Debut", entering the Billboard 200 at number seven with 118,000 units sold.

During the release of The Understanding and M.A.D.E., he took a three-year hiatus, to take care of his older brother, who was severely injured in a motorcycle accident.

Memphis Bleek would eventually leave Roc-A-Fella in 2009, after Jay-Z told him he could run his own company and had the proper distribution deals to do so.

[15] In the summer of 2010, he served as a hype man for Jay-Z on stage during a performance at the Swedish festival Peace&Love.

[18] On December 13, 2014, Cox married longtime girlfriend, Ashley Coombs, in an evening ceremony at The Merion in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, in which Jay-Z was in attendance.

[22] Getting the approval of Jay-Z in 2015, Memphis Bleek started his own label, as CEO and founder of Warehouse Music Group.

[29] That same year, Casanova released three big singles: "Don't Run",[30] "Go Best Friend"[31] and "Left, Right" featuring Chris Brown and Fabolous.