The Understanding (Memphis Bleek album)

The Understanding
The Understanding
Studio album by Memphis Bleek
Released	December 5, 2000
Recorded	1999–2000
Genre	Hip hop
Length	50:53
Label	Get Low; Roc-A-Fella; Def Jam;
Producer	Duane DaRock Ramos, A Kid Called Roots, T.T., Robert "Shim" Kirkland, DJ Twinz, Jose "Lace" Batiz, Eddie Scoresazy, Lofey, Timbaland, EZ Elpee
Memphis Bleek chronology
Singles from The Understanding
	"My Mind Right"; Released: March 5, 2000; "Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)"; Released: September 12, 2000; "Do My..."; Released: February 13, 2001;

The Understanding is the second studio album by rapper Memphis Bleek, released by Get Low Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, and Def Jam Recordings on December 5, 2000. As of October 2002, the album has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipment of over 500,000 units.^[8]

Track listing[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro – U Know Bleek"	Malik Cox Justin Smith Michael Kunze Sylvester Levay Amil Whitehead Tyrone Fyffe Dwight Grant	Just Blaze	1:51
2.	"Do My..." (featuring Jay-Z)	Cox Patrick Lawrence Shawn Carter	A Kid Called Roots	3:39
3.	"I Get High"	Cox Edwin Delahoz Ricardo Montaner Pablo Manavello	T.T.	3:39
4.	"We Get Low"	Cox Smith	Just Blaze	3:09
5.	"Change Up" (featuring Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel)	Cox Robert Kirkland Carter D. Grant	Robert "Shim" Kirkland	2:05
6.	"My Mind Right (Remix)" (featuring Jay-Z, H Money Bags and Beanie Sigel)	Cox Raymond Grant Richard Grant Lalo Schifrin	DJ Twinz	4:05
7.	"Hustlers" (featuring Beanie Sigel)	Cox Jose Batiz D. Grant	Jose "Lace" Batiz	4:11
8.	"All Types of Shit"	Cox Eddie Scoresazy John Townsend	Eddie Scoresazy	3:48
9.	"PYT" (featuring Jay-Z and Amil)	Cox Kirkland Carter Whitehead	Robert "Shim" Kirkland	3:58
10.	"Bounce Bitch"	Cox Michael Sandlofer	Lofey	3:33
11.	"They'll Never Play Me"	Cox Smith	Just Blaze	3:39
12.	"Everyday" (featuring Carl Thomas)	Cox Lamont Porter Carl Thomas Robert Relf Thomas Anderson	EZ Elpee	4:12
13.	"Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)" (featuring Jay-Z, Twista and Missy Elliott)	Cox Timothy Mosley Carter Carl Mitchell Melissa Elliott	Timbaland	4:54
14.	"In My Life"	Cox Duane Ramos Mick Jones (Foreigner guitarist)	Duane "Da Roc" Ramos	4:10

Sample credits

"Intro – U Know Bleek" contains samples of:
- "Madhouse", written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, and performed by Silver Convention.
- "4 da Fam", written by Amil Whitehead, Malik Cox, Tyrone Fyffe, and Dwight Grant; and performed by Amil.
"I Get High "contains a sample of "Reina de la Roche", written by Ricardo Montaner and Pablo Manavello, and performed by Ricardo Montaner.
"My Mind Right (Remix)" contains an interpolation of "The Monk", written by Lalo Schifrin.
"All Types of Shit" contains a sample from "Lady Luck", written by John Townsend.
"Everyday" contains a sample of "If That's the Way You Feel (Then Let's Fall in Love)", written by Robert Relf and Thomas Anderson, and performed by White Heat.
"In My Life" contains samples from "I Want to Know What Love Is", written by Mick Jones, and performed by Foreigner.

Supa Engineer DURO – mixing (2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Bee High – co-executive producer
Just Blaze – mixing (11)
Kareem "Biggs" Burke – executive producer
Shawn Carter – executive producer
Damon Dash – executive producer
Jimmy Douglass – engineer and mixing (13)
Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton – engineer (1-6, 11, 12, 14), mixing (8), Pro Tools editing (13)
Ken Lewis – guitar and mixing (11)
Chauncey Mahan – engineer (7), Pro Tools editing (13)
Midnite – engineer (3)
Leonard "Lenny S." Santiago – co-executive producer
Brian Stanley – engineer (7, 8, 10), mixing (1, 3, 14)
Pat Viala – engineer (6, 9), mixing (5, 6)

Chart (2000)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[9]	16
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[10]	1

Chart (2001)	Position
US Billboard 200^[11]	124
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[12]	33

^ Birchmeier, Jason. "The Understanding – Memphis Bleek". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ "Memphis Bleek – Understanding". HipHopDX. January 13, 2001. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ Juon, Steve (February 6, 2001). "Memphis Bleek :: The Understanding". RapReviews. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ Ex, Kris (February 1, 2001). "Memphis Bleek: The Understanding". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ review
^ Baker, Soren (January 1, 2001). "*** Memphis Bleek, "The Understanding," Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 16, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ USA Today review
^ "The Understanding". Amazon. 2000.
^ "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
^ "Memphis Bleek Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

v t e Memphis Bleek
Studio albums	Coming of Age The Understanding M.A.D.E. 534
Singles	"Memphis Bleek Is..." "My Mind Right" "Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)" "Do My..." "Round Here" "Like That" "Dear Summer"
Featured singles	"It's Alright" "Change the Game"
Filmography	State Property Paper Soldiers
Related articles	Discography Get Low Records Roc-A-Fella Records