Rapper Memphis Bleek, who's spent the last three years in the shadow of his mentor Jay-Z, finally releases his debut album this week.

"Coming of Age" features guest appearances by Noreaga, Ja Rule, and Jay-Z himself, who weighs in on the track "What U Think of That." But as Bleek himself is quick to point out, he can be a part of a scene while maintaining his own identity.

[article id="1445997"]"A lot of camps that came out already, like the whole camp, sound exactly the same,"[/article] Memphis Bleek told MTV News. [article id="1445997"]"Like it's, like, four people from the same projects, and everybody's rapping about the same thing, which don't make no sense. Being that me and Jay[-Z] came from the same projects, he was the 'Big Willie' dude of the projects. I was the small fry. So we can't talk about the same thing, 'cause I don't know what he's done, you know what I'm saying? I only know what I've done. So I talk about the streets, and like

I said, I speak for the unspoken." [RealVideo][/article]

"Coming of Age" is in stores now, and the first single is called "Memph Bleek Is."