Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to

Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...

in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the following year and debuted at #2 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 172,000 copies in its first week and was later receiving

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Platinu ...

certification by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA). Jeezy is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and

Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...

, for helping to pioneer and popularize

trap music Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States during the 1990s. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang word "trap", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is ch ...

with a mainstream audience. Jeezy began his music career in 2001 as Lil J with the release of ''

Thuggin' Under the Influence (T.U.I.) ''Thuggin' Under the Influence (T.U.I.)'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Record ...

''. In total, Jeezy has released ten studio albums, as well as numerous successful singles, including the top five hit " Soul Survivor" (featuring

Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...

), as well as the top 40 hits " I Luv It", "

Go Getta "Go Getta" is the second single from Def Jam artist Young Jeezy off his second album ''The Inspiration'', it features singer R. Kelly. The song samples "Born On Halloween" by Blue Magic. It was released in late January. This song was #76 on '' ...

" (featuring

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...

), and "

Put On "Put On" is a song by American recording artist Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West, from Jeezy's third studio album '' The Recession''. The song was released as the album's lead single on June 3, 2008. The song received a Grammy nomination for Best ...

" (featuring

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

). In addition, Jeezy has also been featured on numerous hip hop and R&B hit singles, including "

Say I "Say I" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Jazmine Sullivan, Jay Jenkins (at the time Young Jeezy, now simply known as Jeezy), Andre Lyon, and Marcello Valenzano and produced by Lyon and Valenzano under their pro ...

" by

Christina Milian Christine Marie Flores (born September 26, 1981), better known as Christina Milian (), is an American actress and singer. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with Murder Inc. Records at the age of 19. ...

, "

I'm So Paid "I'm So Paid" is the second single from American singer Akon's third studio album, ''Freedom (Akon album), Freedom''. The song features additional vocals from rappers Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, and was released as a digital download worldwide and ...

" by Akon, "

Hard Hard may refer to: * Hardness, resistance of physical materials to deformation or fracture * Hard water, water with high mineral content Arts and entertainment * ''Hard'' (TV series), a French TV series * Hard (band), a Hungarian hard rock supe ...

" by

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

and " Love in This Club" by Usher, with the latter reaching number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 2008. Outside of his solo career, Jeezy is also the ''de facto'' leader of the

Southern hip-hop Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memph ...

group

United Streets Dopeboyz of America U.S.D.A. (United Street Dopeboyz of America) is an American hip hop group from Atlanta. The group's founder, Atlanta-based rapper Jeezy (formerly known as Young Jeezy), officially brought the group mainstream attention after his departure from ...

(U.S.D.A) and a former member of the

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...

' rap group

Boyz n da Hood Boyz n da Hood is an Americans, American Southern hip hop, Southern gangsta rap hip hop group, group from Atlanta, Georgia. They were formerly signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records and consisted of Jeezy, Young Jeezy, Jody Breeze, Gorilla Zoe, B ...

Biography

Early life and career beginnings (1977–2004)

Jay Wayne Jenkins was born on September 28, 1977, in

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

. When he was a toddler, Jenkins relocated to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, where he lived with different family members, as a result of his parents separating. In an interview with '' XXL'' magazine, he described his childhood as "empty". At a point in time he lived in

Hawkinsville, Georgia Hawkinsville is a city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,589 at the 2010 census. Hawkinsville is known as the "Harness Horse Capital" of Georgia. The Lawrence Bennett Harness Horse Racing fac ...

, at 600 N Lumpkin. He had lived in

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...

at an older age, where he befriended many Crip gang members and even affiliated himself with the

Crips The Crips is an alliance of street gangs that is based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips were initially a single alliance ...

and started his affiliation with Kinky B who helped his career along with many others. In 1994, Jeezy spent nine months in YCA (Youth Challenge Academy), a boot camp in

Fort Stewart Fort Stewart is a United States Army post in the U.S. state of Georgia. It lies primarily in Liberty and Bryan counties, but also extends into smaller portions of Evans, Long and Tattnall counties. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census. Th ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, for narcotics possession. Four years later, in 1998, Jeezy launched the label imprint

CTE World CTE World (or Corporate Thugz Entertainment also relaunched on October 14, 2022 as CTE New World) is an American record label founded by American rapper Jeezy & his former manager Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee. In December 2012, Young Jeezy s ...

, then known as Corporate Thugz Entertainment. In 2001, under the name Lil J, Young Jeezy released his first independent album, ''

'',. The album included features from artists Freddy J., Kinky B, Fidank, and

Lil Jon Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971) better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, producer and former frontman of the rap group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz. He was instrumental in the emergence of the hip hop subgenre cru ...

, who also produced some of the songs. In 2003, Jeezy independently released ''

Come Shop wit Me Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...

'', a two-CD set featuring new tracks along with some songs previously released on ''T.U.I''''.'' In 2004, Jeezy signed with

and joined the group

, whose self-titled album was released in June 2005 and peaked at #5 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. In May 2004,

Jazze Pha Phalon Anton Alexander, (born April 15, 1974), professionally known as Jazze Pha ( ), is an American record producer, singer, songwriter and rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Sho'nuff Records, to wh ...

's manager, Henry 'Noonie' Lee, showed Jeezy's demo to his friend

Shakir Stewart Shakir Stewart (April 12, 1974 – November 1, 2008), a native of Oakland, California, was a US record executive in a number of companies, the latest being Def Jam. At the time of his death he was the Senior Vice President of Island Def Jam Mu ...

, then Vice President Artist and Repertoire (VP A&R) at Def Jam. Stewart "fell in love with it

he demo He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

the first time eheard it" and took it to

L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...

. Reid recognized Jeezy's talent and gave Stewart the green light to sign him. However, due to Jeezy's rising popularity, other

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

s began pursuing him simultaneously to sign with them, most notably,

Warner Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...

and

Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Musi ...

. Ultimately, Jeezy decided he wanted to be in business with Stewart and Reid and signed with

Def Jam Records Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...

as a result.

''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' (2005)

Jeezy released his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', on July 26, 2005. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, selling 172,000 copies in its first week and was later certified Platinum by the RIAA. The debut single off his debut album, "And Then What" featured

Mannie Fresh Byron Otto Thomas (born March 20, 1969), better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is an American music producer and rapper. He's best known for his productions on Cash Money Records releases, as well being half of the hip hop duo (alongside ...

and reached #67 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The second single off the album, " Soul Survivor" featuring

, reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would become Jeezy's highest-charting single of his career. The third single, "My Hood", reached #77 on the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview with

HitQuarters HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...

, A&R Shakir Stewart said that Jeezy had recorded over 60 songs for the album. In interviews and on several records, Jeezy has affirmed his resistance to

commercialism Commercialism is the application of both manufacturing and consumption towards personal usage, or the practices, methods, aims, and distribution of products in a free market geared toward generating a profit. Commercialism can also refer, positivel ...

in his music. According to Jeezy, maintaining his

street credibility Credibility comprises the Objectivity (philosophy), objective and Subjectivism (philosophy), subjective components of the believability of a source or message. Credibility dates back to Aristotle theory of Rhetoric. Aristotle defines rhetoric ...

, is of the utmost concern to him as an artist. In 2005, Jeezy was featured in several popular hip hop songs including

's "Icy" and Boyz n da Hood's " Dem Boyz". He would later leave the group after successfully establishing himself as a solo artist.

''The Inspiration'' and U.S.D.A. (2006–2007)

In 2006, Jeezy was featured in

's single "

". Later that year, on December 12, he released his second major label album, ''

The Inspiration ''Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Young Jeezy. It was released on December 12, 2006, by Corporate Thugz Entertainment (CTE), and Def Jam South Recordings. Production was handled by Shawty Redd ...

''. It topped the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 352,000 copies and would go on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album's first single, " I Luv It", peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the second single, "

" featuring

, peaked at #18. Jeezy also extended himself into gaming, portraying himself in the 3D hip-hop fighting game '' Def Jam: Icon,'' released in March 2007. Also in 2007, Jeezy's group U.S.D.A (alongside Blood Raw and Slick Pulla) released their debut album, '' Cold Summer''. The album debuted at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 95,000 copies in its first week. On December 17, 2007, Jeezy and CTE started their week-long toy drive and charity event series called the Toyz N Da Hood Drive. The series presented 1,000 toys for 1,000 kids at various locations in Macon and

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. The CTE Christmas Kickoff portion of the event ran from 10 pm to 5 am at Club Miami. The toy giveaway took place in the Unionville neighborhood of Macon and at the Old Fourth Ward Community in

''The Recession'' (2008)

On September 2, 2008, Jeezy released ''The Recession'', his third

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

and, what would be, his second consecutive number one album. It topped the Billboard 200, selling 260,000 copies in its first week and was later

certified gold Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

. The album's lead single, "

", featured

and reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. T''he Recession'' also earned Jeezy a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nomination for Best Rap performance by a duo. Other singles off the album included "

Vacation A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for specific festi ...

", " Crazy World", "

My President "My President" is the fourth official single from rapper Young Jeezy's third studio album, ''The Recession''. The song also features rapper Nas and is produced by Tha Bizness. This song was number 16 on ''Rolling Stone''s list of the 100 Best Son ...

" featuring

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...

, and " Who Dat" featuring

Shawty Redd Demetrius Lee Stewart (born June 21, 1981), better known by his stage name Shawty Redd, is an American record producer and rapper. He is cited as one of the pioneers of the production style which would become synonymous with the trap subgenre. ...

. Separately, Jeezy made appearances on Usher's " Love in This Club" and Akon's "

", which was also with

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

. " Love in This Club" peaked at #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Later, Jeezy performed on

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...

's single " Never Ever", from her album '' Fantasy Ride''. In the summer of 2008, Jeezy was at the center of a controversy over his choice for president. While he had previously endorsed

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

, during an interview with ''Vibe'', Jeezy spoke about meeting and supporting

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

. The statement caused a stir, and Jeezy quickly clarified his stance via a viral video. In the four-minute explanation, Jeezy made it clear that Obama was his main choice. "I represent the Democratic party. ... I've never been nor do I ever plan to be a John McCain supporter", the rapper said. "I support Barack Obama." Jeezy and

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

performed in a concert to celebrate the inauguration of President Obama on January 18, 2009. On ''

The O'Reilly Factor ''The O'Reilly Factor'' (originally titled ''The O'Reilly Report'' and also known as ''The Factor'') is an American cable television news and talk show. ''The O'Reilly Factor'' first aired in the United States on Fox News Channel on October 7 ...

'', commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized their performance as a "rant that offended people", but Jeezy responded: "I got white friends. It's nothing like that. I'm a taxpayer, I got a right to voice my opinion at any point in time. I don't think he really understands my struggle."

''TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition'' and ''Its Tha World'' (2010–2012)

It was announced in November 2009 that Jeezy started working on ''

Thug Motivation 103 ''TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Young Jeezy. It was released on December 20, 2011, by CTE World and Def Jam Recordings. The album had been delayed for nearly two years, missing several purported release d ...

''. In March 2010, it was reported that Young Jeezy dropped "Young" from his stage name. Later, Young Jeezy denied the name change and claimed it was just a rumor: However, on the cover for his single " Lose My Mind", his name is printed as "Jeezy". " Lose My Mind" peaked at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. On March 4, 2010, Jeezy released "Illin", featuring

Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...

of the rap duo

Clipse Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...

. On the track, Pusha T raps, "No amount of record sales could derail this ...Stuffing dead prezzies in the wall like that Yale bitch..." This line was controversial as many felt the line was in bad taste since it references Yale student Annie Le, who was

murdered Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the c ...

in 2009. Many felt Young Jeezy and Pusha were making light of Le's tragic death. Nearly two years after first announcing work on ''Thug Motivation 103'', on May 17, 2011, Jeezy released the first single off the album, "Ballin", which features

and peaked at #57 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Two months later, on July 22, the second intended single off the album was released, a track called "Shake Life," although it was later scrapped. On July 26, 2011, Jeezy announced a September 20, 2011 release date for ''

''. However the album was pushed back yet again, this time to December 20, 2011. On September 29, 2011, Jeezy released the third single off ''

'', named "F.A.M.E." (Fake Ass Motherfuckers Envy), featuring T.I. The song was T.I.'s first appearance on a song since his release from prison. On December 20, 2011, ''

'' was finally released. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, selling 233,000 copies in its first week, becoming certified Gold by the RIAA. "I Do" featuring

André 3000 André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a part of southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi. B ...

and

was the album's fourth single; it peaked at #61 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Leave You Alone" featuring

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...

was the album's fifth single and reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, Young Jeezy's "I Do" received a

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

nomination for Best Rap Performance. In October 2012, Jeezy released a new single called "Get Right" on

ITunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

and sent it to radio. Shortly after the single's release, Jeezy confirmed he had plans to release a new mixtape by the end of 2012 as well as a new album in 2013. On December 12, 2012, Jeezy released '' It's Tha World'', the aforementioned mixtape, hosted by

DJ Drama Tyree Cinque Simmons (born April 22, 1978), professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder (with Don Cannon) of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including ...

. The mixtape features

2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...

Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, '' I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, ''Trey Day'', ...

Lil Boosie Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, ev ...

, Birdman, YG and

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...

. Production came from

Jahlil Beats Orlando Jahlil Tucker (born February 8, 1988), better known by his stage name Jahlil Beats, is an American hip hop producer. He is currently signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation. He has produced for artists such as Puff Daddy, Lil Wayne, Fabolous, Mee ...

, The Renegades,

DJ Mustard Dijon Isaiah McFarlane (born June 5, 1990), known professionally as Mustard (also known as DJ Mustard), is an American record producer and beatmaker. He is a frequent collaborator of fellow California-bred artists YG and Ty Dolla Sign; among var ...

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and N ...

, Mike WiLL Made It,

Cardo A cardo (plural ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The cardo maximus, or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented street ...

and Black Metaphor.

''Boss Yo Life Up Gang, Seen It All: The Autobiography'' and ''Church in These Streets'' (2013–2015)

On August 13, 2013, Young Jeezy released a compilation mixtape titled ''

Boss Yo Life Up Gang ''Boss Yo Life Up Gang'' is a compilation mixtape by American rapper Young Jeezy's record label CTE World. The mixtape was released for free on August 13, 2013, by CTE World. The mixtape featured guest appearances by Nipsey Hussle and Rich Homie ...

'' with

artists, Doughboyz Cashout and YG . The mixtape has two singles, "

My Nigga "My Nigga" (edited version titled as "My Hitta" or "My N*gga") is a song by American rapper YG, released on September 17, 2013, as the lead single from his debut studio album '' My Krazy Life'' (2014). The song, produced by frequent collaborator ...

" by YG and "Mob Life" by Doughboyz Cashout, both of which Young Jeezy was featured on. On September 17, 2013, Jeezy premiered the first single "In My Head" produced by

Childish Major Markus Alandrus Randle (born July 4, 1991) known professionally as Childish Major, is an American rapper and record producer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He initially rose to fame as the producer of the 2013 Rocko single, " U.O.E.N.O.", which peake ...

, from his CTE collaboration mixtape "Its Tha World 2". The following day he announced plans to release his next album, saying it will more deeply detail his street origins. He revealed that

Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...

, Usher,

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...

, and

Don Cannon Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Cannon is a co-founder of the Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now. He was also a member of the prominent Atlanta mixtape collective, ...

would be involved in the album. On May 30, 2014, Jeezy released the first single "Me Ok" from his upcoming fifth studio album '' Seen It All: The Autobiography''. On July 1, 2014, he released the second single, " Seen It All", featuring

. On August 31, 2015, Jeezy announced that he would release a new project entitled '' Church in These Streets''. Four singles were released and the project as a whole came on November 13, 2015. It debuted at #4 on the

Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...

''Trap or Die 3'', ''Pressure'', ''TM104: The Legend of the Snowman'' and retirement (2016–2019)

On October 28, 2016, Jeezy released his new album ''

Trap or Die 3 ''Trap or Die 3'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Jeezy. It was released on October 28, 2016, by CTE World and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from Yo Gotti, Bankroll Fresh, French Montana, Lil Wayne, Plies ...

'', which became available for pre-order on iTunes earlier that month. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Jeezy's third album to top the chart. On December 15, 2017, Jeezy released his eighth studio album ''

Pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and e ...

'' (originally titled Snow Season). On August 23, 2019, Jeezy released his ninth album, '' TM104: The Legend of the Snowman''. It was planned to be his final album, as he wanted to venture into acting at the time.

''The Recession 2'' (2020-present)

On November 20, 2020, Jeezy released his tenth studio album, ''The Recession 2''. As with the original, ''

The Recession ''The Recession'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Jeezy (known at the time as Young Jeezy). It was released on September 2, 2008, by Corporate Thugz, Corporate Thugz Entertainment (CTE) and Def Jam South, Def Jam South Recordings. Th ...

'', which was released 12 years prior, it is a reflection of the "current times", as Jeezy explained: "It just really inspired me to touch on some of that, but at the same time, motivate my people and give them something to help them through these times and to celebrate, because the shift is happening". The 15-track album features guest appearances from

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

Yo Gotti Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record executive. In 1996, Gotti released his debut album ''Youngsta's On a Come Up'' under the alias Lil Yo. He went on to re ...

, and

Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...

, among others. The night before the album's release, Jeezy went live for a ''

Verzuz ''Verzuz'' is an American webcast series created by record producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, that airs on Verzuz TV. Verzuz was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in ...

'' against

. In addition to the album, he announced a limited series podcast called The (Re)Session Podcast.

Personal life

After

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

, Jeezy opened his house to victims, offering those who had been displaced from their homes a place to call home. Jeezy married

Jeannie Mai Jeannie Mai-Jenkins (born Jeannie Camtu Mai) is an American television host and stylist best known for her work on the makeover show '' How Do I Look?'' and the syndicated daytime talk show ''The Real''. As a fashion expert, she is frequently fe ...

in 2021. The birth of their first child was announced on January 11, 2022. He has three children from previous relationships.

Legal issues

On March 11, 2005, Jeezy was arrested after an alleged shooting with some of his friends in Miami Beach, Florida. He was charged with two counts of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit; however, prosecutors dropped his charges two months later due to lack of evidence. In Atlanta on June 18, 2008, Young Jeezy was arrested for

DUI Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...

. On April 16, 2013, Brian Smith filed a copyright infringement complaint seeking an injunction, damages, and attorney fees against Jay W. Jenkins d/b/a Young Jeezy Music and others in the

United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (in case citations, N.D. Ga.) is a United States district court which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions. Appeals from cases ...

, concerning the work "Jizzle" which was released in July 2010. On August 27, 2013,

Leroy Hutson Leroy Hutson (born June 4, 1945) is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and instrumentalist, best known as former lead singer of R&B vocal group The Impressions. His music concerns '70s soul, as noted in the June 29 ...

aka Lee Hutson Sr., former lead singer of 1970s R&B group

The Impressions The Impressions were an American music group originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes gospel, doo-wop, R&B, and soul. The group was founded as the Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks and Arthur Bro ...

, filed a complaint against Young Jeezy and others alleging that Young Jeezy's song "Time" inappropriately incorporated the instrumental portion of "Getting it On", which was registered with the

United States Copyright Office The United States Copyright Office (USCO), a part of the Library of Congress, is a United States government body that maintains records of copyright registration, including a copyright catalog. It is used by copyright title searchers who are ...

in 1973. On January 4, 2014, Jeezy was arrested for battery, false imprisonment, and terrorist threats, after an alleged fight with his son in September 2012. On August 24, 2014, Jeezy was arrested before performing at the

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...

, stop on the Under The Influence Tour in connection with the deadly shooting two days prior in the backstage area, on another stop of the tour in Mountain View, California. When the police raided Jeezy's tour bus, they found an

AK-47 The AK-47, officially known as the ''Avtomat Kalashnikova'' (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is a gas operated, gas-operated assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian s ...

military-style assault rifle and guns on several members of his entourage. In total six people, including Jeezy were arrested, because "no one admitted to owning the assault rifle." His bail was set at one million dollars. On August 26, Jeezy, as well as the five other men he was arrested with, entered not guilty pleas to possession of an illegal assault rifle. Two days later, Jeezy and his associates bonded out. Officers were reportedly told repeatedly that the registered owner of the AK-47 was the tour security chief, who was hospitalized at the time.

Discography

;Studio albums * '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' (2005) * '' The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102'' (2006) * ''

'' (2008) * '' TM103: Hustler'z Ambition'' (2011) * '' Seen It All: The Autobiography'' (2014) * '' Church in These Streets'' (2015) * ''

'' (2016) * ''

'' (2017) * '' TM104: The Legend of the Snowman'' (2019) * ''

The Recession 2 ''The Recession 2'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Jeezy. The album was released on November 20, 2020, by YJ Music, Inc., CTE and Def Jam Recordings. It serves as a sequel to his third album ''The Recession'' (2008). The album fe ...

'' (2020) ;Collaborative albums * ''Snofall'' with

(2022)

Filmography

*2009: ''

Janky Promoters ''Janky Promoters'' is a 2009 American comedy film, starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps who play as "janky" promoters who book rapper Jeezy to play at their concert, only to fail at doing it the right way and thus getting into more trouble than the ...

'' *2019: ''I Got the Hook Up 2''

Awards

;

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...

, - , rowspan="2",

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

, Young Jeezy , Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist , , - , ''

'' , Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album , ;

BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...

, - ,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, "

I'm So Hood "I'm So Hood" is a song by American musician DJ Khaled's featuring American rappers T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, and Plies, released as the second single from the former's second studio album ''We the Best'' (2007). "I'm So Hood" is one of ...

(Remix)" , Best Collaboration , , - ,

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

, Young Jeezy , Best Male Hip-Hop Artist ,
, - , BET Awards 2010, 2010 , "

" (with

) , Viewer's Choice , * Note: "I'm So Hood (Remix)" with DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Rick Ross ;

BET Hip Hop Awards The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and w ...

, - , rowspan="2", 2006 , ''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' , Hip-Hop CD of the Year , , - , Young Jeezy , Hip-Hop MVP of the Year , , - , rowspan="3", 2008 , rowspan="2", "

(Remix)" , Best Hip-Hop Video , , - , Best Hip-Hop Collaboration , , - , "

" (featuring Kanye West) , People's Champ Award , * Note: "I'm So Hood (Remix)" with DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Rick Ross ;

, - ,

, "

" (featuring Kanye West) ,

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. The award was discontinue ...

, , - ,

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, " Amazing" (with Kanye West) , Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group , , - ,

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

, " Lose My Mind" (featuring Plies) , Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group , , - ,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

, "

I Do I Do may refer to: * "I do", a phrase used in some marriage vows; used by brides and grooms in response to questions posed by either the officiant or the other marriage partner Film and TV Film * ''I Do'' (1921 film), a silent comedic short f ...

" (featuring Jay-Z and André 3000) ,

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...

, ;Ozone Awards , - , rowspan="4", 2007 , ''The Inspiration'' , Best Rap Album , , - , "

" (featuring R. Kelly) , Best Rap/R&B Collaboration , , - , "

Grew Up a Screw Up "Grew Up A Screw Up" is the second single from Ludacris' '' Release Therapy''. The song features Young Jeezy and a sample of The Notorious B.I.G. who sings the hook "I grew up a fucking screw up." Curiously, in the video, Young Jeezy raps a verse ...

" (with Ludacris) , Best Video , , - , USDA , Best Group , , - , rowspan="2", 2008 , Young Jeezy , Best Rap Artist , , - , " Love in This Club" (with Usher) , Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ,

References

External links

Official website
* {{authority control 1977 births Living people African-American businesspeople African-American male rappers American businesspeople convicted of crimes American drug traffickers American music industry executives American people convicted of drug offenses Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state) Businesspeople from South Carolina Def Jam Recordings artists Gangsta rappers Musicians from Columbia, South Carolina Rappers from Atlanta Rappers from Georgia (U.S. state) Rappers from South Carolina Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Songwriters from South Carolina Southern hip hop musicians 21st-century American rappers Crips Trap musicians African-American songwriters