Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers

T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...

and

Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream a ...

, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre

trap music Trap music, also known simply as trap, is a subgenre of hip-hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from t ...

for mainstream audiences. Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums until signing with

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 l ...

to release his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' (2005). The album peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received

double platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording and reproduction, recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video ...

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); its lead single, " Soul Survivor" (featuring

Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...

), peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. His second and third albums, '' Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration'' (2006) and ''

The Recession ''The Recession'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Young Jeezy. It was released on September 2, 2008, by Corporate Thugz Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. The album was supported by five singles: " Put On" featuring Kanye West, ...

'' (2008) were met with continued success as both peaked atop the ''Billboard'' 200; the latter earned a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

nomination for its lead single, "

Put On "Put On" is a song by American rapper 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 Rap Perfor ...

" (featuring

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

). After three follow-up albums, his ninth, ''

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 YJ Music, Inc. and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from Yo Gotti, Bankroll Fresh, French Montana, Lil Wayne, P ...

'' (2016) peaked the chart once more. His other

platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...

-certified singles include " 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 ''R ...

" (featuring

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967), known as R. Kelly, is an American former singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is credited with prolific commercial success in R&B, hip hop, and pop music recordings, earning nicknames suc ...

), "

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 S ...

" (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 (S ...

), " Lose My Mind" (featuring Plies), and "

Leave You Alone "Leave You Alone" is a song by American rapper Young Jeezy featuring American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. Produced by Warren G, the song was released on February 21, 2012 as the fifth single from Young Jeezy's fourth studio album '' Thug Motivatio ...

" (featuring

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of Contemporary R&B#2000s, 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, includi ...

), among others. In addition, Jenkins has guest featured on numerous R&B 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 prod ...

" by

Christina Milian Christina Milian ( , Flores; born September 26, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Following a number of minor television and film roles in the late nineties, Milian made her recording debut on American rapper Ja Rule's 20 ...

, "

I'm So Paid "I'm So Paid" is a song by Senegalese-American singer Akon from his third studio album, ''Freedom''. The song features additional vocals from rappers Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, and was released as a digital download worldwide and a physical singl ...

" by Akon, "

Hard Hard means something that is difficult to do. It may also refer to: * Hardness, resistance of physical materials to deformation or fracture * Hard water, water with high mineral content Arts and entertainment * Hard (TV series), ''Hard'' (TV ser ...

" by

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

, and " Love in This Club" by Usher; the latter peaked atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 2008. Along with his solo career, Jenkins is 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 Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee ...

group United Streets Dopeboyz of America (U.S.D.A.), and a former member of the

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...

group

Boyz n da Hood Boyz n da Hood was 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, ...

. His record label,

CTE World CTE New World (acronym for Corporate Thugz Entertainment, formerly CTE World) is an American record label founded by rapper Jeezy and his former business partner Kinky B in 2001. In December 2012, the label signed a joint venture deal with Atla ...

was founded in 2001 and has signed artists including YG and

Freddie Gibbs Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper and songwriter. He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 and recorded his debut album for the label; however, its release was cance ...

Biography

Early life and career beginnings (1977–2004)

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

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-mo ...

. When he was a toddler, Jenkins relocated to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, 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 Middle Georgia and the county seat of Pulaski County, Georgia, United States. As of 2020, it has a population of 3,980. The city is known as the "Harness Horse Capital of Georgia" and holds an annual Harness Horse Fest ...

, at 600 N Lumpkin. He lived in

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Situated near the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is southeast of Atlanta and near the ...

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

Crips The Crips are a primarily African-American alliance of street gangs that are based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips ...

, and started his affiliation with Kinky B, who helped his musical career. In 1995, Jeezy spent six months in YCP (Youth Challenge Program), 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 nearby city of Hinesville, along with ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, for narcotics possession. In 1998, Jeezy launched the label imprint

, then known as Corporate Thugz Entertainment. In 2001, under the name Lil J, Young Jeezy released his first independent album, ''Thuggin' Under the Influence (T.U.I.)'',. 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, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented hip-hop subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were inst ...

, who also produced some of the songs. In 2003, Jeezy independently released ''Come Shop wit Me'', 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 No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. In May 2004,

Jazze Pha Phalon Anton Alexander, known professionally as Jazze Pha ( ), is an American record producer, rapper, singer and songwriter. He founded the record label Sho'nuff Records in 1995, through which he signed R&B singer Ciara in 2003. He produced h ...

'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 an American record producer and record executive in a number of companies, the latest being Def Jam. At the time of his death he was the Senior Vice Pr ...

, 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 (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

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 who served as president and CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, as well as chairman and CEO of the Island Def Jam Mus ...

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

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

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 M ...

and

Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, 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 ...

. 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 l ...

''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 No. 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 record producer, DJ and rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his production work for Cash Money Records releases, as well b ...

and reached No. 67 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The second single off the album, " Soul Survivor" featuring

, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Jeezy's highest-charting single of his career. The third single, "My Hood", reached No. 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, positi ...

in his music. According to Jeezy, maintaining his

street credibility Credibility comprises the objective and subjective components of the believability of a source or message. Credibility is deemed essential in many fields to establish expertise. It plays a crucial role in journalism, teaching, science, medicine ...

, 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 later left 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 "

". On December 12, 2006, 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, and Def Jam Recordings. Production was handled by Shawty Redd, Timbala ...

''. It topped the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 352,000 copies and went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album's first single, " I Luv It", peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the second single, "

" featuring

, peaked at No. 18. Jeezy 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.

''The Recession'' (2008)

On September 2, 2008, Jeezy released ''

'', his third

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

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 No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. T''he Recession'' earned Jeezy a

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 school or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for sp ...

", " Crazy World", "

" featuring

, and "

Who Dat Who Dat (AAVE African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the variety of English natively spoken, particularly in urban communities, by most working- and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians. Having its own unique gramm ...

" 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 September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

. " Love in This Club" peaked at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Later, Jeezy performed on

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...

's single " Never Ever", from her album ''

Fantasy Ride ''Fantasy Ride'' is the third studio album by American singer Ciara, first released on May 3, 2009, by Jive Records, LaFace Records and Sony Music Entertainment. The album was recorded between 2007 and 2009. Ciara was executive producer on the ...

''. 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 was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

, 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 statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

. 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 Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

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 ...

''. 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 No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. 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 No. 57 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. On July 22, the second intended single from the album was released, a track called "Shake Life," although it was later scrapped. In July 2011, Jeezy announced a September 20, 2011 release date for ''

''. 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

The song was

's first appearance on a song since his release from prison. On December 20, 2011, ''

'' was released. The album debuted at No. 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), known professionally as André 3000, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he was one half of the hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper Big Boi, which the two formed in 1992. Benj ...

and

was the album's fourth single. It peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Leave You Alone" featuring

, was the album's fifth single and reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, Young Jeezy's "I Do" received a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

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

iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...

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), known professionally as DJ Drama, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record executive and music promoter. He initially gained recognition as the DJ for Atlanta-based rapper T.I., and continued to gai ...

. The mixtape features

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

Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer and songwriter. After being discovered by record producer Troy Taylor (record producer), Troy Taylor in 2003, Songz ...

Lil Boosie Torence Ivy Hatch Jr. (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 Southern hip hop collective Concentr ...

, Birdman, YG and

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. Stevens is a founding member of the rap group The Click (band), The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 27 stud ...

. 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 record producer. He has produced for artists such as Lil Wayne, Fabolous, Meek Mill, Chris Brown, Tyga, Rick Ross, Ace Hood, Bobb ...

, The Renegades,

DJ Mustard A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and DJ who helped popularize West Coast hip hop during the 1990s.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. ...

Mike WiLL Made It Michael Len Williams II (born March 23, 1989), known professionally as Mike Will Made It (often stylized as Mike WiLL Made-It) or simply Mike Will, is an American record producer. He is best known for producing trap beats for several Southern hi ...

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

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'' with

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

My Nigga "My Nigga," censored as "My Hitta" or "My N*gga," is a song by American rapper YG, released by Def Jam Recordings and CTE World on September 17, 2013, as the lead single from his debut studio album ''My Krazy Life'' (2014). The song, produced by ...

" by YG and "Mob Life" by Doughboyz Cashout, both featuring Young Jeezy. 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 was first credited with production work on American rapper Rocko's 2013 single " U.O.E.N.O ...

, 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 ex ...

, Usher,

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...

, and

Don Cannon Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, and record executive who served as Vice President of A&R at Def Jam Recordings from 2012 to 2018. With DJ Drama, he is the co-founder of the record label Generation Now, a ...

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 ''Church in These Streets'' is the eighth studio album by American rapper Jeezy. It was released on November 13, 2015, by Def Jam Recordings and CTE World. The album was supported by four singles: "God", "Church in These Streets", "Gold Bottles" ...

''. Four singles were released and the project as a whole came on November 13, 2015. It debuted at No. 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 to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a rec ...

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

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

'', 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 eve ...

'', 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'' (2020–2022)

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

'', 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. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...

Yo Gotti Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, singer, and record executive. Rooted in Memphis rap, he released five independent albums—''Youngsta's on a Come Up'' (1996), ''From da Dope ...

, and

Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), she starred in the Disney Channel short series ...

, 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. It was introduced during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in its first iteration throug ...

'' against rival

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

''Snofall'' and Def Jam departure (2022–present)

On September 30, 2022, Jeezy announced a mixtape to be released the following month to help fulfill his contract with Def Jam Recordings, the label that housed him for over eighteen years. On October 21, 2022, the mixtape, ''Snofall'', hosted by Gangsta Grillz

was released. On Halloween 2023, Jeezy confirmed via

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

that his contract with Def Jam has been fulfilled, while announcing a

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording ...

titled ''I Might Forgive, But I Don't Forget'', which was released on November 3.

Personal life

After

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

, 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 Camtu Mai (born January 4, 1979) is an American television personality, 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 featured o ...

in 2021. The birth of their first child and daughter was announced on January 11, 2022. He has three children from previous relationships. On September 14, 2023, Jeezy filed for divorce from Mai in Georgia's Superior Court of Fulton County, stating that “''the marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken''” and “''there is no hope for reconciliation''.” He is seeking joint legal custody of their daughter.

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. Prosecutors dropped the charges two months later due to lack of evidence. On June 18, 2008 in Atlanta, Young Jeezy was arrested for

DUI Driving under the influence (DUI) is the crime of driving, operating, or being in control of a vehicle while one is impaired from doing so safely by the effect of either alcohol (see drunk driving) or some other drug, whether recreational or ...

. 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 case ...

, 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 1970s soul, as noted in the June ...

also known as 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, R&B, doo-wop, and soul. The group was founded as the Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks and Arthu ...

, 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 registers copyright claims, records information about copyright ownership, provides information to the public, and assists ...

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, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...

, 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 an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kala ...

military-style assault rifle and guns on several members of his entourage. 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, 2014, 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 * ''Thuggin' Under The Influence (T.U.I.)'' (2001) * ''Come Shop Wit Me'' (2003) * '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' (2005) * '' Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration'' (2006) * ''

'' (2008) * '' TM103: Hustler'z Ambition'' (2011) * '' Seen It All: The Autobiography'' (2014) * ''

'' (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. and Def Jam Recordings. It serves as a sequel to his third album ''The Recession'' (2008). The album features ...

'' (2020) * '' I Might Forgive... But I Don't Forget'' (2023)

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 they ...

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

Awards

;

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...

, - , rowspan="2",

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

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

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

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

, - ,

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, "

I'm So Hood "I'm So Hood" is a song by American musician DJ Khaled 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 Kh ...

(Remix)" , Best Collaboration , , - ,

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

, 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 and was first ...

, - , 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 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

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

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

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

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

, "

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 fi ...

" (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." In the video, Young Jeezy raps a verse different ...

" (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
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jeezy 1977 births Living people 21st-century African-American businesspeople African-American male rappers 21st-century 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 South Carolina Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Songwriters from South Carolina Southern hip-hop musicians 21st-century American rappers Crips American trap musicians African-American songwriters