NEW YORK (AP) ā two decades ago, he prepared a contingency plan in case his musical aspirations werenāt achieved.
āYou donāt know if youāre going to be around in 20 years,ā said the drug dealer-turned-rap legend. āThe streets change fast. But itās also a safe haven, too, ācause it was like, āOK, well, if it doesnāt work, maybe I can go back.āā
But there would be no need: āLetās Get It: Thug Motivation 101ā was met with monumental success. The album, deemed a classic by critics and fans, detailed the Atlanta rapperās navigation of the drug trade and street life. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with singles like āSoul Survivorā featuring Akon ā which reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 ā and āGo Crazy,ā featuring a Jay-Z verse many consider one of his greatest.
With distinctive ad-libs as memorable as his vivid storytelling, Jeezy displayed his gift of motivation, inspiring a vast cross-section of fans.
āThe music and the words resonated so well because they came from a real place. I wasnāt trying to entertain ā I was trying to reach," said the āMy Presidentā rapper, who has consisting of real estate and partnerships.
In honor of the album's 20th anniversary, Jeezy is tour on June 27 in Miami, encouraging fans to come sharply dressed for the upscale performances. The Color of Noize Orchestra will back him, along with guest DJ Drama from their acclaimed āTrap or Dieā mixtape.
Jeezy spoke with the Associated Press about the album's legacy, social media discourse and his infamous snowman shirts that were banned at schools over accusations of promoting drug culture. This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: It's hard to describe the magnitude of āTM:101ā when it dropped. What was that time like?
JEEZY: I just had this feeling that ā if I could just get it out ā that it would be life-changing for me. So, there was a lot of things I was up against at that time and I must say personally, that was probably the most adversity I ever faced. ā¦ I tore my vocal cords because I had polyps on my vocal cords and didnāt know it. And then around the same time, And around that time, the album got leaked.
If youāre doing something to change your life and you know that the only other avenues are prison or death, youāre just like, āThis gotta work.ā
AP: Schools across the country began banning your snowman shirts. Whatās the legacy of them?
JEEZY: Samuel L. Jackson told me something a long time ago ā a great friend of mine ā he just said the snowman represents people that were demonized, and it was bigger than me. ā¦ It was this imagery of something that I was inspiring to be. And to know that they would suspend kids from school and keep them from wearing something that would represent that tells me that the message was loud and clear. ā¦ āWe got a peopleās champ.ā
AP: How have you managed your transition from street to corporate life?
JEEZY: Itās like a tree: It grows where itās soft at, not where it is hard. Itās just like over time, leaves fall off, branches fall off but the tree continues to grow.
Everybody donāt have the same vision or goals. And if you allow them, theyāll sink the ship ā or theyāll chop down the tree.
AP: Youāve been private about your relationships, so how have you dealt with the social media coverage about your divorce?
JEEZY: I just live my life, man. You know, joy, peace, and freedom, brother. I donāt know these people, so I canāt even feel no type of way. Thatās on them ā I got better things to do. Iāve got goals, dreams, aspirations, so I donāt get caught up in it, ācause I donāt go for the good, either. ā¦ Iām not reading the comments to see what somebody said about me good, because none of it matters.
AP: Youāre leading community service initiatives. What is that important to you?
JEEZY: I do want to shout out LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) which is my partner on my nonprofit space. Theyāre amazing. Weāre actually focusing in on prostate cancer, and then also helping the inner city youth with education, entrepreneurship. ... Iād like to shout out the Urban League of Atlanta, and we have the Young CEOs program.
Itās great to put out projects, itās great to do tours. But itās also great to help your people in the process.
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
