Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101

No matter what is being supplied, a hustler is only as good as his word. With Atlanta serving up some of the hottest product in the rap game, native son Young Jeezy stands as one of the most exciting merchants of cool to emerge in years. Thanks to underground testimonials like 'Airforces', 'So Icey', and 'Trap or Die' Jeezy's confidence and authentic style has quickly made believers out of some the biggest players in the game. EXPLICIT VERSION. Def Jam. 2005.

Young Jeezy is hardly breaking new ground in rapping endlessly about the similarities between the trap game and the rap game. He joins a distinguished line of former 'caine slangers turned MC--Scarface, Jay-Z, the Clipse, Biggie, etc. However, despite the familiarity of Jeezy's topics, this Atlanta rapper has managed to make a bi-coastal splash through the strength of his mic presence and charisma. As the stand-out member of ATL's Boyz N Tha Hood, Jeezy has distinguished himself against the field of contemporary rappers. More rugged than the Game, though not as charming as Cam'ron, Jeezy's work-horse flow and lyrics are draped into evocative street-level realism. Though the Southern influence is obvious in many of the album's bounce and crunk-influenced beats, he shows an impressive diversity of sound selection including on his current street anthems for this summer like"Trap Star," "My Hood," and the sublimely melancholy "Go Crazy." -- Oliver Wang