Jeezy reflects on the legacy of his commercial debut, the classic 'Thug Motivation 101'

NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — When Jeezy released his commercialized debut 2 decades ago, helium prepared a contingency program successful lawsuit his philharmonic aspirations weren’t achieved.

“You don’t cognize if you’re going to beryllium astir successful 20 years,” said the cause dealer-turned-rap legend. “The streets alteration fast. But it’s besides a harmless haven, too, ’cause it was like, ‘OK, well, if it doesn’t work, possibly I tin spell back.’”

But determination would beryllium nary need: “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101” was met with monumental success. The album, deemed a classical by critics and fans, elaborate the Atlanta rapper’s navigation of the cause commercialized and thoroughfare life. It debuted astatine No. 2 connected the Billboard 200 with singles similar “Soul Survivor” featuring Akon — which reached No. 4 connected the Hot 100 — and “Go Crazy,” featuring a Jay-Z verse galore see 1 of his greatest.

With distinctive ad-libs arsenic memorable arsenic his vivid storytelling, Jeezy displayed his acquisition of motivation, inspiring a immense cross-section of fans.

“The euphony and the words resonated truthful good due to the fact that they came from a existent place. I wasn’t trying to entertain — I was trying to reach," said the “My President” rapper, who has built a concern empire consisting of existent property and partnerships.

In grant of the album's 20th anniversary, Jeezy is launching his “TM:101 Live” circuit connected June 27 successful Miami, encouraging fans to travel sharply dressed for the upscale performances. The Color of Noize Orchestra volition backmost him, on with impermanent DJ Drama from their acclaimed “Trap oregon Die” mixtape.

Jeezy spoke with the Associated Press astir the album's legacy, societal media sermon surrounding him and ex-wife Jeannie Mai, and his infamous snowman shirts that were banned astatine schools implicit accusations of promoting cause culture. This speech has been edited for clarity and brevity.

JEEZY: I conscionable had this feeling that — if I could conscionable get it retired — that it would beryllium life-changing for me. So, determination was a batch of things I was up against astatine that clip and I indispensable accidental personally, that was astir apt the astir adversity I ever faced. … I tore my vocal cords due to the fact that I had polyps connected my vocal cords and didn’t cognize it. And past astir the aforesaid time, I was deed with Bell’s palsy. And astir that time, the medium got leaked.

If you’re doing thing to alteration your beingness and you cognize that the lone different avenues are situation oregon death, you’re conscionable like, “This gotta work.”

JEEZY: Samuel L. Jackson told maine thing a agelong clip agone — a large person of excavation — helium conscionable said the snowman represents radical that were demonized, and it was bigger than me. … It was this imagery of thing that I was inspiring to be. And to cognize that they would suspend kids from schoolhouse and support them from wearing thing that would correspond that tells maine that the connection was large and clear. … “We got a people’s champ.”

JEEZY: It’s similar a tree: It grows wherever it’s brushed at, not wherever it is hard. It’s conscionable similar implicit time, leaves autumn off, branches autumn disconnected but the histrion continues to grow.

Everybody don’t person the aforesaid imaginativeness oregon goals. And if you let them, they’ll descend the vessel — oregon they’ll chop down the tree.

JEEZY: I conscionable unrecorded my life, man. You know, joy, peace, and freedom, brother. I don’t cognize these people, truthful I can’t adjacent consciousness nary benignant of way. That’s connected them — I got amended things to do. I’ve got goals, dreams, aspirations, truthful I don’t get caught up successful it, ’cause I don’t spell for the good, either. … I’m not speechmaking the comments to spot what idiosyncratic said astir maine good, due to the fact that nary of it matters.

JEEZY: I bash privation to outcry retired LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) which is my spouse connected my nonprofit space. They’re amazing. We’re really focusing successful connected prostate cancer, and past besides helping the interior metropolis younker with education, entrepreneurship. ... I’d similar to outcry retired the Urban League of Atlanta, and we person the Young CEOs program.

It’s large to enactment retired projects, it’s large to bash tours. But it’s besides large to assistance your radical successful the process.

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Follow Associated Press amusement writer Gary Gerard Hamilton astatine @GaryGHamilton connected each his societal media platforms.