Young Jeezy - Let's Get it: Thug Motivation 101

Young Jeezy Album...I Call it Wack Rappin'

Young Jeezy hustled his way to the top of the hip hop circuit with little flow and the buzz of a pre-pop 50. Strangely, he’s found a large following by taking the road oft traveled in the world of MCing. What is it about him that makes him so hot in the streets right now? Well for one, he’s from the south. Jeezy’s gettin’ it on that dirty train that made a pit stop in the ATL about 2 and half years ago. The train has yet to leave the station except for a couple of recent round trips to Houston. Once again Jeezy raps about the life…from rags to riches standing over “two pots, like Benihana’s”. I understand all that, but how many ways can you describe “white”. Jeezy’s got a bunch.

But something about his flow separates him from the rest…it’s the ad libs. (Thaaaaaaat’s Riiight) Leaving nary an open space between breaths, Jeezy sprinkles the track with “yeaaaaaaaahs”, “heeeeeeyyyys” and “HA HAs”. And it works. And the reason it works is because the beats are so fire. You don’t want to like it. Your loyalty to hip hop won’t allow you to, but 20 seconds into every song (no lie…every song) your head is noddin’ as you lean from side to side. Jeezy and his production mesh so well that it is hard to denounce the lyrics while your actions say otherwise.

Young Jeezy’s not a rapper and he readily admits it. He is a “street poet” and I suppose that is his ticket to getting away with repeating the same phrase in consecutive bars. His flow is oddly similar on every song, but you like it…or at least I do. It’s sort of clever and kind of amusing in that Cam sort of way. Let’s Get It is an anomaly of hip hop. You might like the album, but you hate what it represents. The songs knock, but he’s not saying much. Jeezy’s success is born from his charisma, voice and amusement factor…and oh yeah, he’s “fly like a helicopter” (Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah).

Hot Trax: Go Crazy, My Hood, Bang, Air Forces