NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� two decades ago, he prepared a contingency plan in case his musical aspirations weren鈥檛 achieved.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know if you鈥檙e going to be around in 20 years,鈥� said the drug dealer-turned-rap legend. 鈥淭he streets change fast. But it鈥檚 also a safe haven, too, 鈥檆ause it was like, 鈥極K, well, if it doesn鈥檛 work, maybe I can go back.鈥欌��
But there would be no need: 鈥淟et鈥檚 Get It: Thug Motivation 101鈥� was met with monumental success. The album, deemed a classic by critics and fans, detailed the Atlanta rapper鈥檚 navigation of the drug trade and street life. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with singles like 鈥淪oul Survivor鈥� featuring Akon 鈥� which reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 鈥� and 鈥淕o Crazy,鈥� 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.
鈥淭he music and the words resonated so well because they came from a real place. I wasn鈥檛 trying to entertain 鈥� I was trying to reach," said the 鈥淢y President鈥� 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 鈥淭rap or Die鈥� 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 鈥淭M:101鈥� when it dropped. What was that time like?
JEEZY: I just had this feeling that 鈥� if I could just get it out 鈥� 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. 鈥� I tore my vocal cords because I had polyps on my vocal cords and didn鈥檛 know it. And then around the same time, And around that time, the album got leaked.
If you鈥檙e doing something to change your life and you know that the only other avenues are prison or death, you鈥檙e just like, 鈥淭his gotta work.鈥�
AP: Schools across the country began banning your snowman shirts. What鈥檚 the legacy of them?
JEEZY: Samuel L. Jackson told me something a long time ago 鈥� a great friend of mine 鈥� he just said the snowman represents people that were demonized, and it was bigger than me. 鈥� 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. 鈥� 鈥淲e got a people鈥檚 champ.鈥�
AP: How have you managed your transition from street to corporate life?
JEEZY: It鈥檚 like a tree: It grows where it鈥檚 soft at, not where it is hard. It鈥檚 just like over time, leaves fall off, branches fall off but the tree continues to grow.
Everybody don鈥檛 have the same vision or goals. And if you allow them, they鈥檒l sink the ship 鈥� or they鈥檒l chop down the tree.
AP: You鈥檝e 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 don鈥檛 know these people, so I can鈥檛 even feel no type of way. That鈥檚 on them 鈥� I got better things to do. I鈥檝e got goals, dreams, aspirations, so I don鈥檛 get caught up in it, 鈥檆ause I don鈥檛 go for the good, either. 鈥� I鈥檓 not reading the comments to see what somebody said about me good, because none of it matters.
AP: You鈥檙e 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. They鈥檙e amazing. We鈥檙e actually focusing in on prostate cancer, and then also helping the inner city youth with education, entrepreneurship. ... I鈥檇 like to shout out the Urban League of Atlanta, and we have the Young CEOs program.
It鈥檚 great to put out projects, it鈥檚 great to do tours. But it鈥檚 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.
By Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
