Jay Wayne Jenkins, professionally known as Jeezy or Young Jeezy, is a prominent American rapper. He inked a significant deal with Def Jam Recordings in 2004, marking a pivotal moment in his career. His debut album under a major label, “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101,” hit the music scene the following year and made an impressive debut at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In its first week, the album sold a remarkable 172,000 copies, earning it platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Jeezy is widely recognized, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, for his pivotal role in pioneering and popularizing trap music among mainstream audiences.
Jeezy’s journey in the music industry began in 2001 when he went by the moniker “Lil J” and released “Thuggin’ Under the Influence (T.U.I.).” Since then, he has amassed a discography of ten studio albums, featuring numerous hit singles. Some of his most notable tracks include “Soul Survivor” (featuring Akon), which reached the top five, as well as “I Luv It,” “Go Getta” (featuring R. Kelly), and “Put On” (featuring Kanye West), all of which achieved top 40 positions on the charts. Additionally, Jeezy has made significant contributions to the hip-hop and R&B scenes, collaborating on hit singles like “Say I” with Christina Milian, “I’m So Paid” with Akon, “Hard” with Rihanna, and “Love in This Club” with Usher, the last of which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2008.
Beyond his solo pursuits, Jeezy is the de facto leader of the Southern hip-hop collective, the United Streets Dopeboyz of America (U.S.D.A.), and was formerly associated with Bad Boy Records’ rap group, Boyz n da Hood.
Biography
Early life and career beginnings (1977–2004)
Jay Wayne Jenkins was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on September 28, 1977. During his early childhood, Jenkins moved to Atlanta, Georgia, following his parents’ separation, living with various family members along the way. He described his upbringing as “empty” in an interview with XXL magazine. At one point, he resided in Hawkinsville, Georgia, at 600 N Lumpkin and later in Macon, Georgia, where he formed connections with Crip gang members and became affiliated with the Crips, which ultimately played a role in shaping his career, thanks to his association with Kinky B and other influential figures.
In 1994, Jeezy’s life took a different turn when he spent nine months in the Youth Challenge Academy (YCA) in Fort Stewart, Georgia, due to narcotics possession. Four years later, in 1998, he made a significant move by establishing the label imprint CTE World, initially known as Corporate Thugz Entertainment.
Under the alias “Lil J,” Young Jeezy released his first independent album, “Thuggin’ Under the Influence (T.U.I.),” in 2001. The album featured collaborations with artists like Freddy J., Kinky B, Fidank, and Lil Jon, who also produced some of the tracks. In 2003, Jeezy independently launched “Come Shop wit Me,” a two-CD collection comprising new tracks and previously released songs from T.U.I. In 2004, Jeezy took a significant step forward by signing with Bad Boy Records and becoming a member of the group Boyz n da Hood, which saw the release of their self-titled album in June 2005, peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
