b. Jay Jenkins, 28 September 1977, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Atlanta, Georgia-based entrepreneur and performing artist Young Jeezy broke into the US mainstream in summer 2005 with the ‘manufactured’ rap quartet Boyz N Da Hood, before enjoying success as a solo artist later in the year with the US Top 5 single ‘Soul Survivor’.
A prominent figure on the underground scene since the late 90s, Jenkins launched his first record label, Young Guns Entertainment, when he was only 15. He began rapping himself at the same time and recorded a number of mixtapes for the local market. By the start of the new millennium he had set up Corporate Thugz Entertainment and was involved in distributing releases for the Cash Money label. As Young Jeezy he made his solo debut in 2003 with Come Shop Wit Me, an independent release that went on to sell over 50, 000 copies and landed him a recording contract with Def Jam Records. Shortly afterwards Jenkins was persuaded by Russell ‘Block’ Spencer to join fellow rappers Big Gee, Duke and Jacoby White in Boyz N Da Hood. The gangsta rap anthem ‘Dem Boyz’ and the quartet’s self-titled debut album made the upper regions of the US charts, with the resulting hype allowing each member to boost their own solo careers.
Young Jeezy was the first out of the blocks, with his already completed major label debut Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 released barely a month after Boyz N Da Hood broke out. The album quickly achieved platinum sales on the back of the successful singles ‘And Then What’, ‘Soul Survivor’ (featuring Akon) and ‘Go Crazy’ (featuring Jay-Z). The follow-up The Inspiration was also successful, debuting at the top of the US charts in December 2006.
