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Hailing from Atlanta, Young Jeezy went from neighborhood businessman to nationwide rap star in just a few short
years. Originally he was strictly a background player, running his own company Corporate Thugz Entertainment and doing album
promotions for Cash Money Records. Soon he picked up the mic and began releasing independent mix tapes that sold like hotcakes
in the ATL. This led to his inclusion in Boyz N Da Hood, a crunk-thug boy band of sorts, who released their self-titled debut
on Diddy's newly-minted Bad Boy South. Shortly after that album dropped, Jeezy released his first official solo piece on Def
Jam, Thug Motivation 101: Let's Get It. With the powerful major label machine behind him (not to mention enthusiastic
fans ranging from hordes to teenage girls to Jay-Z), he raced up the charts thanks to hit singles like "And Then What" and
"Soul Survivor." He also started a brief fashion trend with his unusual snowman T-shirts, which were banned in certain schools
because of their drug dealer implications. Lyrically, he's not exactly groundbreaking, with the typical verses saturated in
hustler one-upmanship, but his swagger, keen business sense and strong industry alliances have made him one of 2005's breakout
artists.
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