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Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences. Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums until signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his major label debut, (2005). The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); its lead single, "Soul Survivor" (featuring Akon), peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.
His second and third albums, (2006) and The Recession (2008) were met with continued success as both peaked atop the Billboard 200; the latter earned a Grammy Award nomination for its lead single, "Put On" (featuring Kanye West). After three follow-up albums, his ninth, Trap or Die 3 (2016) peaked the chart once more. His other platinum-certified singles include "I Luv It", "Go Getta" (featuring R. Kelly), "My President" (featuring Nas), "Lose My Mind" (featuring Plies), and "Leave You Alone" (featuring Ne-Yo), among others. In addition, Jenkins has guest featured on numerous R&B singles, including "Say I" by Christina Milian, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Hard" by Rihanna, and "Love in This Club" by Usher; the latter peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008.
Along with his solo career, Jenkins is the de facto leader of the Southern hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America (U.S.D.A.), and a former member of the Bad Boy Records group Boyz n da Hood. His record label, CTE World was founded in 2001 and has signed artists including YG and Freddie Gibbs.
In 1995, Jeezy spent six months in YCP (Youth Challenge Program), a recruit training in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for narcotics possession. In 1998, Jeezy launched the label imprint CTE World, then known as Corporate Thugz Entertainment.
In 2001, under the name Lil J, Young Jeezy released his first independent album, Thuggin' Under the Influence (T.U.I.),. The album included features from artists Freddy J., Kinky B, Fidank, and Lil Jon, who also produced some of the songs. In 2003, Jeezy independently released Come Shop wit Me, a two-CD set featuring new tracks along with some songs previously released on T.U.I. In 2004, Jeezy signed with Bad Boy Records and joined the group Boyz n da Hood, whose self-titled album was released in June 2005 and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
In May 2004, Jazze Pha's manager, Henry 'Noonie' Lee, showed Jeezy's demo to his friend Shakir Stewart, then Vice President Artist and Repertoire (VP A&R) at Def Jam. Stewart "fell in love with it the the first time he heard it" and took it to L.A. Reid. Reid recognized Jeezy's talent and gave Stewart the green light to sign him. Due to Jeezy's rising popularity, other began pursuing him simultaneously to sign with them, most notably, Warner and Interscope. Ultimately, Jeezy decided he wanted to be in business with Stewart and Reid and signed with Def Jam Records.
In interviews and on several records, Jeezy has affirmed his resistance to commercialism in his music. According to Jeezy, maintaining his Credibility, is of the utmost concern to him as an artist. In 2005, Jeezy was featured in several popular hip hop songs including Gucci Mane's "Icy" and Boyz n da Hood's "Dem Boyz". He later left the group after successfully establishing himself as a solo artist.
Jeezy extended himself into gaming, portraying himself in the 3D hip-hop fighting game , released in March 2007. Also in 2007, Jeezy's group U.S.D.A, alongside Blood Raw and Slick Pulla, released their debut album, Cold Summer. The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 95,000 copies in its first week.
In the summer of 2008, Jeezy was at the center of a controversy over his choice for president. While he had previously endorsed Barack Obama, during an interview with Vibe, Jeezy spoke about meeting and supporting John McCain. The statement caused a stir, and Jeezy quickly clarified his stance via a viral video. In the four-minute explanation, Jeezy made it clear that Obama was his main choice. "I represent the Democratic party. ... I've never been nor do I ever plan to be a John McCain supporter", the rapper said. "I support Barack Obama."
Jeezy and Jay-Z performed in a concert to celebrate the inauguration of President Obama on January 18, 2009. On The O'Reilly Factor, commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized their performance as a "rant that offended people", but Jeezy responded: "I got white friends. It's nothing like that. I'm a taxpayer, I got a right to voice my opinion at any point in time. I don't think he really understands my struggle."
Nearly two years after first announcing work on Thug Motivation 103, on May 17, 2011, Jeezy released the first single off the album, "Ballin", which features Lil Wayne and peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. On July 22, the second intended single from the album was released, a track called "Shake Life," although it was later scrapped. In July 2011, Jeezy announced a September 20, 2011 release date for Thug Motivation 103. The album was pushed back yet again, this time to December 20, 2011. On September 29, 2011, Jeezy released the third single off Thug Motivation 103, named "F.A.M.E." (Fake Ass Motherfuckers Envy), featuring T.I. The song was T.I.'s first appearance on a song since his release from prison.
On December 20, 2011, Thug Motivation 103 was released. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 233,000 copies in its first week, becoming certified Gold by the RIAA. "I Do" featuring André 3000 and Jay-Z was the album's fourth single. It peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Leave You Alone" featuring Ne-Yo, was the album's fifth single and reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, Young Jeezy's "I Do" received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance.
In October 2012, Jeezy released a new single called "Get Right" on iTunes and sent it to radio. Shortly after the single's release, Jeezy confirmed he had plans to release a new mixtape by the end of 2012, as well as a new album in 2013. On December 12, 2012, Jeezy released It's Tha World, the aforementioned mixtape, hosted by DJ Drama. The mixtape features 2 Chainz, Trey Songz, Boosie Badazz, Birdman, YG and E-40. Production came from Jahlil Beats, The Renegades, DJ Mustard, Warren G, Mike WiLL Made It, Cardo and Black Metaphor.
On May 30, 2014, Jeezy released the first single "Me Ok" from his upcoming fifth studio album . On July 1, 2014, he released the second single, "Seen It All", featuring Jay-Z. On August 31, 2015, Jeezy announced that he would release a new project entitled Church in These Streets. Four singles were released and the project as a whole came on November 13, 2015. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
On December 15, 2017, Jeezy released his eighth studio album Pressure, originally titled Snow Season.
On August 23, 2019, Jeezy released his ninth album, . It was planned to be his final album, as he wanted to venture into acting at the time.
On Halloween 2023, Jeezy confirmed via Instagram that his contract with Def Jam has been fulfilled, while announcing a double album titled I Might Forgive, But I Don't Forget, which was released on November 3.
Jeezy married Jeannie Mai in 2021. The birth of their first child and daughter was announced on January 11, 2022. He has three children from previous relationships.
On September 14, 2023, Jeezy filed for divorce from Mai in Georgia's Superior Court of Fulton County, stating that “ the marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken” and “ there is no hope for reconciliation.” He is seeking joint legal custody of their daughter.
On June 18, 2008 in Atlanta, Young Jeezy was arrested for DUI.
On April 16, 2013, Brian Smith filed a copyright infringement complaint seeking an injunction, damages, and attorney fees against Jay W. Jenkins d/b/a Young Jeezy Music and others in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, concerning the work "Jizzle", which was released in July 2010.
On August 27, 2013, Leroy Hutson also known as Lee Hutson Sr., former lead singer of 1970s R&B group The Impressions, filed a complaint against Young Jeezy and others alleging that Young Jeezy's song "Time" inappropriately incorporated the instrumental portion of "Getting it On", which was registered with the United States Copyright Office in 1973.
On January 4, 2014, Jeezy was arrested for battery, false imprisonment, and terrorist threats, after an alleged fight with his son in September 2012.
On August 24, 2014, Jeezy was arrested before performing at the Irvine, California, stop on the Under The Influence Tour in connection with the deadly shooting two days prior in the backstage area, on another stop of the tour in Mountain View, California. When the police raided Jeezy's tour bus, they found an AK-47 military-style assault rifle and guns on several members of his entourage. Six people, including Jeezy were arrested, because "no one admitted to owning the assault rifle." His bail was set at one million dollars.
On August 26, 2014, Jeezy, as well as the five other men he was arrested with, entered not guilty pleas to possession of an illegal assault rifle. Two days later, Jeezy and his associates bonded out. Officers were reportedly told repeatedly that the registered owner of the AK-47 was the tour security chief, who was hospitalized at the time.
|- | rowspan="2"|2007 | Young Jeezy | Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist | |- | The Inspiration | Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album | |}
|- | 2008 | "I'm So Hood (Remix)" | Best Collaboration | |- | 2009 | Young Jeezy | Best Male Hip-Hop Artist | [1] |- | 2010 | "Hard" (with Rihanna) | Viewer's Choice | |}
|- |rowspan="2"| 2006 | Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 | Hip-Hop CD of the Year | |- | Young Jeezy | Hip-Hop MVP of the Year | |- |rowspan="3"| 2008 |rowspan="2"| "I'm So Hood (Remix)" | Best Hip-Hop Video | |- | Best Hip-Hop Collaboration | |- | "Put On" (featuring Kanye West) | People's Champ Award | |}
|- | 2009 | "Put On" (featuring Kanye West) | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | |- | 2010 | "Amazing" (with Kanye West) | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | |- | 2011 | "Lose My Mind" (featuring Plies) | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | |- | 2013 | "I Do" (featuring Jay-Z and André 3000) | Best Rap Performance | |}
|- |rowspan="4"| 2007 | The Inspiration | Best Rap Album | |- | "Go Getta" (featuring R. Kelly) | Best Rap/R&B Collaboration | |- | "Grew Up a Screw Up" (with Ludacris) | Best Video | |- | USDA | Best Group | |- |rowspan="2"| 2008 | Young Jeezy | Best Rap Artist | |- | "Love in This Club" (with Usher) | Best Rap/R&B Collaboration | |}
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