Biography
Who is Jeezy?
Early life and real name
Jay Wayne Jenkins was born on September 28, 1977, in Columbia, South Carolina. As a toddler, Jenkins relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where he lived with different family members after his parents separated. At points during his youth, he also lived in Hawkinsville and Macon, Georgia, where he developed local associations.
In 1995, Jeezy spent six months in a boot camp in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for narcotics possession. A few years later, in 1998, he launched his own label imprint, originally known as Corporate Thugz Entertainment and later as CTE World.
How Jeezy became famous
Under the name Lil J and Young Jeezy, the artist released independent projects including Thuggin' Under the Influence in 2001 and Come Shop wit Me in 2003. He subsequently signed with Bad Boy Records and joined the group Boyz n da Hood, whose self-titled album was released in June 2005 and reached number five on the Billboard 200.
Jeezy caught the attention of Def Jam executives through a demo tape, leading to a record deal with the major label. He released his major label debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, on July 26, 2005. The release debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and achieved double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Career highlights and albums
Building on his early success, Jeezy released his second major label album, The Inspiration, on December 12, 2006. The record topped the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 352,000 copies and achieved platinum certification. His third studio album, The Recession, arrived on September 2, 2008, and also debuted at the top of the Billboard 200.
The lead single from The Recession, titled Put On and featuring Kanye West, earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Throughout his career, Jeezy has released additional projects, including Trap or Die 3 in 2016, and has collaborated with numerous well-known artists across the hip-hop and R&B genres.
Collaborations and groups
Alongside his solo work, Jeezy has operated as the de facto leader of the Southern hip-hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America, also known as U.S.D.A. The group released their debut album, Cold Summer, in 2007. His record label, CTE World, has signed and supported various musical artists over the years.
Jeezy has contributed guest verses to multiple successful singles by other artists. These include Usher's song Love in This Club, which reached number one on the Billboard 2008 charts, as well as tracks by Akon, Rihanna, and Christina Milian.
Birthday and age
Jeezy was born on September 28, 1977, which makes Jeezy 49 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Jeezy shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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