With his fourth album on deck, Young Jeezy is graduating to the next level. Let the lesson begin.

Illustration by ESPO; Story by Sacha Jenkins; Photography by Matt Doyle; Styling by Anoma Ya Whittaker

What does it take to be a songwriter?

Young Jeezy: You gotta explain yourself, and know who you’re talkin’ to, to be a songwriter. Take R&B music— and I ain’t no in-love-ass nigga, so I can’t really relate—but when I just see how it make other people feel, I’m like, Damn! You know what I’m saying? My mom, she didn’t have nothing to occupy her time, so that’s how she lived through the music. Sat around, drank a few beers, do what she do, and listen to music all night.

Anyone in your family have musical talent?

Young Jeezy: Nobody really, man, it’s crazy. We always hustlers, we just know how to hustle.

Your whole family?

Young Jeezy: My grandmother ran numbers! You know what I’m saying? Pretty much my whole childhood, she was the number lady, so she always had a pocketful. Bought the boys Pumas every now and then, you know what I mean?

You just said: “I’m not an in-love- ass nigga.” What do you mean by that statement?

Young Jeezy: I ain’t never been—I’ve been a hustler my whole life, so I was pretty much infatuated with money and success and just staying focused and down, so I ain’t never been the type of nigga that just admires my girlfriend.

But you got romance in your life.

Young Jeezy: Yeah, but they ask me what my love life is like, I tell them simple: I love life. [Laughs.] You know what I’m saying? That’s it. I’ma do me, but I ain’t never been the type of person out at the movies and holding hands and riding around listening to R. Kelly, you know what I’m saying?

And that shit’ll never happen for you.

Young Jeezy: l mean, I can’t say that—but shit, not right now! Gotta keep my eyes on the prize!

Why is that?

Young Jeezy: ’Cause I’m still focused. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t gonna sit here and act like I ain’t got some things going on, but that ain’t never been my get-up. Anybody that I ever dealt with knows that I’m a very focused individual, and when it comes to my work and what I do, you might have to play the back burner to that.

Does your situation with DJ Drama—

Young Jeezy: Man, I would never talk about that in my Complex Magazine interview, are you crazy? [Laughs.] No more light. Fight is over.

No more light.

Young Jeezy: Grown, baby, we moving on. I ain’t really no nigga to search for attention or do shit to get attention. I never mentioned niggas’ names, or said anything about anything throughout my career to get no cool points—I just mind my business. But at the same time, I’m a man first. If I feel offended, I’ma speak on it. Like you, you’re not gonna be walking along and a motherfucker just say something crazy to you in the middle of Manhattan and you gonna just keep it moving? You’re gonna say your piece or what? [Laughs.]

I’ma send you! The real Jenkins, to handle my shit.

Young Jeezy: [Laughs.] Nah, I’m not—

I’m not General Jenkins like you, I’ma send a real thorough cat. What about writing for other people in the industry?

Young Jeezy: Done it all the time.

Any examples?

Young Jeezy: Name it! Anybody. [Laughs.] I wrote a couple things for Kanye—

Home // CELEBRITIES // COVER STORY // Young Jeezy