One year ago, one of my many prayers was answered when Jeezy and Gucci Mane made peace after a Verzuz Battles. Now, they’re on tour together (Legendz of the Streetz)! Many fans thought the chain events would never happen. But it did and it’s a beautiful thing.
Both artists had been doing their thing for a minute, but it was the 2005-track, “Icy” that got them in front of a bigger fanbase. It served as a gift and curse. It was a gift because it put them in front of a broader audience. However, it was a curse due to the long-standing beef it birthed, which was over ownership of the track.
[Tune In To HipHop-Album-Debate, “The Podcast” Every Tuesday and Friday!]
Ultimately, it worked in Gucci’s favor by keeping him relevant. He would take advantage of it by releasing Trap House in May 2005. It was gritty and had the essence of a citizen from East Atlanta. It didn’t have the mass appeal, but it had the streets. It included the aforementioned, “Icy.” In addition, “Go Head.” Some of Atlanta’s most solid producers produced for this project such as Shawty Redd, Zaytoven, and Nitti. The album peaked at 20 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and number 5 on the US Top Independent Albums charts.
A few months later, Jeezy dropped Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation. He vowed to carry his home turf by putting “Atlanta on his back.” Like Guwop, it had the streets essence, but with more focus on the drug trade. Tracks like “Trap Star” and “Trap or Die,” among others, gave us the narrative from an Atlanta-dealer’s perspective. Mainstream media criticize Jeezy for what the streets embraced: The ad-libs. Ironically, Gucci had the same traits, but didn’t get critized as much. The album produced singles; “And Then What,” “Soul Survivor,” “Go Crazy,” and “My Hood.”
Gucci would take the blueprint from his first album and applied it to his future albums and mixtapes. He would drop bangers such as “Freaky Gurl” and “Wasted,” while lending his vocals on hits such as Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed” and Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles.”
Jeezy kept grinding as well with numerous albums and mixtapes. The Recession being a pivotal album.
During that 15 year span, Jeezy and Gucci simultaneously put out D-Boy and street anthems, which made them poster boys of Trap music. Their style and hustle influenced a generation of rappers. Some rocked with both. However, if you were one of those that had to chose a side, who was it?
Career wise, who were rockin’ with; Jeezy or Gucci Mane?
Jeezy – 85%
Gucci Mane – 15%