In the early stages of the Aughts, Atlanta hip hop had a vice grip-like chokehold on the culture. From the eclectic stylings of OutKast, to the riot-ready vibes of Lil Jon, everyone from the average Joe to the money-hungry labels had their eyes on the region. It was during that time that a then-unknown rapper with “alleged” ties to the Black Mafia Family began to build his own buzz, but it wasn’t until a nigh-legendary mixtape with DJ Drama that he began to capture the attention of a nation of millions.
By the time his major label debut, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, hit in 2005, the Jeezy train was at full speed as he would deliver what many feel is still his crowning achievement in music. Now, Complex spotlights one of the songs from the album, the Akon-guested “Soul Survivor,” in their latest episode of their Magnum Opus series, where Jeezy, Shawty Redd, DJ Drama, and others touched upon his come-up.
Take a trip through memory lane, below.
This, however, has always been my favorite song from the project…
