On Oct. 8, Jeezy and Marc Lamont Hill sat down for a one-on-one conversation at the A3C Festival. Held at the Loudermilk Conference Center’s Ballroom, they discussed various topics from Jeezy’s upcoming album to his involvement in Ferguson and Black Lives Matter.
The first topic addressed was Jeezy’s new album, Church in These Streets, and the concept behind the rapper’s new single, “GOD.” Jeezy stated, “In a world where everyone is bringing us down as a culture, I want to uplift us because Gods don’t kill Gods, we just speak highly of each other.” While everyone applauded and Hill spoke on Jeezy’s growth as an artist and businessman, the rapper also revealed his newfound moniker, Pastor Young.
While noting that there is a difference between Pastor Young and Jeezy the Snowman, the rapper explained that he has to begin to make decisions that not only affect him but also look at how his decisions would affect his 212 employees. Jeezy went on to say that he is a natural born leader and strives to surround himself with those that are able to think for themselves and handle their business. He revealed that two of his mentors are Jay-Z and Minister Farrakhan.
When Hill asked about his involvement in Ferguson and artist speaking out against social injustice, Jeezy stated, “A lot of people just care about the money and that’s it. They’re more focused on selling themselves and selling records.” The rapper went on to say that he has always been rich in heart and character, but everything he has, he worked hard for it and made sacrifices.
Before opening the floor up to a brief Q&A session with the audience, the one-on-one ended with Hill touching on the subject of Jeezy being “The Father of Trap Music” and how he has influenced today’s artists. Jeezy stated, “Remember me as a Black man that had a dream, fulfilled that dream, and stayed true to himself and what he believed in.”
Jeezy revealed that he will be dropping his album Friday, Nov. 13 and he’s constantly grinding and opening himself up to more opportunities. -gené hunter
