The Snowman is back just in time for Christmas. One of Atlanta and modern-day rap’s greatest is back with his first studio album in three years since his hard-hitting The Recession. Young Jeezy returns to conclude his Thug Motivation trilogy with TM103: Hustlerz Ambition, another great album to add to the epic set that includes his breakthrough classic Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 and 2006’s influential The Inspiration. Although Jeezy’s still been popping with various mixtapes like his Trap Or Die series, it’s great to have his energetic, motivating, power-bar, protein shake, trap music back for our fulfilment in this hard, harsh winter.
His third dose of Thug Motivation begins with Waiting, and this slow, flow burner is worth the much-anticipated, long-awaited release. While What I Do (Just Like That) and OJ featuring hip-hop’s juice in Jadakiss and Fabolous give the fans even more music worth their wait. ‘Nothing‘, ‘Way Too Gone‘, ‘Supafreak‘ and ‘All We Do (Smoke & F%#$)‘ are buzz tracks worthy of their selection, but it’s halfway through this disc that the CD shows it’s really worthy of being an album over just another mixtape.
R&B leading man Ne-Yo gives the platinum rapper another diamond hit with Leave You Alone. The singer who can song-write from the underground (Ghostface Killah’s Back Like That) to the mainstream (almost every other song on the radio), shows he can cater his style towards any artist for any song. Everythang continues Jeezy’s cool street slang, before Neo-Soul artist Jill Scott gives the ATL trapper another sure-fire hit with the release Trapped.
Young Jeezy and fellow Atlanta, trap rapper T.I. superstar celebrate on F.A.M.E, as they rap their rags to riches tale with chemistry and charisma seen on the strength of their previous collaborations. Then the big feature record comes as Young stands next to Jay-Z and Andre 3000’s legend on I Do, with the confidence and lyrics to be put in the same sentence as the pair. “Promise if I get locked, you’ll come and pay my bond/If you hear some n$%#*& plotting on me, you’ll remain loyal/And errytime you give it to me it’s gon be the bomb/And in these unlucky streets you’re gon’ be my lucky charm” Jeezy spits. While Jay rhymes in matrimony; “Lets tie the knot, lets grab us a pot, lets make a baby/Looking back, I don’t know who threw this bouquet to me/But I walk down this aisle faithfully, cut that cake for me” and Andre three-stacks finishes this collaboration marriage rapping it up with a perfect toast saying; “Crazy I tell you all of this in the middle of a club/Where words tend to get thrown around lightly like like like love/And friend and rockstar and so and so’s a genius/So him vow to never utter him do unless he mean it”.
The big records don’t end there as our favourite motivator goes for some Higher Learning with Snoop Dogg and Devin The Dude. Some Trick Daddy (This One’s For You) and Lil’ Wayne (Ballin’) songs keep the guest feature heavy album finale strong. Then things get real deluxe with Never Be The Same, .38 and the Grammy-nominated, bass-boosting, Plies collaboration Lose My Mind. This headstrong classic helps this album become a strong set to add to a discography of work that’s bound to sell on the streets for years to come. Hip hop’s motivational speaker still knows how to move a crowd.
