You cannot ban the Snowman.
No matter how hard you may try, he’ll change up the recipe. After giving the
cooked coke crack fiends some motivation, Jeezy
returns with The Inspiration. The
album is full of dark, brooding beats, a few introspective lyrics, and, of
course, his infamous adlibs.
Right from the gate, longtime collaborator Shawty Redd gives Jeezy pure fire with “Hypnotized.” He commands everyone to “get
money” and its slow-grinding, pulsating beat is a good way to start the album.
Even with the lead single, “I Luv It,” Jeezy
showcases his great ear for beats. He manages to churn out a song where it
could be played in the cars, as well as the clubs. With inspiration as the main
theme, he spits:
“Fresh out the pot,
yeah the work was hard,/Ride with the top down, so I’m closer to God/My P.O.
tellin’ me I need a 9 to 5/But I already got a job and that’s staying alive…”
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An absolute sonic treat is the gem “Bury Me A G.” Mr. 17.5 shows some insight within his
lyrics, opting to showcase an emotional and remorseful Jeez, instead of more monotonous content. The Timbaland-produced “3 AM” is also a trunk rattler, as Mr. Atlanta and Timbo collab for a song strong enough to be a B-side single.
But the album is not without it’s pitfalls. “Go Getter”
featuring Chicago crooner R. Kelly
is alright, but their chemistry seems more forced and the result of the product
is mixed at best. Honestly, it just doesn’t sound right for Jeezy to pair himself with R. Kelly. Akon would’ve been a better choice. Obviously, Jeezy knows this as the two are doing an album together, set for
release sometime in the next year. “Streets On Lock” has a pretty mundane and
boring beat cooked up by Cool ‘N Dre.
The song is not skippable, but it’s not repeatable, either (insert Jeezy laugh).
But a highlight on the album is “Dreamin’.” Produced by The Runners — they drop the style that
propelled them into the limelight (think “Hustlin'” and “Clap and Revolve”) and
try to craft a new sound. Former boo Keyshia
Cole doesn’t get a chance to really put her foot into the track like she’s
been known to do on her own songs, but you do get to see Jeezy expose himself to the listener as he spits:
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“I was young and dumb
with a pocket full of cash/Posted on the block, with a pocket full of grass/Full
speed still running from my past/But it’s starting to catch up, kids gaining up
on my ass/Two type of niggas, predator and prey/I’m a predator, I pray three
times a day/Matt Lou once said, ‘One
day you’ll have kids,/’And how you gon’ explain all the shit you did?‘”
What would be a wet-dream of most fans to hear T.I., Jeezy, and Mr. Kanye-to-the all on the same track (“I Got Money”) falls
short due to the uninspired nature of the lyrics and lackluster production. You
already know Jeezy won’t switch up
his flow too much, but even T.I’s.
braggart rhymes do little to move the listener. The rest of the album fairs
pretty well and with 16 tracks to digest, it’s just enough to where you won’t
get sick of the repetitiveness on this disc. Jeezy has never been lyrical, he doesn’t try to – he wishes to keep
it simple, stupid (after all he does say “adlib
here, adlib there, fuck it, adlibs everywhere“). But the smart money has
been placed on him and he doesn’t disappoint. Giving you some ridin’ music to
cruise to, and that’s all you can ask for from a Jeezy album: bangin’ beats. The sophomore slump has not weighed on Young Jeezy. With snow crisply on the
ground, the Snowman’s latest
offering arrives just on time.
