Jeezy, under the name Young Jeezy, teamed up with DJ Drama 10 years ago to create Trap or Die. The 20-plus-track mixtape set the standard for free music and helped ignite both Jeezy and DJ Drama’s careers. A decade later, both artists spoke to XXL about what the mixtape means to each of them.
For Jeezy, the mixtape was a last-chance attempt to get his message out, so he “gave it everything I had.”
“The reason why Trap Or Die was so potent,” the Atlanta rapper says, “I always thought in the back of my mind that I was going to be either incarcerated or deceased, and I just wanted to be heard.”
DJ Drama explains that they furthered 50 Cent’s model for how to make a successful career from a mixtape.
“[Trap or Die] took what 50 [Cent] had already established and took it to even greater heights,” he says. “50 had made an impact with mixtapes, taking other artist’s music and flipping it and making it into his own. Then Jeezy and I came along and followed in those footsteps, basically creating the street album. Trap Or Die was the new standard to what you needed to accomplish to be that next guy.”
Both artists also discuss how the mixtape kickstarted their careers.
“I think I wouldn’t have a record deal or any influence if I didn’t do that tape,” the “Put On” rapper says. Since Trap or Die, Jeezy has released five studio albums, including last year’s Seen It All.
DJ Drama says that working on Trap or Die developed the presence that he is now known for on mixtapes.
“I always tell people, even from where I took mixtapes and put my personality into the tape,” he says. “I was becoming known for some of my speeches on the mixtapes. I took what used to be just a form of shoutouts [and] I turned that into a new perspective or new personality on the tapes.”
DJ Drama says he values the intro the most, especially because that is where he first made the tag line “Quality Street Music,” which has become a signature of his.
“Ten years later I’ve been able to brand and make a career off of it,” he says. “Shit is one of those project where legends are made.”
For additional Jeezy coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
whether people like it or not 50 inspired a lot of rapper and made a lot of rapper step their games up
BY DOING WHAT!!!???? hating on people stirring up beefs and talking bout “The material I make is this and that” when that shyt he calls material is lack luster and BORING!>>>???
50 always had the real blueprint, jay was just frontin
STFU you idiot 50 had 1 great album and been down hill losing beefs to ross, game 50 music fucking sucks boring ass flow and hes a rat hes nowhere near jay caliber
Yea I agree 50 cent was pretty good he did a lot and still being creative with his career
True that, Vamp Soda, Co-Sign
50 is one of the most unappreciated trailblazers in Hip Hop history.
Not many comments on this when it’s something positive , hmmp
50 is the true definition of a champion, get over it haters lol
Trap or Die and 101 are both classics
rick ross inspired a bunch of liars fakes and frauds to start rapping
fuck this loser and his vagina monologues.. he has a vagina between his legs, he a pussy ass nigga for real.. nigga been snitchin on the down low for the longest time since t.i. aka the informant