Former rivals Jeezy and Gucci Mane laid their issues to rest last November when they participated in an unforgettable Verzuz battle. What started off as a potentially contentious disaster evolved into a peaceful resolution to a nearly 20-year beef. But apparently not everyone was feeling it — especially Corporate Thugz Entertainment co-founder Kinky B who helped establish the CTE imprint with Jeezy in the early 2000s.
During an interview with the Big Facts Podcast, he spoke frankly about the impact he feels Gucci Mane and Jeezy’s reconciliation had on The Snowman’s reputation.
“That man, in the United States of America, any street n-gga lost all respect for that man that fucking day,” he says in the clip. “He lost all his street credibility that day due to the fact that, I don’t give a fuck, when a n-gga lose their life, man, ain’t no peace. They’ll never be peace. Never, ever.”
Kinky B is referring to a 2005 shooting incident in which Gucci wound up killing Jeezy’s associate Pookie Loc in what he said was “self-defense,” a major roadblock to getting both rappers in the same room. But Verzuz made it happen and the event went down as scheduled on November 19, 2020.
Right off the bat, the 1017 Records boss made things uncomfortable when he kicked off the battle with the 2012 Jeezy diss track “Round 1” and it seemed like that was going to be the theme for the evening.
Although Jeezy took it in stride, he ultimately drew the line when Gucci Mane played another disrespectful record called “The Truth” and decided to call him out.
“See when I called you and extended this invite, my n-gga, I did it as a real man,” he said at the time. “It’s been 20 muthafuckin’ years … you still talking the same shit. The shit we came from in the street, we been through it, dawg. Twenty years and when I said I wanted to do this for the culture, that’s what I wanted to do. I brought you here to show you the world care about what the fuck we got going on because we are the culture. Me and you, where we came from, what we been through, n-gga, us.
“All these kids out here doing what the fuck they do cuz they saw what went on with us. This shit ain’t ‘bout me, it ain’t ‘bout you. This shit about King Von, this shit about Doe B, this shit about Nipsey Hussle, this shit about muthafuckin’ Pop Smoke, Mo3 and I’m real enough to do that, n-gga, because one thing about it, two things fo sho, three things for certain, n-gga.”
With that, Gucci accepted Jeezy’s olive branch, saying, “No disrespect. It’s all love.”
Gucci Mane Performs Disrespectful 'Truth' Record During Verzuz — & Gets A Tongue-Lashing From Jeezy
Jeezy later explained what moved him to forgive Gucci during an interview with Big Boy of 92.3 The Real, saying, “I just felt like I wasn’t gonna lose my cool,” he said. “I wasn’t gonna let anyone, including myself, drag me back 20 years.”
Kinky B isn’t the only critic of the move. Speaking to The Morning Hustle earlier this month, 50 Cent was adamant the only reason Jeezy did it was to sell copies of his 12th studio album The Recession 2. Even if 50 Cent was right, the alleged plan didn’t work. The project peaked at only No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, selling around 28,000 total album-equivalent units in its opening week.
“I thought Verzuz was something we did when we was stuck in the house,” he said. “Look, as soon as we got out of the house and we come back outside, I was like, Verzuz didn’t make sense to me. Soon as we come back outside I’m like, I don’t know why we’re still doing [Verzuz]. I think when they did the Jeezy, Gucci Mane [Verzuz], I think that that was desperation on Jeezy’s part trying to sell a record.”
CTE World released its first album in 2001, Jeezy’s Thuggin’ Under the Influence (T.U.I.), and followed up with Come Shop Wit Me. Four years later, Jeezy got a deal with Def Jam South and The Island Def Jam and released his first major label studio album Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101. The imprint signed the now Grammy Award-nominated MC Freddie Gibbs in 2011, but he left just a year later under contentious circumstances.
But even after Jeezy dissed Gibbs on 2020’s “Therapy For The Soul,” Gangsta Gibbs said he’s willing to squash their issues.
“I don’t have beef with him like other people may,” he told Vulture in January. “I think it was just two guys who didn’t communicate correctly. He had a vision, and I had my vision, and we just couldn’t come to a common agreement. I don’t hate the man or anything of that nature, not at all. At one point, I looked up to him. And I still respect everything that he did musically. I still listen to his music. So, like I said, man, maybe one day, who knows?”
They’ve been in the same rooms many times in the past 20yrs.. no smoke! But he was just supposed to go all crazy that day?? For what?! Shit happens when you play in the streets. He wanted to end the bs and back and forth. I respect Jeezy for trying. I look at Gucci sideways for saying that deadmans name over and ovr after all this time. Let him rest l, let his family have closure. But instead you did that sucka shit and celebrated the kill, dancing and singing his death after 2 decades. Sorry mf
Lol funny. A man come to take your life, not over nothing personal, just to get some stripes, but you a sorry mf because you luckily got him 1st. You think jeezy folks would be feeling bad if he killed gucci 20 years ago? Oh but gucci would’ve still been dead though so who cares if he felt bad about it. You wrong buddy
Don’t forget Gucci is financing Poop Scheisty and Caca Gang so he can keep Memphis flooded with cocaine, weed, and dirty autos.
once somebody came for your life it can never be cool again. jeezy keeps saying we past that but if y’all are, you don’t need to do a versus to prove it, instead you gone tuck your tail in front of the whole world
His Street name is Kinky B. That name itself is mad suspect but this co founder must of forgot Jeezy sent his homie on a crash dummy mission which he never came back from
He lost all credibility for that damn name. GTFOH.
Jezzy elevated past the streets, jezzy got more money than somebody in the streets . Jezzy mindset grown , he came to peace with his past and understood the street credit can’t buy you a house , a car , a mansion , street credit can’t get you nothing . Why would jezzy care about what a street individual has to say when they not on they on his caliber . The streets will always be the streets, you can’t beat the streets. By being in the streets the only way you can beat the streets is get out of the streets. F**c streets n**g be a MAN
You dummy. His street cred is what sold his albums. Why u think that last album flopped? He a sellout. And you probably a sellout too dummy.
Man Jeezy wasn’t selling albums like 3 albums, no one wins in the streets. Jeezy & Gucci no that. The streets is done, guwop don’t be in the streets & he didn’t really start making bread till he got a white fanbase. And jeezy got in the corporate world making bread. Catch up ppl
Agreed, brother. Well said…but who’s Jezzy?
Lol Jezzy the Lezzy
20 years later 50 still tryna be a A&R and Can’t even sell a record himself. Or are we supposed to be 10 he doesn’t need to sell records because of that 10% of Power he owns ha ha
I personally feel like Jeezy can’t be the one to squash the beef. You tried to get that man killed. You can’t escalate the situation, then when it doesn’t go like you want it to, turn around and say let’s squash it. 20 years or not, you had a hand in niccas coming for my head. Idk if that’s a squashable offense..
Kinky B is part of the ignorance that keeps the black community stuck at the bottom, you never forgive or grow up. Streets don’t love anyone, isn’t the whole point to get out the hood?
That’s right, and let the karma do the rest.
Forgive Gucci??! Gucci wasn’t outta line for protecting his. Can’t nobody fuck wit my kitchen
I’ve been getting cold towards Jeezy as a fan in the past years but seeing the way he carried himself during the battle made me feel proud that I am a fan and reignited my interest in his craft. Dude’s name is Kinky B and this guy comes out now from whatever hole he was in and deepens in his ignorance with ‘Jeezy should’ve kept it real’. WOW. Amazing. Spectacular. If Jeezy was still rolling with his guy he was probably in jail. As Game said it ‘what you want me to do? Drop my son off at home and come bang wit’chu?’
Kinky B is an example of garbage you move away from. That mentality will have you doing life in prison to prove “You Real”. Yep, you real stupid. You know who sold records and put money in your pocket Kinky B? Jeezy.
Have a seat sir. Go drive your hellcat and drink some Patron or whatever the pee you gangsters drink these days. You damn near 50, grow up.
Exactly bro. It’s soany dudes in the grave now because they didn’t know how to let something go or communicate with their opp to squash some old azz beef. Much love to Jeezy and Gucci for squashing that bs. Kinky b’s ignorance is irrelevant!
Jeezy is good but was overated and people began to understand its really his producers and beats that made him huge but lyrically, very average like come on man! Those rhymes are nothing
The reason why his last two didn’t sell wasn’t because of that street cred shit it’s because his content and subjects and beats are not the same listen to his last two albums and then listen his first 7 night and day different he feels like since he is older he shouldn’t be talking like that and he didn’t get to meet Obama because those records
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