Jeezy moves crowd at SpringFest show

Chart-topping rapper Young Jeezy headlined Southern University’s 2009 SpringFest Concert Saturday, performing a collection of his best-known songs from his seven-year music career.
Years after his 2001 independent debut “Thuggin’ Under the Influence” and getting his first taste of national recognition as part of Bad Boy Records’ Boyz n da Hood collective and the solo album “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101,” the rapper born Jay Jenkins but sometimes called “Jeezy the Snowman” by his fans discussed the artists that insipired him and how college students appreciate his music.
Students stood and raised their fists as they sung the first part of the hook to “My President” — my president is black/my Lambo’s (Lamborghini) blue.” He kept performing with a smile on his face, touched by the show of appreciation from the students.
“(It feels) good, especially coming from where I came from,” Jeezy said.
“I mean anytime somebody is listening to you is one thing, but when you are saying something like that, they feel you and it’s not looking like you crossed over; you definitely can’t do that.”
Jenkins, like many other rappers from the southern United States, cites groups such as UGK and 8Ball & MJG as influences. Some more of his influences are closer to Southern — like the New Orleans-based sounds of Master P’s No Limit Records and Cash Money Records.
His reverence for UGK did not diminish during and after a so-called “beef” with the late Chad “Pimp C” Butler in late 2007. Different media reports state Jenkins and Butler put their differences aside before Butler died in December 2007.
“Pimp C, that’s my big homie,” Jeezy said. “I grew up listening to Pimp, so everybody can agree to disagree but before he passed we handled it the right way and we going to keep riding for him…UGK for life, baby.”
His latest effort, “The Recession,” has Jenkins hitting a high mark in his career. However, Jeezy said his most-beloved work is some of his earliest.
“It has to be that ‘Thug Motivation’,” he said.