Music Review: Young Jeezy: The Recession

8.5/10

Who knew that Young Jeezy of all people would be educating the nation on the effects of one of the biggest financial droughts of our time? On "The Recession", coke rap professional Young Jeezy not only shows growth, but a new found sense of introspective-ness mixed within his thug motivation. Has the snowman turned over a new leaf in light of an election year?

Starting with the fist pumping intro by southern legend DJ Toomp, Jeezy proclaims that "everyone is broke" and that he's here to help. It's hard to believe at first, however throughout the album (which is incredibly light on features surprisingly), Jeezy holds his own, shedding the simplistic rhyme schemes and punchlines of his two albums, he's almost unrecognizable here as the same rapper we heard in 2004 keeping the yams in his auntie's house.

This newfound confidence helps, not hinders Jeezy's more poignant statements. On the Don Cannon produced "Circulate", Jeezy questions his lavish purchases in light of the current economic climate ("feelin like my watch was a bad investment"), and on the trunk rattling "Crazy World", he mentions the alarming discrepancy between the time given for drugs versus a convicted murder.

But it's on "My President", which features Nas, where Jeezy breaks away from the numerous copy cat's he is compared to. While still a heavy endorsement toward Obama, the trapper dreams of a change, where hopefully coke prices are lower no doubt.

Though he waxes political, Jeezy hasnt forgotten the anthems that made him popular. He and Shawty Redd team up once again on the booming "Who Dat", while Drummaboy provides Jeezy with the mega popular single "Put On" featuring Kanye West in one of his most memorable features yet, and the stand out "Hustlaz Ambition" where Jeezy does his best Tupac rendition.

"The Recession" is Jeezy's strongest effort yet, however time will tell if he can actually start to change his focus and move forward from his 2004 subject matter. He shows signs of a more rounded artist here, but it only leaves your appetite whet for more of Jeezy's world view.