Young Jeezy and the King connected in Cleveland last night. LeBron James showed some love to hip-hop great Young Jeezy during the Young Money Presents: America’s Most Wanted Music Festival at the Blossom Music Center. The NBA’s MVP came out just before Kanye West’s verse on “Put On.” LeBron didn’t rhyme, but he threw up the Roc sign onstage. Jeezy sat down with MTV News recently and told us that this outing with Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy Tell’em is a major step up from his concert origins.
“I came up through the chitterling circuit, bruh, ” Young said. “I remember performing on top of two speakers and that was the stage. Those were the speakers the DJs were using. Those were his speakers, and he would run through the music. I would stand on the speakers and perform. To get from that point to now … the platform is bigger, so you have to go in. These are the same cats [in the audience] that have been rocking with you for four or five years. Some seen you at clubs, some seen you wherever. You come back, it’s a big deal now. You gonna come back and rock it the same? You gotta step it up.”
Jeezy’s been very cognizant of reinventing himself onstage. Rather than come out from the ceiling — which would be extremely difficult, given that the AMW tour is hitting mostly outdoor venues — he has evolved by bringing a band on the road and parading out some surprise guest stars.
“I love what I do and I take it very seriously,” Jeezy said. “If you in the crowd, I want you to feel the same I feel. Now I feel bigger, better and I still feel ‘hood. I wanna bring that to this. Everybody [on the bill] tells you their piece. I wanna bring that element. I’m the only dude that can tell you ‘My President Is Black,’ ‘I’m a Soul Survivor’ and I’m from the ‘Bottom of the Map.’ “