In a recent episode of The Adversity Advantage Podcast released on Monday (February 12), Jeezy, the Atlanta native, delved into his past as a hustler and his evolution into a prominent figure in the music industry.
During the discussion, Jeezy shared his belief that had he ventured into the business world earlier in his career, he could have been on par with the likes of JAY-Z and Dr. Dre on the Forbes list.
Acknowledging that his street-oriented mindset initially hindered his progress, Jeezy expressed confidence in his ability to catch up with his peers in terms of business acumen.
Reflecting on his early days in the music industry, Jeezy confessed to making financial decisions driven by a desire to maintain a certain lifestyle, even when they didn’t make sense financially.
He admitted, “I had my stints of when I first came up in the music game, I wanted to still live a certain type of way because that’s what I felt like was going to get me to the next level.”
“There was a period of my life, around the time I was probably depressed, that I was doing a lot of things that didn’t financially make sense in the beginning because now you’re trying to live up to this stereotype that you built.”
Jeezy emphasized that with the knowledge he possesses now, he could have strategically entered the business arena much earlier, potentially achieving the same level of success as his contemporaries.
He noted the disparity in timing, observing that figures like Dr. Dre and JAY-Z had entered the game earlier, giving them a head start. He attributed his delayed entry to his background and the persona he portrayed in his music, which may have deterred him from certain business circles.
He concluded by acknowledging the consequences of his past approach, recognizing that his inclination towards a street image may have alienated him from serious business opportunities.
He remarked, “Nobody really about business wanna be around that. You come to a meeting with 100 people, it don’t make sense, but I thought that was the way to go.”
Jeezy’s reflections shed light on the intersection of personal branding, business strategy, and the challenges of transitioning from a street-oriented background to a successful entrepreneur in the music industry.
