Young Jeezy, born Jay Jenkins, is currently one of the most influential people in the rap world. After the success of his first major solo album, Lets Get It: Thug Movtivation 101, and the success of his mixtapes as well as his Boyz N Da Hood Album, Young Jeezy can not be denied his spot in hip hop culture as the most popular street rapper in the game.

Young Jeezy recently released one of the most anticipated rap albums of the year, The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102, on December 12, 2006. This release came seven days after Nas released his album, Hip Hop Is Dead. The album, Hip Hop Is Dead, contained a number of singles including "Black Republican" featuring Jay-Z, but the overall message of the album was a blurred one. Artists, DJ's, and the rap community as a whole were unsure if Nas named his album and first single Hip Hop Is Dead inorder to comment on the current status of the rap game or if he named them Hip Hop Is Dead in order to take a shot at the south and new rappers in general.

In a recent radio interview, Young Jeezy displayed his view on Nas's comment about rap. Young Jeezy doesn't side with Nas, in fact Jeezy proclaims Rap's life and says that hip hop is alive and doing well in the streets and in the new music being made.