Record Review - Young Jeezy: Trap or Die 2: By Any Means Necessary

Self-released

“I’m about to pick up where I left off,” asserts a defiantly confident Jay Jenkins in the “Introduction” to his new mixtape. Following up one of the most successful, well-regarded tapes in history ain’t small potatoes, and from the start of TOD 2 Jeezy sounds like he gets it. Don Cannon, replacing the omnipresent DJ Drama, more than rises to the occasion, snatching beats from every corner of the raposphere and providing relief from the horror-rap uniformity of much of Jeezy’s album work. And the collaborators bring their A-game: Check out Plies’ bravado on “Lose My Mind,” or “Ill’in,” in which Clipse’s Pusha T drops one of the hottest verses on any mixtape, ever. TOD 2 may not have the same impact on the rap game as the first one, but Jeezy is as on top of his game as ever. And if this is a preview of Thug Motivation 103, we’re in for a doozy. 4 out of 5 stars.