“Dead beat dad is what the media say/ best father in the world is what my son will say.” On Christina Milian’s “Say I,” Young Jeezy shared a bit of his personal life – rare form for the Snowman. Since the boy from the hood first reached the charts, his name has been tossed around in an ongoing custody battle for his 7 year-old son. The same man who had the masses in 2005 saying, “Let’s get it,” just wants his child to get good grades.
As Jeezy says that the support payments were always coming, the young father defends his image as seen in some media. The Atlanta-based celebrity also describes his roles shifting between father and the artist currently recording The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102. Whether it’s family, financial, or federal woes, the Snowman takes things as they come, knowing that while he was a “Trap Star” to many, he’s only a father to one.
AllHipHop.com: There was a lot of speculation over your custody battle. How’s that going now?
Young Jeezy: I got my first visitation [recently], so…it was good. You know, it was like I really, I really hadn’t had no problems with my baby’s mama. But you know, being successful, [drama is] gonna come with that; they got to hurt you some type of way. But no, we have little issues about when and how I can see my son, [but we] work that out with the court. And you know, truth be told, I’m the one that really wanted to go to court, know what I’m saying? I really wanted my f**king visitation rights, you know. Call somebody, I want to see him this week, and they’re like “No,” and I’m like “Why?” [she said] “Because you can’t,” know what I mean. So I really wanted to go to court, but it was good. We got a little system going: if I see him, I see him every time I’m home. It’s good. And like with my mother’s so, you know it’s cool now. I feel a lot of ease because I can call when I want to. Got his little cell phone chop it up with a little chirp whatever.
AllHipHop.com: How old is he?
Young Jeezy: He’s seven. It’s better now. I always [want] my son to be a part of my life, know what I’m saying.
AllHipHop.com: Do you teach your son anything in particular, or have something that you want to get across to him?
Young Jeezy: I mean, you know, we talk. Me and my dude have long conversations. We really talk because you know he going through…he grew up in a project just like me, I try to pull that out, but mama tried to hide it, you know. It’s cool, he can come to me and ask me about something. He wants to be involved in what I do and go where I’m going, but you know, he understands he can’t do that. But I mean it’s cool now. His grades are better. He’s eating better, so you know he can get in a little trouble.
AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about the media, you know as the custody situation played out?
Young Jeezy: The media is the monster, man. It takes [a lot out of you]… when people f**k with you personally. They got it out for you. You know, I hear s**t all the time, and I’m like, “Wow.” You know that’s a part of my soul, man. Look out for your kids. Take care of your own flesh and blood, because that’s what I believe in. So when you hear me say that, and listen to some [of the] news s**t, saying I ain’t paying child support, don’t believe that. It’s been paid up. It’s just the other s**t that was going on with it [the child’s mother], “You want how much [money]? You need a Ferrari?” But you know [child’s mother] don’t get that, but it’s cool. I mean you know, like I say, man, whatever’s best for him man I’m cool with that. Just for the [kid].
AllHipHop.com: How were with your father?
Young Jeezy: We really weren’t that close, but you got to understand, I wasn’t that close with nobody in my family. I was like… I was on the streets man. So I couldn’t enjoy that. Like talking to a dude complaining about Christmas because he don’t know how it’s gonna be at the end of the year. So my whole thing was to put everything to the side and not care about nothing. So if I ever was to get anything done in a situation, I could deal with it, know what I’m saying. They wouldn’t be calling home and everybody all f**ked up and you locked out. So it was more so like I kind of pushed it to the side. But now I see my mom all the time and we talk and it’s better now. Know what I’m saying, [I] changed my life a lot.
AllHipHop.com: No doubt. As a dedicated father, how do you react differently to people around you getting shot and things like that? Have you changed the way you move at all?
Young Jeezy: Oh man, I’m in the street. I really don’t give a f**k about that s**t. You take one of mine, I’m taking five of yours, no s**t. But end of the day, we been in there, but it is what it is. I’m not here to sit, I had to learn to do right. I’m locked up every other weekend and I’m gonna tell it. You know the n***as know what happened when [U.S.D.A. rapper Slick Pulla] got shot. [Slick Pulla] didn’t get shot running. He got shot doing him. I mean, you best believe you know he wasn’t the only one got shot. But it’s like we live. I talk to him and try to calm him down. He’s a little bit younger, and my man Bloodraw, another member of U.S.D.A., just beat a f**king federal conspiracy case…
AllHipHop.com: He got out right?
Young Jeezy: He was facing life. You know that’s why we put the U.S.D.A. album out, because he got messed up. The Feds messed him up. I think what they was really trying to give him 20 years. Well, it’s just like man it’s like at the end of the day, man, seriously you live and learn. You learn what you do and you do what you learn. You do what you do, and try to be safe in the process…because, I mean, s**t happens, man. I mean, you gonna get money and you gonna get broke. That’s just life. Only thing you can do is live that s**t.
AllHipHop.com: Your man, Twin mentioned to me that y’all didn’t get nominated for a BET Award…
Young Jeezy: Yeah, yeah.
AllHipHop.com: Last year, you, Kanye, The Game, and Three-6-Mafia had the best albums of the year in many folks’ opinions…
Young Jeezy: Man, it is what it is man. I ain’t mad. I ain’t f**ked up about it, you know what I’m saying. I mean, they know what it is. I ain’t angry or s**t. That’s the streets. Know what I’m saying. But at the end of the day, I ain’t f**ked up about it. I guess my album was a little bit too raw for ‘em, but at the end of the day, if the world wasn’t like this I couldn’t talk like this, so why y’all are saying to me? What the f**k did I do wrong? I’m just trying to make do with what I got, you know. I ain’t got it like that. Ain’t had nobody make sure I was straight. It’s talk about s**t that I ain’t ashamed to admit, know what I mean. I’m not a roofer. I can’t talk about fixing the house, plumbing, and s**t like that, mechanic s**t. I don’t know that s**t. I know the streets.