Young Jeezy Disses DJ Drama: What has happened with the DJ and the artist relationship? [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Before you read to far into this, I want you to know I was a Gangsta Grillz fan (with an emphasis on the "was").

You couldn't tell me nothing about those infamous drops, "Dramatic", "Cannon...Cannon...Cannon" and "Trendsetter". Hands down between 2003 until the Aphilliates Music Group (consisting of DJ Drama, DJ Don Cannon, DJ Sense and DJ Jamad) got busted in 2007 on racketeering charges, they were running the game.

We all know the classics: T.I.'s "Down With The King" that effectively ethered Lil' Flip's rap career, Lil' Wayne's "Dedication" Parts 1,2,3 even back to Young Jeezy's "Trap Or Die", Drama was the man.

It could be said that for the artists above, he is the best example of a symbiotic relationship between the artist and the DJ.

As much as those artists are stars today, DJ Drama pushed whatever buzz they had before and helped make them into worldwide superstars.

But like all things: jealousy, money and loyalty are the pre-requisites for trouble in Hip-Hop. Out of the artists above, T.I. seems to be the only artist on good terms with Drama as he signed him to be the official DJ of Grand Hustle and got him a record deal on Atlantic.

Drama and Lil' Wayne has had on and off relationship from the jump. It can be argued that without the Dedication mixtapes that Wayne did with Drama, he would have never been the caliber of artist that he is today. Also, you could say that the incredible lyrical change in Wayne was documented through the 3 mixtapes that he did with Drama.


But, through various lawsuits and Wayne pre and post-Carter III commenting during Drama's Fed bust that he needs "to smarten up" and his infamous comment dissing all mixtape DJ's, their relationship continues to be on shakey ground.


Drama and Jeezy's relationship has went from bad to worst as they have not only had private animosity but now a very public rivalry.

Most people know Drama from his infamous Trap Or Die mixtape with Young Jeezy. But over time, the relationship has soured over alleged shady business dealings and ultimately loyalty.

Jeezy commented, "Drama just started acting like a bitch. Drama wanted to be Khaled, but he didn't want to help nobody. He just changed, period."

He continued, "Look at his crew. The same niggas ain't around him. You ain't never been in no streets. I could never have no beef with a nigga like that. He's a cornball. You made millions off my mixtapes, to the point where the fuckin' feds scooped you up for bootlegging. I never even made the money he made off of Trap or Die or Tha Streets Iz Watchin, because they were selling and distributing them and making money."

Jeezy finally stated, "I'm not hating. But we will never do a mixtape together. I didn't charge that nigga for [contributing a verse to the song "5000 Ones," on Drama's official Atlantic Records debut].

But then when I need [a tape for one of my artists], and you want to charge me $20,000?… I'll slap the shit out of Drama. He knows that. He wasn't loyal. But me putting my hands on that man ain't gonna make him respect what I'm saying. I'm just not gonna fuck with him anymore."

Now, to play devil’s advocate from a personal perspective, most of these claims can be confirmed by not only major artists but independent artists too. I could remember trying to get a Gangsta Grillz done and Drama's management charging me $6500 dollars. So, if I could get charged that price as an independent artist then that $20,000 dollar price tag doesn't really seem to off to me.

Drama responded to Jeezy's words with this statement:

"[But more importantly], his statement about me trying to charge him $20k for a mixtape is a BOLD FACE LIE. I never charged Jeezy for nothin'. I did two Slick Pulla tapes (4th Ward Day, Election Day) for free and a Bloodraw tape (The Indictment Papers) for free. Anything Jeezy ever needed from me, I did without hesitation. He doesn't want to deal with the real reason why he's mad."

"The tension between us actually started when I deejayed his USDA release party (FOR FREE) and I played a Gucci Mane record. He stormed out of his own party and didn't speak to me for about 2-3 months. Me, being a DJ, I was just rockin' the crowd and giving the people what they had been requesting. I don't get involved in that other stuff."

The aforementioned Gucci Mane beef with Jeezy played (and continues to play) a large part in the problems that Drama has with Jeezy. But, these problems can only leads to one ultimate solution.

Drama is a DJ that represents the streets and as a DJ of that caliber, you must cater to what the streets want. Jeezy may have been mad at whatever affiliation Drama may have had with Gucci Mane but you can’t let that stop business in that sense.

Jeezy may have had loyalty issues but hopefully that can be sorted out between him and Drama. But when you have CTE people clashing with Aphilliates people, that can take a problem between two men and create a real street beef (i.e. Tupac and “Biggie”).

Hopefully, Drama can regain the influence that he had just a few years ago. Amidst fed cases and other outside “drama”, he can get back to what we know him for: bringing us hot music.

-L’Daialogue