:Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration
{{redirect|The Inspiration||Inspiration (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration
| type = Studio album
| artist = Young Jeezy
| cover = The Inspiration.jpg
| alt =
| released = December 12, 2006
| recorded = 2005–2006
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Hip hop
| length = 77:14
| label = {{hlist|CTE|Def Jam}}
| producer = {{flatlist|
- Jeezy (also exec.)
- Demetrius "Kinky B" Ellerbee (exec.)
- Antonio "L.A." Reid (exec.)
- Kevin "Coach K" Lee (co-exec.)
- Shakir Stewart (co-exec.)
- J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
- DJ Toomp
- Cool & Dre
- Timbaland
- Don Cannon
- The Runners
- Mr. Collipark
- Shawty Redd
- Anthony Dent
- Drumma Boy
- Midnight Black
- Key Pushas}}
| prev_title = Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101
| prev_year = 2005
| next_title = The Recession
| next_year = 2008
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration
| type = Album
| single1 = I Luv It
| single1date = October 24, 2006
| single2 = Go Getta
| single2date = December 11, 2006
| single3 = Dreamin{{'}}
| single3date = February 28, 2007
}}
}}
Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration is the fourth studio album by American rapper Young Jeezy. It was released on December 12, 2006, by Corporate Thugz Entertainment, and Def Jam Recordings. Production was handled by Shawty Redd, Timbaland, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, The Runners, Cool & Dre, Mr. Collipark, Drumma Boy, Don Cannon and Midnight Black, among others. It features guest appearances from R. Kelly, Timbaland, Keyshia Cole, Blood Raw, Slick Pulla, T.I., Project Pat and Three 6 Mafia. The Inspiration was supported by three singles: "I Luv It", "Go Getta" featuring R. Kelly, and "Dreamin'" featuring Keyshia Cole.
Singles
The album's lead single, "I Luv It", was released on October 24, 2006. The song was produced by DJ Toomp.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUjfWwqFcFI |title=Young Jeezy - I Luv It |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-06-16 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327094251/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUjfWwqFcFI |archive-date=2016-03-27 }}
The album's second single, "Go Getta", was released on December 11, 2006. The song features a guest appearance from American R&B singer R. Kelly, while the production was handled by the duo The Runners.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7ec0VI4Yl0 |title=Young Jeezy - Go Getta ft. R. Kelly |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-06-16 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310122122/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7ec0VI4Yl0 |archive-date=2016-03-10 }}
The album's third single, "Dreamin'", was released on February 28, 2007. The song features a guest appearance from American R&B singer Keyshia Cole, while the production was also handled by The Runners.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srSuX08b5nw |title=Young Jeezy - Dreamin' ft. Keyshia Cole |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-06-16 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220201626/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srSuX08b5nw |archive-date=2015-12-20 }}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev2 = Entertainment Weekly
|rev2score = B+{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1567764,00.html|title=The Inspiration Review|last=Dombal|first=Ryan|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|issue=911|date=2006-12-15|page=87|access-date=2013-07-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427160932/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C1567764%2C00.html|archive-date=2009-04-27}}
|rev4 = Los Angeles Times
|rev3 = HipHopDX
|rev5 = Pitchfork
|rev6 = PopMatters
|rev7 = RapReviews
|rev8 = Rolling Stone
|rev9 = USA Today
|rev10 = XXL
}}
The album has a score of 70 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". Vibe gave the album four stars out of five and stated that "Despite its frustratingly uniform theme--coke--and Jeezy's inflexible, one-speed rasp, his sophomore effort, The Inspiration, suggests that last year's victories were no fluke." The A.V. Club gave it a B and stated that Young Jeezy "spits snowman raps with rough-hewn charisma and unseemly enthusiasm."{{cite web|last=Rabin |first=Nathan |url=https://www.avclub.com/music-in-brief-1798210858 |title=Music in Brief · Article · The A.V. Club |publisher=The A.V. Club |access-date=2015-12-10}} Chicago Tribune gave it three stars out of four and said that Jeezy "continues to improve, crafting songs that are distinctive and memorable, even if he sticks to the well-worn topics of rims, clothes and clubbing."{{cite web |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-12-12/news/0612120465_1_young-jeezy-snippets-nimble |title=Young Jeezy THE INSPIRATION RATING: 3 SOUND... |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=2006-12-12 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150055/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-12-12/news/0612120465_1_young-jeezy-snippets-nimble |archive-date=2015-12-22 }} Blender gave it three-and-a-half stars and said that "the smallest suggestions of personality make a charismatic impact." Spin gave the album seven out of ten and stated that "This time around, it's as if the script has been reshot by Michael Bay--glossy and viscerally stimulating--and we're watching a coming attraction for a film that never starts." Billboard gave it a positive review and said that Jeezy's lyrics "have matured past coke-slinging to the drug's effect on his life." The Phoenix gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four and said that "Fortunately, getting the money isn't all this follow-up to last year's breakthrough Let's Get It cares about, and the singles here are fire."{{cite web |author=MATTHEW GASTEIER |url=http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/29987-young-jeezy-the-inspiration/ |title=Young Jeezy - CD Reviews |publisher=Thephoenix.com |date=2006-12-19 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222155724/http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/29987-young-jeezy-the-inspiration/ |archive-date=2015-12-22 }}
Other reviews are average or mixed: Okayplayer gave it an average review and stated, "The Inspiration, an even darker work than the debut, finds the Snowman weaving paranoid street tales with eerie trunk-rattling beats. The album's main downside is the repetitive nature of many of the tracks."{{cite web |url=http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/young-jeezy-200612124903.html |title=Young Jeezy |publisher=Okayplayer.com |date=2006-01-02 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222121253/http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/young-jeezy-200612124903.html |archive-date=2015-12-22 }} Prefix Magazine gave it a score of six out of ten and called it "Spottily effective gangster posturing."{{cite web |author=Amos Barshad |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/young-jeezy/the-inspiration-thug-motivation-102/15802/ |title=Album Review: Young Jeezy - The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102 |publisher=Prefixmag.com |date=2008-03-05 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082541/http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/young-jeezy/the-inspiration-thug-motivation-102/15802/ |archive-date=2015-12-22 }} However, Stylus Magazine gave it a C− and said, "The strange thing about The Inspiration is how it's posited as an alternative to the much-bullied "conscious rap", and yet, it's among the least fun albums released this year."{{cite web |url=http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/young-jeezy/the-inspiration.htm |title=Young Jeezy - The Inspiration - Review |publisher=Stylus Magazine |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112839/http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/young-jeezy/the-inspiration.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} The New York Times gave it a mixed review and said, "Young Jeezy's appeal was never his writing, but now words sometimes fail him." Hartford Courant also gave it a mixed review and said that "Almost every dramatic synth swell, exploding snare and multi-tracked "Yeaaahhhh" has been done better elsewhere."{{cite web |url=https://www.courant.com/2006/12/14/new-on-disc-80/ |title=New On Disc - tribunedigital-thecourant |publisher=Articles.courant.com |date=2006-12-14 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223110123/http://articles.courant.com/2006-12-14/entertainment/0612140201_1_thug-motivation-def-jam-atlanta-s-young-jeezy |archive-date=2015-12-23 }}
Commercial performance
Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 352,000 copies in the first week.{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56396/young-jeezy-hicks-enter-atop-the-billboard-200 |title=Young Jeezy, Hicks Enter Atop The Billboard 200 |publisher=Billboard |date=2006-12-20 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030064604/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56396/young-jeezy-hicks-enter-atop-the-billboard-200 |archive-date=2015-10-30 }} This became Jeezy's first US number-one debut and his second US top-ten album. In its second week, the album dropped to number 18 on the chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2007-01-06|title=Billboard 200 - January 6, 2007|magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 1, 2020}} In its third week, the album returned to the top-ten at number five on the chart, selling an additional 92,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1549226/omarion-gets-late-christmas-gift-1-debut-as-overall-sales-slide/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915214446/http://www.mtv.com/news/1549226/omarion-gets-late-christmas-gift-1-debut-as-overall-sales-slide/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2020|title=OMARION GETS LATE CHRISTMAS GIFT — #1 DEBUT — AS OVERALL SALES SLIDE|author=Chris Harris|website=MTV |date=January 3, 2007|access-date=March 1, 2020}} In its fourth week, the album dropped to number seven on the chart, selling 45,000 more copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1549627/after-five-week-climb-dreamgirls-is-1-as-album-sales-slump/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126132236/http://www.mtv.com/news/1549627/after-five-week-climb-dreamgirls-is-1-as-album-sales-slump/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 26, 2017|title=AFTER FIVE-WEEK CLIMB, 'DREAMGIRLS' IS #1 AS ALBUM SALES SLUMP|author=Chris Harris|website=MTV |date=January 10, 2007|access-date=March 1, 2020}} On January 23, 2007, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million copies.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=young+jeezy&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=RIAA Certificaitons - Young Jeezy|website=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=July 7, 2020}} As of October 2009, the album has sold 1,229,000 copies in the United States.{{cite web |author=Navjosh |url=http://hiphop-n-more.com/2009/10/xxl-scans-def-jams-entire-discography-record-sales/ |title=XXL Scans: Def Jam's Entire Discography & Record Sales |publisher=HipHop-N-More |date=2009-10-18 |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903153309/http://hiphop-n-more.com/2009/10/xxl-scans-def-jams-entire-discography-record-sales |archive-date=2016-09-03 }}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Hypnotize (Intro)
| writer1 = {{flat list|
| extra1 = Shawty Redd
| length1 = 3:41
| title2 = Still on It
| writer2 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Tracey Sewell}}
| extra2 = Midnight Black
| length2 = 3:46
| title3 = U Know What It Is
| writer3 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Stewart}}
| extra3 = Shawty Redd
| length3 = 3:44
| title4 = J.E.E.Z.Y.
| writer4 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Stewart}}
| extra4 = Shawty Redd
| length4 = 3:49
| title5 = I Luv It
| writer5 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Aldrin Davis}}
| extra5 = DJ Toomp
| length5 = 4:00
| title6 = Go Getta
| writer6 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Andrew Harr
- Jermaine Jackson
- Robert Kelly}}
| extra6 = The Runners
| length6 = 3:49
| note6 = featuring R. Kelly
| title7 = 3 A.M.
| writer7 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Timothy Mosley}}
| extra7 = Timbaland
| length7 = 3:56
| note7 = featuring Timbaland
| title8 = The Realest
| writer8 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Christopher Gholson}}
| extra8 = Drumma Boy
| length8 = 4:09
| title9 = Streets on Lock
| writer9 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Andre Lyon
- Marcello Valenzano}}
| extra9 = Cool & Dre
| length9 = 3:34
| title10 = Bury Me a G
| writer10 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Erik Ortiz
- Kenny Bartolomei
- Kevin Crowe}}
| extra10 = J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
| length10 = 4:43
| title11 = Dreamin{{'-}}
| writer11 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Harr
- Jackson
- Keyshia Cole}}
| extra11 = The Runners
| length11 = 4:49
| note11 = featuring Keyshia Cole
| title12 = What You Talkin' Bout
| writer12 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Michael Crooms}}
| extra12 = Mr. Collipark
| length12 = 3:48
| title13 = Keep It Gangsta
| writer13 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Renaldo Whitman
- Bruce Falson}}
| extra13 = Key Pushas
| length13 = 4:36
| note13 = featuring Slick Pulla and Blood Raw
| title14 = Mr. 17.5
| writer14 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Donald Clark}}
| extra14 = Don Cannon
| length14 = 3:30
| title15 = I Got Money
| writer15 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Davis
- Clifford Harris, Jr.}}
| extra15 = DJ Toomp
| length15 = 3:59
| note15 = featuring T.I.
| title16 = The Inspiration (Follow Me)
| writer16 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Anthony Dent}}
| extra16 = Dent
| length16 = 4:25
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title17 = I Do This
| writer17 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Harvey Miller}}
| extra17 = DJ Speedy
| length17 = 4:13
| title18 = Hood Rat
| writer18 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Paul Beauregard
- Jordan Houston
- Patrick Houston}}
| extra18 = {{flat list|
| length18 = 4:27
| note18 = featuring Three 6 Mafia and Project Pat
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = iTunes bonus track
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title19 = National Anthem
| writer19 = {{flat list|
- Jenkins
- Scott Jung}}
| extra19 = CHOPS
| length19 = 4:04
}}
;Sample credits
- "I Luv It" contains a sample of "I Believe to My Soul" performed by Donny Hathaway.
- "Go Getta" contains a sample of "Born on Halloween" performed by Blue Magic, and samples "Gone Away" performed by Roberta Flack.
- "Streets on Lock" contains an interpolation of "Out of Touch" performed by Hall & Oates.
- "Bury Me a G" contains a sample of "Child of God" performed by Millie Jackson.
- "Dreamin{{'}}" contains a sample of "Dreaming" performed by Bill Summers.
- "What You Talkin' Bout" contains a sample of "Close the Door" performed by Teddy Pendergrass.
- "Mr. 17.5" contains a sample of "Give Me Just Another Day" performed by The Miracles.
- "I Got Money" contains a sample of "Phantom of the Opera" performed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- "The Inspiration (Follow Me)" contains a sample of "Muscles" performed by Diana Ross.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (2006)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=Young Jeezy|access-date=October 23, 2014}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=Young Jeezy|access-date=October 23, 2014}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2007)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 5, 2018}}
| 35 |
| scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 5, 2018}}
| 5 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Young Jeezy|title=The Inspiration|award=Platinum|relyear=2006|certyear=2007}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20061114231350/http://www.defjam.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=567 Young Jeezy official website at defjam.com]
- {{Metacritic album}}
{{Jeezy}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Inspiration, The}}
Category:Albums produced by Cool & Dre
Category:Albums produced by DJ Toomp
Category:Albums produced by Mr. Collipark
Category:Albums produced by the Runners
Category:Albums produced by Timbaland
Category:Albums produced by Drumma Boy
Category:Albums produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
Category:Albums produced by Shawty Redd