The Jeezy vs. Gucci Mane Verzuz was the most-watched webcast with over 1.8 million Instagram viewers (5.5 Million across streaming platforms), breaking the Brandy vs. Monica Verzuz record, which was the first live stream webcast to pass the million mark with over 1.2 Million views. Brandy and Monica did fight backstage at the Grammys, but Gucci Mane and Jeezy beef involved life and death. A day before his debut album, Trap House, was slated to hit stores, Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane was in a Georgia jail facing a murder rap. The then 25-year-old rapper, whose "So Icy" collaboration with Jeezy had become a national hit, was informed of the charge while in New York promoting his album. According to witness accounts given to Gucci Mane's lawyer, Dennis Scheib, Gucci Mane was visiting a female friend on the night of the shooting when five men — three of them dressed in all black — stormed into the apartment. The unidentified armed men threatened to shoot the rapper, punched him in the mouth, and pistol-whipped his friend. Scheib said the witnesses heard a scuffle and gunshots and saw the men flee the apartment, with one asking another, "Are you hit?"
"The one who is hit walked by the witness and ran into the woods while the other three ran the other way and left in a truck," Scheib said. "My client got in his vehicle and went the opposite way of the man who’s shot. The landlord of the place said it looked like a robbery."Scheib, a former police officer, said that the shooting appeared to be self-defense given the evidence he has gathered from witnesses. "If it was," he said, "then why is my client in jail for murder?" One of the men, Henry Lee Clark III, was found three days later near a local middle school. http://www.mtv.com/news/1502738/atlanta-rapper-gucci-mane-faces-murder-charge/#:~:text=Mane%20(whose%20real%20name%20is,dead%2C%20according%20to%20his%
For a face-to-face battle between these two men who have been locked in mortal combat for the last fifteen years was a feat. Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy started trading dis records back in 2005, allegedly over a feud stemming from their hit collaboration (see "Mixtape Monday: Alchemist Prepares To Rock For Em; Junior M.A.F.I.A. Know Biggie's Turning In His Grave"). Jeezy hit out at Gucci Mane in a song entitled "Stay Strapped," while Gucci Mane shot back with "Round One." and '“The Truth” Jeezy chalked the controversy up to an attempt by Gucci Mane to sell records. "I know where I stand," he said. "I know who I am. I'm grown. I don't play games." Gucci Mane said Jeezy — who also raps on the Gucci Mane song "Black Tee" — was angry because he wanted "So Icy" for his solo debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation Vol. 1. "He's mad 'cause I ain't let him put the song on his album," Gucci Mane said. "We were never really cool." The urban tale spread that Jeezy had put a $10,000 bounty on Gucci’s So Icy Chain, and the five men came to collect, ending with Henry Pookie Loc Clark dead. Jeezy referenced Clark’s death in the 2015 song “Forgive Me.” According to Genius, Jeezy raps in the song, “Rest in peace to Pookie Loc, blame it on me never snitching/Lord knows I ain’t send the homie on no dummy mission.” Jeezy told Genius in 2015 that he wanted the world to know that he did not send Clark to rob Gucci Mane. Jeezy said, “I just wanted to put that in the air like Lord knows I would never send homie on no dummy mission. I got too much love.” Jeezy added that he had been accused of setting his friend up for death for 10 years. I guess Gucci Mane didn’t get the memo because last tonight’s battle, he came ready he was animated, hitting Jeezy with diss track after diss track as if he has been waiting for this moment his whole career. While Jeezy sat perched on the throne-like chair, taking it all in, some might wonder what battles he was fighting within; I wonder if this was the type of therapy for the soul he needed. For the most part, Jeezy remained calm, playing monster hit after hit. But when Gucci Mane performed “The Truth,” Jeezy was visibly disturbed. Gucci Man’s DJ added, “Put that nigga in the dirt we smoking Pookie Loc packs.” At this point, Jeezy had heard enough and decided this was going too far and reminded Gucci Mane why he brought him to the battle that this was for the culture of the kids who look up to them. He admonished Gucci Mane, invoking King Von, Nipsey Hustle, M3, and Pop Smoke. Throughout the battle, Gucci Mane was throwing jabs about Jeezy’s attire “I spent 10k on my outfit look at my opponent,” which Jeezy replied, I don’t spend 10k on clothes I own half of. Atlanta, it’s called real estate. Get you some.” The tension remained with the men socially distant from one another; the ice finally broke when the two men performed the song that started all together, “So Icy.” For a night with so many lows in terms of diss tracks, it ended on a high.
Peter Ross Editor In Chief