XXL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS ’08: Young Jeezy Responds To Critics: “I’m Not Capitalizing Off The Recession”

[Editor’s Note: With the new year around the corner, XXLmag.com looks back at some of our greatest stories and video features of 2008.]

Gas prices are going up, but Young Jeezy sure can afford a gallon. Interestingly, the trapper, who usually leans more towards drugs tales than social commentary, titled his third solo album, The Recession to mixed responses. On one hand, fans are applauding Jeezy for addressing the common man's struggle. On the other hand, skeptics think Jeezy, a millionaire who isn't subjected to company-wide layoffs, is using the country's bad economy as a marketing tool.

"It’s the same as my first album [Thug Motivation 101], Jeezy told XXLMag.com. "When money was plentiful, I was the first one who told you to stack it. Live your life with it. Now that money slowed up, I’ma be the one telling you to save it like they ain’t gon' make it no more." [Click Here To Watch Jeezy Interview]

"I wouldn’t say that I was capitalizing off of it," he continued. "You wanna know who is capitalizing off of it, you gotta go talk to Bush. He’s at the basketball games over in China. Gas is like $9 almost it seems like, but he’s enjoying himself while the rest of us are suffering."

Don't let the bigger bank account fool you. Jeezy contends he's personally affected just like 9-to-5ers.

"I got family members, aunts, uncles and friends that still live their life," the Atlanta rapper explained. "You going through trials and trills, but you can’t save everybody, so it definitely affects me when I get the phone calls and somebody’s getting put out of their house, somebody doesn’t have a ride to work, somebody can’t pay their bills and there ain’t really a lot of opportunity out there for you." --Marvin Brandon