Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe

by Jeezy

NEW YORK TIMES and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Ya Gotta Believe , Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business. Born into poverty and raised in a small town in the middle of South Georgia’s so-called “Black belt,” Jeezy realized at an early age that nothing was going to come easy, there were no handouts headed his way, and if he ever wanted anything in life, he was going to have to get out there and get it on his own. So that’s what he did. Now, for the first time, Jeezy retraces his steps, going back to day one to share how he turned nothing into something, stayed solid, survived the trap, and triumphed over adversity to become the successful artist, father, husband, entrepreneur, and philanthropist that he is today. Adversity for Sale isn’t a street memoir. Like his music, these pages are filled with lessons from his deeply personal story to motivate you to go out and get after your dream.

Genres: Memoir, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Music, Self Help

272 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 2023

About the author

Jay Wayne Jenkins, better known by his stage name Jeezy, is an American rapper and an influential figure in southern hip hop. Along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, Jeezy is credited for helping to pioneer and popularize trap music with a mainstream audience.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh… now Jeezy… you really could have kept this.

I need for whoever is making celebrities publish these half hearted memoirs to stop. This memoir— incredibly boring! The last half was better than the first half since it was chronicling his career and giving us some behind the scenes of what was occurring during his peak years. But still not compelling enough for me to recommend this. 🤷🏾‍♀️

I understand this is not a “tell all” but for someone to actually have a really interesting life and write this snooze fest of a book is… something. Like I need y’all to understand— jeezy is/was an actual gangster. He was connected to BMF for crying out loud. And while he gave us some very vague and high level stories of what his life was like as a street dude selling drugs, he did not do a good job of storytelling. True story or not, you still need to tell a good story. This was basically a list of events that happened in his life in chronological order. It COULD have been REALLY interesting. It wasn’t. At least not for me.

You can tell that Jeezy is proud of himself and his accomplishments and for that I’m happy for him. But we didn’t need this.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adversity for Sale is Jeezy’s memoir, detailing his rise as a successful rapper. His journey wasn’t quick and it wasn’t always smooth. Growing up in Hawkinsville, Georgia, south of Atlanta, Jay Jenkins (aka Jeezy) hustled constantly to improve his circumstances and work toward his dreams.

”The struggle was all I knew, but I had a bigger vision, and I think you should too.”

My life is pretty different from Jeezy’s, now and before he became a rapper, but his commitment to pursuing his dreams and not settling is still motivating. Jeezy fans will appreciate his story, and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook which he narrates himself.

Last week I was able to see Jeezy perform live for the second time. I’ve been a big fan since college and he’s still got it!

[Ms.Blkbelle Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adversity for Sale
Ya Gotta Believe
By Jay Jeezy Jenkins

Format: Audiobook via Audible
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I really enjoyed reading how Jeezy came up, despite many adversities. He grew up in Hawkinsville, Georgia which is south of Atlanta. His father was in the military so he traveled a lot. His father didn’t stay around though and his mother was tough but he appreciated her for that. He found escape in his grandmother when his mother was giving him a hard time. And we all know about his Auntyyy. lol. 🍠🍠🍠
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He seems like a real solid guy, that is focused on his money and future. He’s the definition of a hustler. He’s strictly about business. He definitely knows who he is as a person and he is not a follower. This book shows his growth. It also spoke on family. Good and bad.
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Some of my favorite parts of the book was hearing him rap some of his songs as he narrated his life. That was dope. His lyrics still sound good today and just listening to him speak the words was enough for me to love this book.iykyk 😅
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His growth with Gucci is awesome too. Their Verzuz battle could have went bad but he had enough self control to keep it about business. I can respect that.
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From reading his story, I learned that you don’t have to accept your current circumstances, no matter how hard it is. But, you have to be willing to put in work for any type of change. “Ya Gotta Believe”
Any Jeezy Fans?👋🏾

Let me go stream some throwback Jeezy
Let’s be clear he is the trap king.
Content Warning: drugs, violence, suicide

#jeezy #adversity #adversityforsale
Yagottabelieve #drugs #money #rap #fame #artist #music #industry #family #goals #traplife struggle #workhard #hustle

[Breeee Ranae⚜️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When they play that new Jeezy all the dope boys go crazyyyy” 🎶☃️

I’ve been a fan of Jeezy since the beginning in 2005 @ my grandmo house with my cousins. That is a core memory for me so this review may be biased.

This book was really good. I honestly don’t think you have to be a fan to enjoy this book. I could only get the audio from my library & I was definitely rapping along with him while listening.

He discussed his childhood, criminal activity, rise to success, relationship ties to BMF, feud with Gucci(even the Verzuz battle), & mental health. No talk of his love life like AT ALL. 🙄😂 it felt like I was reading Power & BMF episodes without the violence and sex. 🤣

Strong 4.5 stars because while he did discuss his mental health & depression he didn’t go deep enough into how he overcame it. Also the book kinda ended abruptly. 🫤

[Rhonda McKnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a degree in Organizational Leadership. I chose this book because it was classified in the HarperCollins leadership category. I found that it delivered on the promise just as well if not better than most of the memoirs on leadership that I've read over the years. With that said, I knew nothing about Jeezy going into this book. I buddy read it with my 18 year old son. This is his review:

"It was interesting reading about Jeezy. He started off poor and doing illegal stuff, but used self-motivation and hard work to pull himself out of his situation. I think the message is you can probably do anything you set your mind to if you're willing to take risks and work hard."

He gave it four stars.

[Elaina McClendon 📚🌸]

I really want to read this yall 🤣. Young Jeezy is from Hawkinsville, which is where I am basically from. Yes, I know a famous person. Yes, I am gonna brag about it.

Edit: After going into books a million to read a little bit of this book, I have decided to not read it. I am really sick of famous people feeling the need to portray themselves as “getting it out the mud” or “a hard-knock-life”. Young Jeezy using the word “poverty” rubbed me the wrong way. I am not from Hawkinsville, but I am from Pineview. I don’t know everything about Jeezy, but I know some of his cousins, and I know enough to know that he didn’t grow up in damn POVERTY.

[LiteraryMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jay Jenkins, better known as Young Jeezy, is an influential rapper credited for pioneering trap music. In his new memoir titled Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, he shares never heard stories of his life and business. From day one, he turned nothing into something with his business-savvy mind and marketing genius at a young age. Please do not confuse this as a street memoir or just another book by a rapper; it is a deeply personal story that will motivate readers to go after your dreams despite your circumstances, obstacles, environment or adversity in the way of success.

Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe is the authentic hip-hop memoir I didn't know the culture needed until I read it. Jeezy is one of my favorite artists. I knew some of his background through lyrics but the book gives greater detail. Jeezy explains his home life growing up, teenage years as a street hustler, connections to B.M.F., a timeline of his rap career and more. He truly has Seen it All.

There are two (2) factors keeping me from rating Adversity for Sale a full 5⭐️ book. I am curious about the title based on the content. Not once is "adversity" mentioned in the book. By definition, difficulties and misfortune are covered and Jeezy definitely showed resilience in the face of adversity. But for sale? Huh? The subtitle "Ya Gotta Believe" is much better suited.

The second factor is the abrupt ending. It leaves readers hanging in a way that is incomplete, not as a cliffhanger. It is such a hard stop that I am sending an email to the publisher to confirm whether my advance copy is missing pages intended for the ending. If so, I will return here and update my rating. Otherwise, I am left with a glaring question: how did this get past editing?

Overall, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe is a great addition to the literary world of hip-hop. I recommend this new release to Jeezy fans, rap music fans and readers that enjoy a good coming-of-age memoir. Like I previously mentioned, the lessons within are sure to motivate. To enhance your reading experience, I highly suggest playing the songs referenced on your music streaming app of choice. It slowed my reading time down by taking a break to jam to each lyric mentioned but I would read it no other way.

Happy Early Pub Day, Jeezy! Adversity for Sale will be available Tuesday, August 8.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~ LiteraryMarie

[Keiz Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is TRASH ! I get he was trying to keep it real but it became unbelievable & he read his own audiobook which wasn’t a good idea. The stories were all over the place , the timeline was confusing , and honestly I believe some nooo majority of the book was fluff. I gave it two stars 1 because Jeezy is a musical legend & 2 we got to hear how a few songs came together. But the same way his cousin keep robbin him I felt robbed of my Audible credit.

[Noelle ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I only took 1/2 a star off because the story at the end which goes into detail about his Verzuz against Gucci Mane didn’t seem finished. I wish he would’ve completed finished the story out. I loved that this book really spoke about his life prior to blowing up in the music industry. It really goes into depth about the things he went through just trying to make it, and I loved that.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know anything about Jeezy or his music but was intrigued when I saw his memoir listed on Libro.fm’s advance listener copy list for September. He narrates the audio, and the man can tell a good story. Early in life he was a thief then drug dealer who turned to music to get off the streets. That transition was among the most interesting parts of the memoir.

[Sharon :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this very interesting memoir!!!

[Shawn Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Young Jeezy. Great to hear his perspective of his life and music career. I’ve been able to follow his career off and on so to get more details and understanding helps add meaning to the music.

[(Adri)ana | TenPieceLemonPepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

just when i thought i couldn’t love jeezy more, he releases this.

instantly added to the list of my favorite works of nonfiction. well done, mr. jenkins. 👏🏽

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

.. and then what.. 💯first book was a classic.

I have been a fan of Jeezy since his album Thug Motivation 101 dropped. I was a freshman in high school. When he announced he was releasing a book, I immediately knew I would need a copy. Adversity For Sale exceeded my expectations; seriously, what can this man not do!? He spoke about many things, as it pertains to his career, however, his character and mindset to get get it out the mud by any means shined throughout. I believe anyone can read this book and take something positive from it. It’s raw, realistic, motivating, and a downright beautiful display of vulnerability. Some of the stories, I was aware of from following his career but there was also shocking things I never knew.

Jeezy manifested his success; he wasn’t looking for a handout. He truly invested in himself 100% because he had the presence of mind to make it. And making “it” looks different for everyone. For Jeezy, he was going to make legit money, be able to take care of his family, and show other people how to succeed. For me “it” was getting out the hood. However, after reading this I realized that once you reach the one goal, you have to continue to want more. Don’t settle. So many things resonated with me and my biggest takeaway was if you want something you gotta believe it and go get it. He gave two lessons:

1. You have to take the time to reset, especially when you’re stressed.
2. Success only comes from discipline, dedication, persistence, and commitment.

On any given day, I find myself randomly quoting a Jeezy line but my favorite by far is, “see me ima hustler, I do what the hustlers do.” Superb story!

[Book Reviews by Tara aka Queen of Memoirs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t get into this memoir. I’m a big supporter of Jeezy’s music! His songs 𝘎𝘰 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺, 𝘐 𝘓𝘶𝘷 𝘐𝘵, 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘈𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 and 𝘐 𝘋𝘰 are on heavy rotation on my playlists! His music is epic🔥. Unfortunately, his book wasn’t. It just didn’t do it for me. It was…ummm🤔, how can I say this nicely…BORING😩! A typical drug dealer turned rapper story. There was nothing memorable about it.
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Although I was gifted an advance ebook from HarperCollins, I chose to purchase and listen to the audiobook instead. I wanted Jeezy to tell me his story in his own way.

But, even with Jeezy reading it, the story moved slow and the storyline was uninteresting. I found myself zoning out as I waited for each new chapter to begin. I was hoping the new chapter would usher in a more exciting narrative. But nope! It didn’t☹️.
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I didn’t give up on the audiobook though. I stuck it out. Listened to it whenever I drove in my car. I must admit there were times I wanted to turn it off and listen to his music instead. But the memoir lover in me just couldn’t bail. I genuinely wanted to know Young Jeezy’s entire truth. So I stayed for the ride! Although this memoir was unfulfilling, I’m glad I completed it.

And no matter what, I’m still a fan of his music.


🎤


“🎶 You gotta play it how it go, you can’t cheat on life
Ya better drink a Red Bull, you can’t sleep on life
I ain’t tryna do you, I’m tryin’ do me
Last album did two, I’m just tryin’ do three. (Yup)🎶”
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(𝘐 𝘓𝘶𝘷 𝘐𝘵, 2006)
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[Booked.Shaye BWRT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than Ross Book. Jeezy really led like 4 different lives. & this coulda been like 4 different books. I love that Jezzy read the audio. He had me listening to all the songs from the early 2000s. The book was great. The ending was for sure rushed.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I enjoyed this book
Lots of talk about drug life, growing up, but the transition from 2004-2005 up until the Jeezy/Gucci Lives battle was nice. The storyline primarily focused on three things: Winning and losing, self-awareness, self-discipline. He does not talk about his kids, baby mamas, or Jeannie Mai.

Overall, good job, Jeezy

[Yesenia Cash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always appreciate memoirs. However, this one wasn't that great. I think he edited his own book because there's no way a professional editor went through this book. He must have said "and" and "but" a million times.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biggest takeaway is to know your worth and always work on mastering your craft

[Janay Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a 5 ⭐ read for me. I really enjoyed listening to this book on audio, and having Jeezy narrate his whole life and career made it that much better. I was shocked at how well put together and written this book was. So many crazy stories, reveals and cultural references. Jeezy is exactly who he said he was from the beginning. Jeezy's songs were the soundtrack to my life in college so this was a walk down memory lane listening to Jeezy talk about how certain songs and collaborations came about. I highly recommend giving this book a read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeezy is one of my favorite artists of all time and listening to his story, background, where he came from, how he grew up, what he’s about, and how he’s evolved was really great to listen to!

[LaShanda Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit, I knew little or nothing about Jeezy before reading this book. I knew he was a rap/hip-hop artist but that's about all I knew. In this book, Jeezy shares his story in a very raw & authentic manner. He shares his story from his days as a hustler on the streets to the start of his musical career. From an early age, Jeezy learned how to hustle & survive in the streets. While I'm not fond of street life, it is an essential part of his story. This book was very insightful.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cash grab from the snow man. He barely scratched the surface of really opening up about his life but went on a promotion tour overselling and under delivering. Any businesses person or hustler will get way more out of Rick Ross's book.

Jewels of insight my 👂 picked up on 👇


Everything I got I got it out of the mud with two hands and no gloves on
I had something you wanted and you took it
Rimmed up and tricked out
Everyday he came back exhausted and mad
I feel about as worthless as a wooden frying pan
I think your going to get crushed like the cock roach you are
Everyone's process is different trust yours
Keep it all the way real no matter the consequences
It's been tough sledding over the last z 365 days

[Jerrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7-4.1⭐️
I wanted more!!! His interviews were wayyyyyy better.

[La Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was as authentic & raw as possible. I really enjoyed his autobiography.

[Nicholas Mccane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a huge Jezzy fan, there was no way I wasn’t reading this. Memoir is my favorite genre, and when I saw he narrated it, I had to listen to the audiobook. 

If you’re a Jezzy fan, memoir fan, have some street knowledge, listen to rap music, and lived through this era, I think you’ll love it. As I sat with my headphones, it felt like the homie was sitting next to me telling the story about how he grew up in the hood and how he made it as a successful rapper. 

Many people have criticized this book because he didn’t talk about other things like family, love life, children, etc. But this is a memoir, not an autobiography. It brought me back to the 90s and 2000s, and I enjoyed it. I finished it in a day and enjoyed it. I will always remain a fan of The Snowman. 

[Tamekia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeezy!!! I loveeee me some Jeezy!! I couldn’t wait to read this book!! I was finally able to read his book and it was really good! I was able to get a little more about him and I loved that!! What a story!! You never know what’s going on with people and the behind the scenes. I would definitely recommend this book if your into memoirs! I listened to the audio and chilleeee it was his voice!! I loved it! He had me saying “Glad it wasn’t me!” All week! You have to read it to understand! 🤣

[Lee Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish he would’ve talked more about the healing of his mental health but overall the book was good. The chapters are long as hell and reads kind of slow in Part 1 but Part 2&3 is where things start moving along. The title is perfect bc he literally had to go through everything to get to where he is. 4.5⭐️

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s be real, I read this book bc I wanted more intel on him and Gucci LOL. That Verzuz battle had my BP so high! I’m so glad he addressed that moment in addition to all the other things he went through to get to where he is. Jeezy is the real deal. Highly recommend!

[Tiara C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally I enjoyed this memoir about Jeezy. I’ve seen a lot of bad reviews about this book saying he could have said more, or elaborated more about certain details. If he would have provided any DETAILED DETAILED information I’m sure he would be incriminating himself!