Church In These Streets

Though he dropped the “Young” from his name an album ago, Atlanta mainstay Jeezy remains one of the toughest, most tenacious MCs in rap. His eighth album is a bruising affair, featuring production from the kind of post-trap upstarts (like London on da Track) who were probably listening to Jeezy’s classic *Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101* in their teens. And though there are moments of lightness and introspection (the Janelle Monae–featuring “Sweet Life”), Jeezy is quick to remind us that he remains “grind over mind” as he assumes the role of pastor.

On his latest venture, Church in These Streets, Jeezy is a preacher, the wise, older veteran of the Atlanta rap scene. The vibe of the music seems to suggest he wants to bring the dank and spacey stuff that Young Thug and Future work with into his playground, but grounded in his declarative, raspy voice.

Dropping the Young from his name and turning on the full Jeezy, Church in These Streets finds the veteran Atlanta MC tackling the concept album while playing the role of an inner-city preacher.