Jeezy Wouldn’t Let Yung Berg In Video & Gucci Mane Diss Song I CLUB SHAY SHAY
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Jeezy excluded Young Berg from the 'Double Cup' music video, despite Berg's significant contribution to the song's hook.
- ❖Gucci Mane's diss track, 'Try Me,' targeted Young Berg, but years later, they collaborated on the multi-platinum 'Tone It Down' without addressing past animosity.
- ❖T-Pain replaced Young Berg with Bow Wow on a song's hook, leading to a heated argument and a temporary end to their working relationship.
- ❖The successful rebrand from Young Berg to Hitmaka was driven by an 'ego death' and a focused strategy of 'staying low and keeping firing' as a producer.
- ❖Leveraging collaborations with artists like Jeremih and Big Sean (e.g., 'Bounce Back') was instrumental in establishing Hitmaka's new identity and credibility.
Insights
1Jeezy's 'Double Cup' Video Exclusion
Young Berg was blackballed by Jeezy from appearing in the music video for DJ Infamous's 'Double Cup,' a song where Berg wrote and performed the hook. This exclusion occurred despite Berg's creative contribution and his efforts to rebuild his career, highlighting early industry politics and personal animosity.
Hitmaka recounts, 'Jeezy wouldn't let you in the video... I guess I was blackballed on his list at that time.' He was on the hook of a DJ Infamous song featuring himself, Juicy J, Ludacris, and Jeezy, but was told to leave the set when Jeezy arrived.
2Gucci Mane's Diss Track and Subsequent Collaboration
Gucci Mane famously dissed Young Berg in a song, but years later, they collaborated on the double-platinum track 'Tone It Down' featuring Chris Brown. This collaboration occurred without any discussion of the past diss, illustrating a professional pragmatism where financial opportunity superseded historical beef.
Hitmaka mentions, 'Gucci man and dissed me like several times... he used it's like try me like I'm Young Berg and I'm gonna make your eyes cry.' Later, as VP of Atlantic Records, he worked with Gucci on 'Tone It Down,' which went 'double platinum, triple platinum,' and 'Me and Gucci ain't never talked about that [stuff] ever either.'
3T-Pain Replacing Young Berg on a Track
T-Pain removed Young Berg from the hook of a song titled 'Bad Bitch Link Up,' replacing him with Bow Wow. This decision triggered a significant argument between Berg and T-Pain, temporarily severing their working relationship and highlighting the emotional impact of such industry moves.
Hitmaka explains, 'I brought a song to him. It's called Bad [stuff] Link Up. I'm like, 'Yo, this crazy.' He do the song. I'm on the hook of the song... T Payne took me off the song and was he said I'm make I'mma let Bowwow sing your part.' This led to a heated confrontation where T-Pain 'said he was going to kill me in his house.'
4The Hitmaka Rebrand and 'Ego Death'
The successful transition from Young Berg to Hitmaka was a deliberate rebrand rooted in an 'ego death' and a strategic shift to operating primarily as a producer behind the scenes. This involved accepting past public disapproval and focusing intensely on work ethic and creating hits.
Hitmaka states, 'I knew that people didn't like Young Berg so much. So I had to have a ego death... I knew that I had one shot to kind of penetrate pop culture again. And I was like yo I'mma stay low and keep firing.' He attributes his success to 'the work' and his 'work ethic just surpassed everything.'
Bottom Line
The music industry often prioritizes financial gain and opportunity over historical personal grievances.
Artists and executives can leverage past relationships or even rivalries for mutual benefit if the financial incentive is strong enough, without necessarily needing to resolve personal conflicts.
Identify potential collaborations with individuals who may have been past adversaries but possess current market value. Focus on the project's potential revenue rather than lingering personal sentiments.
A strategic 'ego death' and a shift to a behind-the-scenes role can be a powerful rebrand mechanism for public figures facing negative perception.
When a public persona is tarnished, stepping out of the spotlight and focusing on delivering high-quality work in a less visible capacity can rebuild credibility and open new avenues for success.
For individuals or brands with damaged public images, consider a strategic pivot to a 'back-office' or 'producer' role, allowing the quality of the output to speak for itself, rather than trying to salvage the old public-facing identity.
Key Concepts
Ego Death
The guest describes an 'ego death' as a critical turning point in his career, where he shed his former public persona (Young Berg) and embraced a new identity focused purely on his craft (Hitmaka). This involved letting go of past accolades and controversies to rebuild his reputation through consistent, high-quality work behind the scenes, rather than seeking the spotlight.
Forgiving Heart for Money
Hitmaka articulates a pragmatic approach to industry relationships, stating, 'I got a price on it.' This model suggests that past personal or professional slights can be overlooked or 'forgiven' when there is a significant financial opportunity at stake, as demonstrated by his successful collaboration with Gucci Mane after being the subject of diss tracks.
Lessons
- Prioritize your work ethic and output above all else, especially when facing career setbacks or public scrutiny.
- Be willing to undergo an 'ego death' and strategically pivot your public role or brand identity to align with new opportunities and overcome past perceptions.
- Cultivate a pragmatic approach to industry relationships, separating personal grievances from potential financial or creative collaborations.
- Leverage strategic collaborations with influential figures to gain new access, credibility, and momentum in your career.
Notable Moments
Young Berg being excluded from the 'Double Cup' music video by Jeezy.
This incident highlights the early challenges and blackballing Young Berg faced, which fueled his determination and later contributed to his 'ego death' and rebrand.
Gucci Mane dissing Young Berg, followed by their later, successful collaboration on 'Tone It Down' without addressing the past.
This demonstrates a key principle in the music industry: money often trumps personal beef, and artists can be pragmatic enough to work together for mutual financial benefit despite a contentious history.
T-Pain replacing Young Berg with Bow Wow on a song's hook, leading to an intense confrontation.
This moment illustrates the emotional toll of industry decisions and how perceived slights can motivate individuals to prove themselves and pursue alternative paths to success.
Quotes
"You might not make money. So you got a forgiving heart. So just because you Hey, you might have said something foul about me yesterday or or a year ago or two years ago, but when it come to making this money, I'm going to make this money now. Man, that might be most similar I am to a female. I forgetting I got a price on it."
"I knew that I had one shot to kind of penetrate pop culture again. And I was like yo I'mma stay low and keep firing."
Q&A
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