Seen It All: The Autobiography is the seventh studio album by American rapper Jeezy. The album was released on September 2, 2014, through CTE World and Def Jam Recordings. The production was handled by several Southern hip hop producers, namely Drumma Boy, Mike Will Made It and Childish Major, among others. It features guest appearances from Jay-Z, Future, Rick Ross, The Game, Lil Boosie, August Alsina and Akon.
| Seen It All: The Autobiography | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 2, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 44:26 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Jeezy chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Seen It All: The Autobiography | ||||
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Seen It All: The Autobiography was supported by two singles, "Me OK" and "Seen It All". The album received generally positive reviews from critics. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 selling 121,000 copies in its first week.
Background
editOn December 12, 2012, Jeezy released his twelfth mixtape, titled It's tha World.[1] The second single "R.I.P." was released in February 2013, and eventually was certified platinum.[2][3] In August 2013, Jeezy released a compilation mixtape with CTE World artists, Doughboyz Cashout and YG, titled Boss Yo Life Up Gang. Both singles from its mixtape, "My Nigga" by YG and "Mob Life" by Doughboyz Cashout (the former of which was certified platinum by the RIAA).[4] On September 18, 2013, he announced his plans to release his next album soon, saying it will detail deeper into his street origins, revealed that Future, Usher, Ludacris and Don Cannon, would be involved in the album.[5]
Jeezy also spoke about the album, saying: "A lot of y'all know when I came in the game, I pretty much came in the game with my hands behind my back. 'Cause a lot of the shit I'd like to talk about or could've talked about probably would have got me in a lot of trouble. This is probably my first album where I can explain and let niggas know where I stand. In layman's terms, the statute of limitations is over with."[6] On June 30, 2014, Jeezy announced that his fifth studio album would be titled Seen It All and announced it would be released on September 2, 2014.[7] On July 25, 2014, Jeezy revealed the cover art for Seen It All: The Autobiography.[8]
Singles
editOn October 8, 2013, the album's first promotional single "In My Head" was released.[9] On May 30, 2014, Jeezy released the album's first single "Me OK".[10] On July 1, 2014, he released the second single, the title-track "Seen It All" featuring Jay-Z.[11] On August 4, 2014, the music video for "Me OK", was released.[12] The video was directed by Motion Family and features cameo appearances from Rich Homie Quan, Trey Songz and T.I.[13] On August 22, 2014, the music video was released for "No Tears" featuring Future.[14] The remixed version of the song "Holy Ghost", which was released on September 3, 2014, features Kendrick Lamar and includes an introduction by T. D. Jakes.[15][16] On September 15, 2014, the music video was released for "Holy Ghost".[17]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.3/10[18] |
| Metacritic | 70/100[19] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [20] |
| The A.V. Club | B−[21] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10[22] |
| HipHopDX | 3.5/5[23] |
| Now | 4/5[24] |
| Pitchfork | 6.0/10[25] |
| RapReviews | 6.5/10[26] |
| Rolling Stone |  [27] |
| Slant Magazine | [28] |
| XXL | 4/5[29] |
Seen It All: The Autobiography was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 70, based on 14 reviews.[19] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.3 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[18]
Luke Fox of Exclaim! said, "Sure, the usual Jeezy tropes of hustling and encouraging others to also hustle haven't gone anywhere – the rote "Been Getting Money (featuring Akon)" could be plopped on any Jeezy album and no one would notice – but there's a heap of real-life wisdom here, too. The reactionary Jeezy probably got your attention, but the reflective Jeezy is determined to maintain it. He's a rare, diamond-encrusted rapper who still plausibly speaks for the poor."[22] James Rainis of Slant Magazine stated, "On Seen It All, Jeezy proves you don't need to overcome your own one-dimensional lyrical perspective in order to become a trap star: All you need is the right work ethic and a willingness to adapt to whatever craziness the kids are digging these days."[28] Sheldon Pearce of HipHopDX said, "At its very best, Seen It All is a glimpse into how Jeezy can make his living on the back nine in a crowded subgenre with no use for him anymore: By recalling the most chilling details of his drug dealing past with a flashback-like crispness."[23] Roger Krastz of XXL stated, "At this moment in Jeezy's career, he's managed to find a new way to own his lane by staying consistent to what's made him a household name. Seen It All: The Autobiography is a solid offering, and shows growth of Tha Snowman who is 10 years deep in the rap game."[29]
David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Strange thing is, Jeezy should have worn out his welcome in the land of drug talk by now, and yet everything here feels fresh and inspired, perhaps validating the rapper's pre-release declaration that some lyrics are here because "the statute of limitations is over." Whatever the reason, Seen It All: The Autobiography shakes off all the challenges of Jeezy's lesser releases and finds new inspiration from the same old rap sheet."[20] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times stated, "This is a strong, if unimaginative album – Jeezy is confident in what he's done, and uninterested in tweaking it. He may not drag his words out as alluringly as he once did, but the sternness of his delivery is intact."[30] Clayton Purdom of The A.V. Club said, "Jeezy's career is built on the heartfelt banger, and, after a decade, it's understandable that he's trying to place his unearthly voice in other settings. The fact that those settings don't work turns Seen It All into the very thing it had hoped to avoid becoming: a fussy major-label rap album."[21]
Commercial performance
editSeen It All: The Autobiography debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 121,000 copies in the United States.[31] This was nearly a 50% decrease in sales from his last studio album TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition which sold 233,000 copies in its first week.[32] In its second week, it dropped to number six, selling 33,000 copies.[33] In its third week, it dropped to number 14, selling 21,000 copies.[34] In its fourth week, it dropped to number 25, selling 14,000 copies.[35] As of October 2016, the album has sold 342,000 copies in the US.[36]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "1/4 Block" | Childish Major | 3:21 | |
| 2. | "What You Say" |
| Childish Major | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Enough" |
| Ke'noe | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Holy Ghost" |
|
| 4:41 |
| 5. | "Me OK" |
| Drumma Boy | 4:47 |
| 6. | "Been Getting Money" (featuring Akon) |
| Childish Major | 3:37 |
| 7. | "Seen It All" (featuring Jay-Z) |
| Cardo | 3:27 |
| 8. | "Win Is a Win" |
| Black Metaphor | 1:39 |
| 9. | "Beautiful" (featuring The Game and Rick Ross) |
| Black Metaphor | 5:42 |
| 10. | "Beez Like" (featuring Lil Boosie) |
|
| 4:31 |
| 11. | "No Tears" (featuring Future) |
|
| 4:24 |
| 12. | "How I Did It (Perfection)" |
| Black Metaphor | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 44:26 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "1/4 Block" |
| Childish Major | 3:21 |
| 2. | "What You Say" |
| Childish Major | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Black Eskimo" |
|
| 2:05 |
| 4. | "Enough" |
| Ke'noe | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Holy Ghost" |
|
| 4:41 |
| 6. | "Me OK" |
| Drumma Boy | 4:27 |
| 7. | "4 Zones" |
|
| 4:29 |
| 8. | "Been Getting Money" (featuring Akon) |
| Childish Major | 3:37 |
| 9. | "Fuck the World" (featuring August Alsina) |
|
| 3:39 |
| 10. | "Seen It All" (featuring Jay-Z) |
| Cardo | 3:27 |
| 11. | "Win Is a Win" |
| Black Metaphor | 1:39 |
| 12. | "Beautiful" (featuring The Game and Rick Ross) |
| Black Metaphor | 5:42 |
| 13. | "Beez Like" (featuring Lil Boosie) |
|
| 4:31 |
| 14. | "No Tears" (featuring Future) |
|
| 4:24 |
| 15. | "How I Did It (Perfection)" |
| Black Metaphor | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 56:39 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Shady Life" (featuring Kelly Rowland) |
| Hollywood Hot Sauce | 4:02 |
| 17. | "Addicted" (featuring T.I. and YG) |
| Childish Major | 3:33 |
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[43] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
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- ^ "iTunes Music – R.I.P. (feat. 2 Chainz) – Single by Young Jeezy". iTunes Store. February 5, 2013. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Download Young Jeezy, YG & DoughBoyz Cashout's 'Boss Your Life Up Gang' Mixtape". The Source. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ "Jeezy Announces New Album". XXL. September 28, 2013. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ "Jeezy New Album Future, Ludacris, and Usher". Complex. September 28, 2013. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ "Jeezy Announces Seen It All Release Date". MTV. June 30, 2014. Archived from the original on July 6, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Album Cover: Jeezy – 'Seen It All: The Autobiography'". Rap-Up. March 25, 2014. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes Music – In My Head – Single by Jeezy". iTunes Store. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes Music – Me OK – Single by Jeezy". iTunes Store. May 30, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.[dead link]
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- ^ "RapUp.com – Video: Jeezy – 'Me OK'". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
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- ^ "RapUp.com – Video: Jeezy f/ Future – 'No Tears'". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ Fleischer, Adam. "Kendrick Lamar Catches The 'Holy Ghost' On New Jeezy Remix". MTV. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "Did TD Jakes Hear This? Mega Pastor Featured on Jeezy's Profane 'Holy Ghost' Remix Single". eewmagazine. September 5, 2014. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "RapUp.com – Video: Jeezy – 'Holy Ghost'". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on September 19, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "Seen It All by Jeezy reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Seen It All: The Autobiography by Jeezy – Metacritic". Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b David Jeffries. "Seen It All: The Autobiography – Jeezy,Young Jeezy – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ a b "Review: Young Jeezy shows up to rap on the weird, overwrought Seen It All". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b "Jeezy – Seen It All: The Autobiography". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b "Jeezy – Seen It All: The Autobiography". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ "Jeezy – NOW Magazine". Now. Archived from the original on September 7, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ "Jeezy: Seen It All: The Autobiography – Album Reviews". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ "RapReviews.com Feature for September 23, 2014 – Jeezy's "Seen It All: The Autobiography"". RapReviews. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ "Jeezy's New Album: Seen It All: The Autobiography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b James Rainis (September 2, 2014). "Jeezy: Seen It All: The Autobiography – Album Review – Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b "Jeezy Is at the Top of His Game On 'Seen It All: The Autobiography'". XXL. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ "New Music From Earth, Yob and Jeezy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
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- ^ "Young Jeezy's "Thug Motivation 103" First Week Sales Are In... " RealTalkNY Brought To You By Nigel D." Archived from the original on June 15, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (September 17, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Lecrae, Jhene Aiko, Jeezy". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (September 24, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Chris Brown, Lecrae, Jeezy, Jhene Aiko". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (October 1, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Lecrae, Jeezy". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
- ^ "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
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- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
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