Jeezy‘s debut album, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, is 20 years old, which calls for a celebration. He recently teamed with Black artist Dr. Fahamu Pècou to display an art piece honoring the milestone anniversary while giving back to the community and giving one of his fans the opportunity to own a collector’s item.
The centerpiece, titled School of Hard Knocks, featured Jeezy in an all-white suit with glasses on, a book in one hand and a backpack with the Snowman logo in another. It was unveiled at the Johnson Lowe Gallery in Atlanta before it was auctioned off. Proceeds were evenly split between Jeezy’s Street Dreamz Foundation and Pècou’s African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta.
“This painting is not just a tribute to Jeezy‘s 20-year legacy,” Pècou says of the artwork, according to a press release. “It is an offering to all the thinkers, hustlers, and visionaries molded in fire. For those of us who come through the margins, the school of hard knocks isn’t metaphor—it’s alma mater. And from its halls, we emerge not broken, but forged—brilliant, unbowed, and blooming.”
“We actually put it out for auction to go toward both of our nonprofits,” Jeezy told ABC Audio, noting the centerpiece is “adding to that whole collector’s feel” he started with the release of his TM:101 vinyls. “I’m just trying to make history, you know, put some points on the board for the culture.”
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