Zaytoven Says Gucci Mane Put Him On To Jeezy: "He's Super Hard"

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 202243.4K Views

Zaytoven explains how it was Gucci Mane that initially put him on to Jeezy's music.

It's only been a few months since Gucci Mane and Jeezy squashed their tense feud. The pair went face-to-face for Verzuz where they went track-for-track. Of course, it was only right that they closed out the show with a performance of "So Icy," a record that has never been heard live before for roughly 15 years.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLM5Lg3ls6k

The history of Gucci Mane and Jeezy has been told on numerous occasions but who better than to shed more insight on the topic than Zaytoven. At the center of the feud was Zay who produced "So Icy" for the collaborators. He explained how he helped Gucci Mane prepare for Verzuz and pieced together the tracklist for his Verzuz.

During a recent interview with Zaytoven, he explained his appreciation for both DJ Quik and MC Eiht, especially given the tension between them. Similarly, fans who found themselves engulfed in their long-standing feud between Jeezy and Gucci likely appreciated the music so much more because of its authenticity.

"I think the sport is what draws us closer to the music," explained Zay. "Anytime Gucci had a problem with somebody, or wanted to say something to somebody, I'll pat him on the back, like, 'go for it.' People wouldn't think that, but that's how I am because I'm a fan. I'm a fan of the sport."

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Of course, Gucci's biggest beef would be with Jeezy. Despite standing firmly in Gucci's corner throughout the years, he admitted that he loves Jeezy's music. "I love Jeezy. I remember going to listen to Jeezy and I'm like, 'boy, ain't nobody harder than this man right here. He's super hard.' But at the same time, we'll go against that. Ain't nobody harder than Gucci. And I feel like that's how it was back when MC Eiht and Quik was battling, and that's what made me love it," continued the producer.

Admittedly, it was Gucci Mane who put Zaytoven on to Jeezy in the first place.

"Gucci was a fan first. He was the one who told me, 'Man, Jeezy so hard. He made me wanna do a song with him. He's the hardest.' And I'm like, okay, bet. Like, he put me on to Jeezy," said Zay.

Check out the full interview with Zaytoven here.

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.