(Photo: Def Jam)

It’s been a rough recording year for Jeezy. Leading up to the release of his long-awaited fourth album Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition, the Atlanta rhyme-slinger’s forthcoming LP has been plagued with a series of push-backs, most notably his public fallout with one-time collaborator-turned-foe Rick Ross. Dropping by 106 and Park to premiere the video for his latest banger “F.A.M.E.” featuring T.I., the raspy-voiced trap star tells BET.com that perseverance and dedication were the key factors behind getting this album out.

“I didn’t get in the studio and record ten records and say, 'I got an album, give me my check.'” Jeezy admits. “I go in, and get it in. I stay day and night, night and day, months at a time if that’s what it takes. If you grind hard, you shine hard.”

Shining hard is just what fans have been waiting for Young Jizzle to do since his last Grammy-nominated 2008 opus The Recession. Delivering a host of critically acclaimed mixtape, like Trap or Die II and this year’s Gangsta Grillz reunion The Real Is Back with DJ Drama, in between albums has seemed to help the Snowman find his niche.

“I think my longevity has a lot to do with the fact that I got that hustler’s ambition, I go hard, I don’t just settle."

With features from heavy-hitters like Jay-Z, Andre 3000, Lil Wayne and others, this latest installment of the Thug Motivation series seems to be poised for a three-peat.

Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition is set to hit stores December 20.   

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