The album's second single, "Go Getta", was released on January 21, 2007. The song features a guest appearance from American R&B singer R. Kelly, while the production was handled by the duo The Runners.[2]
The album's third single, "Dreamin'", was released on April 6, 2007. The song features a guest appearance from American R&B singer Keyshia Cole, while the production was also handled by The Runners.[3]
The album has a score of 70 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews".[4]Vibe gave the album four stars out of five and stated that "Despite its frustratingly uniform theme--coke--and Jeezy's inflexible, one-speed rasp, his sophomore effort, The Inspiration, suggests that last year's victories were no fluke."[4]The A.V. Club gave it a B and stated that Young Jeezy "spits snowman raps with rough-hewn charisma and unseemly enthusiasm."[15]Chicago Tribune gave it three stars out of four and said that Jeezy "continues to improve, crafting songs that are distinctive and memorable, even if he sticks to the well-worn topics of rims, clothes and clubbing."[16]Blender gave it three-and-a-half stars and said that "the smallest suggestions of personality make a charismatic impact."[4]Spin gave the album seven out of ten and stated that "This time around, it's as if the script has been reshot by Michael Bay--glossy and viscerally stimulating--and we're watching a coming attraction for a film that never starts."[4]Billboard gave it a positive review and said that Jeezy's lyrics "have matured past coke-slinging to the drug's effect on his life."[4]The Phoenix gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four and said that "Fortunately, getting the money isn’t all this follow-up to last year’s breakthrough Let’s Get It cares about, and the singles here are fire."[17]
Other reviews are average or mixed: Okayplayer gave it an average review and stated, "The Inspiration, an even darker work than the debut, finds the Snowman weaving paranoid street tales with eerie trunk-rattling beats. The album’s main downside is the repetitive nature of many of the tracks."[18]Prefix Magazine gave it a score of six out of ten and called it "Spottily effective gangster posturing."[19] However, Stylus Magazine gave it a C− and said, "The strange thing about The Inspiration is how it's posited as an alternative to the much-bullied "conscious rap," and yet, it's among the least fun albums released this year."[20]The New York Times gave it a mixed review and said, "Young Jeezy’s appeal was never his writing, but now words sometimes fail him."[4]Hartford Courant also gave it a mixed review and said that "Almost every dramatic synth swell, exploding snare and multi-tracked "Yeaaahhhh" has been done better elsewhere."[21]
Commercial performance
Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 352,000 copies in the first week.[22] This became Jeezy's first US number-one debut and his second US top-ten album.[22] In its second week, the album dropped to number 18 on the chart.[23] In its third week, the album returned to the top-ten at number five on the chart, selling an additional 92,000 copies.[24] In its fourth week, the album dropped to number seven on the chart, selling 45,000 more copies.[25] On January 23, 2007, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million copies.[26] As of October 2009, the album has sold 1,229,000 copies in the United States.[27]
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