Beanie Sigel – Feel It In The Air

Rapper Dwight Equan Grant, better known by his stage name Beanie Sigel, was born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 6, 1974. His relationship with Jay Z and Roc-A-Fella Records initially brought him notoriety. In February 2000, he successfully released his first studio album, The Truth, through Roc-A-Fella to both positive reviews and strong sales.

Similar commercial success was achieved by Sigel’s second studio album, The Reason, however reviewers gave it mixed reviews. The B. Coming, his third album, received positive reviews and reached at number three on the Billboard 200. Sigel had a brief hiatus from music before rejoining Roc-A-Fella in 2007 and releasing his fourth studio album, The Solution, to favorable reviews in December of that same year. Sigel’s fifth and sixth studio albums, This Time and The Broad Street Bully, were released independently in 2009 and 2012, respectively, following his departure from Roc-A-Fella once more.

Sigel is also well-known for his various legal troubles, such as the attempted murder trial that he went through in 2004 and 2005 and which resulted in his acquittal.

Career in Music

Years of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella (1999–2006)

Beanie Sigel’s debut album, The Truth, was released by Roc-A-Fella Records on February 29, 2000, to positive reviews and commercial success.

Sigel and a large portion of the Roc-A-Fella cast starred in State Property in 2002. Its publication followed the formation and marketing of State Property, an ensemble of Sigel and Freeway-organized Philadelphia musicians signed to Roc-A-Fella. Peedi Crakk, Oschino, Omillio Sparks, Neef Buck, and Young Chris were among its members. The original “Roc the Mic” by Sigel and Freeway was included on the film’s soundtrack, which bore the same name as the release. This was their first joint venture. The Chain Gang Vol. 2(2003) came next, with the Young Gunz’s hit “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” on it. A Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was received for the record.[10]

Before beginning a one-year prison term for an earlier offense in 2005, Sigel completed his third album, The B. Coming, and shot many videos under Joe Briscella’s direction. Around this time, Kareem “Biggs” Burke and Damon Dash, Sigel’s former business partners, left to start the Dame Dash Music Group, and Sigel’s label boss at Roc-A-Fella, Jay-Z, took over as president of the label’s parent company, Def Jam. Instead of being released by Roc-A-Fella, Sigel’s The B. Coming was released by Dame Dash Music Group and Def Jam, although it still featured production from a number of Roc/Jay Z-affiliated musicians, such as Chad West, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Boola, and Buckwild. For his album, Sigel also brought in cross-label MC talent, including as Jay-Z and Cam’ron. The smash song “Feel it in the Air” from Sigel’s record sold 131,000 copies in its first week of release.

Dash made a public announcement announcing his friendship with the jailed Sigel and his intention to join him, saying he was leaving the Roc-A-Fella roster. State Property, Sigel’s group, was rocked, but in the end they decided to stay with Roc-A-Fella, reportedly against Sigel’s desires. After being freed, Sigel questioned the group’s devotion and announced that he was signing with Dame and Biggs instead of Jay-Z since he had a closer bond with them:

Jay and I have never had a bad day together. It is not as if I chose to run with Dame and Biggs, or that ‘Dame and Biggs kept me down through my whole trial.’ That isn’t the case. If I said, “I [signed with the Damon Dash Music Group] because they did that for me,” I’d be a sucker. It’s affection. Look at how we’re having fun right now—this isn’t about no business.

Soon after, he made his remarks more clear, stating that he was just choosing not to be a part of the dispute and that he would rather reopen negotiations with Roc-A-Fella than join the Dame Dash Music Group.

After re-signing with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2006, Sigel began work on his fourth studio album, The Solution. Sigel’s debut single from The Solution, “All The Above,” featuring R. Kelly, was released on October 29, 2007. It made its debut at number 83 on the US R&B charts. Sigel released The Solution on May 22, 2007, and it debuted at number 37 on the Billboard charts.

After Roc-A-Fella (from 2007 onward)

After his contracts with Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Records ended, Sigel released his first independent album, The Broad Street Bully, in 2009.

In 2010, Sigel declared he was recording The Closure, his sixth studio album, which G-Unit Records and Universal Republic were to release. Sigel, however, decided to rework the album and rename it The Classic after canceling it on May 31, 2011, and taking a two-week hiatus from the music business. Sigel renewed his 2009 deal with G-Unit Records and signed with 50 Cent’s subsidiary label, G-Unit Philly, in 2011. “B-Boy Stance,” Sigel’s debut single from the album, was released on July 13, 2011. On March 30, 2012, Sigel revealed to Statik Selektah on Shade 45 that he was collaborating with longtime buddy and southern seasoned artist Scarface on a record titled Mac and Brad. At the same time, Scarface tweeted the announcement from his phone. While distribution agreements with E1, The Orchard, and Asylum were being discussed on the same day, Sigel also made the decision to negotiate a distribution agreement with EMI after one of their common acquaintances caught Chris Schwartz’s attention. Sigel launched his studio album This Time and a new mixtape under Schwartz’s direction.

Disagreement

Jay-Z

Sigel collaborated with 50 Cent, who had signed him to his G-Unit Records label in 2009, to make a song called “I Go Off” in which he dissed his old mentor and boss, Jay-Z. It was reported on May 31, 2011, that Sigel had expressed regret to Jay-Z. He did, however, clarify in an interview with DJ Green Lantern that he was still recording music and that he had never “apologized” to Jay-Z.

The rivalry between Sigel and Jay-Z was resolved when they played together at the 2015 Tidal B-Sides Concert.

The Jadakiss

At the start of the new century, Ruff Ryders musicians and Sigel and other Roc musicians got into a fight. Sigel publicly criticized DMX, Jadakiss, and the other members of The LOX. Sigel and Jadakiss went back and forth in their criticism until Sigel released a freestyle rap over Jadakiss’s hit song “Put Ya Hands Up,” despite both of them denying any aggressive intent.

Meek Mill

Former neighbor and buddy Sigel and Meek Mill got into a fight on September 26, 2016, after Sigel called himself “the ruler of all of Philly” and made fun of Mill’s intelligence in a radio broadcast. A few minutes after the interview, Sigel was struck in the back of the head with a punch that was allegedly delivered by one of Meek Mill’s affiliates. Mill took to Instagram three days later to bash Sigel. Sigel was then ridiculed once more during a freestyle on Funkmaster Flex’s radio program. In response, Sigel dropped “I’m Coming,” his own diss track.