Jeezy Sets Guinness World Record for Largest Hip-Hop Orchestra at Las Vegas Residency
Rapper Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins has officially entered the record books. On Nov. 1, during the second night of his new Las Vegas residency, the Atlanta native earned a Guinness World Records title for leading the largest orchestra ever assembled for a hip-hop concert. The performance took place at PH Live inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, where Jeezy’s show, TM:101 Live, is currently in residence.
The residency, named after his breakthrough 2005 album Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, reimagines his most influential tracks with full orchestral arrangements, blending the hard edges of trap music with the grandeur of live symphonic performance.
Guinness adjudicator Andy Glass presented Jeezy with the official certificate onstage, recognizing the 101-member Color of Noize Orchestra that accompanied him throughout the evening. “This isn’t just a win for me, it’s a moment for the culture, for music, and for Vegas,” Jeezy said upon receiving the award. “Thank you to every musician, every fan, and everyone who believed we could take this all the way. A winner is a dreamer who never gave up.”
He went on to credit the creative team behind the project: composer Derrick Hodge, musical director Adam Blackstone, DJ Drama, and DJ Ace, each of whom played a role in translating Jeezy’s catalog into an orchestral setting.
The Color of Noize Orchestra, which previously performed with Wizkid at the Hollywood Bowl and Angélique Kidjo at Carnegie Hall, was central to achieving the record. Under the direction of Adam Blackstone, known for his work on the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar, and Rihanna’s 2023 halftime performance, the ensemble brought Jeezy’s signature sound to an entirely new scale.
Composer Derrick Hodge arranged orchestral versions of songs like “Soul Survivor” (featuring Akon) and “And Then What” (featuring Mannie Fresh), balancing lush string and horn sections with the rhythmic intensity that defined Jeezy’s early career. The combination of classical musicianship and trap production marked one of the first large-scale fusions of its kind in mainstream hip-hop.
For Jeezy, the residency continues a period of creative reinvention. Earlier this year, he made his NPR Tiny Desk debut, performing a stripped-down set with a live band at the network’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. “I used to stand on a tiny porch,” he told the audience then. “But if you stick with your dreams and stay about your business, you can get anywhere.”
TM:101 Live builds on that same ethos, a celebration of perseverance and transformation. The residency will resume in December with Nutcracker-themed performances on Dec. 19 and 21, incorporating orchestral flourishes into Jeezy’s established sound while continuing to bridge genres and generations.
