Damn!

Background:

Young Bloodz is an American Southern rap duo from Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of J-Bo and Sean P (once known as Sean Paul). The group has released three studio albums, a compilation album and nine singles. Their most successful single, “Damn!” (2003), from the No. 1 hit album “Drankin' Patnaz,” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the only Top 10 single on the chart by Young Bloodz, and went gold in the United States. The song also reached the Top spot on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks and No. 2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The duo also has been featured in numerous singles by other artists.

In 2006, along with members of their entourage, both members of Young Bloodz were arrested in Atlanta on drugs and weapons charges. Before the arrest, Sean P and J-Bo never had any trouble with the law. All the charges were dismissed in late May 2007.

School Friends

Childhood and Family:

Jeffrey Ray Grigsby, who would later be known as J-Bo, was born on October 4, 1977, in Decatur, Georgia, while Sean Paul Joseph, professionally known as Sean P, was born on March 7, 1979. The two met at Decatur's Miller Grove Middle School and formed the rap duo YoungBloodZ. They were strongly related to the Atlanta rap/production posse known as the Attic.

Drankin' Patnaz

Career:

In 1998, Young Bloodz had their first recording experience when the duo was featured along with 8Ball, Too $hort, and Mr. Black in Jermaine Dupri's debut studio album, “Life in 1472,” on the song “Jazzy Hoes.” The group's studio debut album, “Against da Grain,” was released on October 12, 1999 on LaFace Records. It reached No. 21 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 92 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned two singles: “u-Way (How We Do It)” (1999), featuring Bone Crusher & Backbone, which charted at No. 46 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and “85” (2000), featuring Big Boi. Rapper Lil Wayne appeared on the remix version of “U-Way.”

In 2001, Young Bloodz appeared on T.I.'s “I'm Serious (Remix)” and Blaque's “ Know What's Up.” The group went on to appear in the TLC song “Come Get Some” (2003).

Young Bloodz resurfaced with a new studio album, “Drankin' Patnaz,” on August 26, 2003. Released on the Atlanta, GA based label So So Def Recordings, owned by Dupri, and produced by Jazze Pha and Lil Jon, the album rose to No.1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and made the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 (#5). The album produced three singles. Released in 2002, the lead off single “Cadillac Pimpin'” was a moderate hit and reached No. 93 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The duo, however, did not score a major hit until the release of “Damn!,” featuring Lil Jon, who also wrote the song, in 2003. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks, No. 2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's sole Top 10 single on the chart. It received gold certification from the RIAA. The last single “Lean Low,” featuring Backbone, charted at No. 94 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.

For the next two years, Young Bloodz made guest appearances on a number of other artists' records. They was featured on Body Head Bangerz's “I Smoke, I Drank (Remix),” Nivea's “Okay,” with Lil Jon, Elephant Man's “Jook Gal (Head Gawn Remix),” with Twista & Kiprich, Three 6 Mafia's “ It's Whateva Wit Us,” with Ying Yang Twins, T-Pain's “I'm Sprung 2,” with Trick Daddy, Ying Yang Twins' “Me And My Brother (Remix),” Too Short's “ Addicted to Pimpin” and Young Rome's “ I Don't Care.” In 2005, B.J. released a single called “What It Do,” featuring musical partner, Sean P.

Young Bloodz's third studio album, “Ev'rybody Know Me,” was released on December 13, 2005 through LaFace. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums, No. 7 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 44 on the Billboard 200. The first single “Presidential,” featuring Lil Jon, peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks, No. 26 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single “Chop Chop” reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks.

In 2006, Young Bloodz recorded the song “I'mma Shine,” which was featured on the movie “Step Up” and in its soundtrack. The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soundtracks and No. 6 on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Still in 2006, LaFace released the duo's first compilation album, “Still Grippin' tha Grain: The Best Of.”

2006 also saw Sean P made guest appearances in Cherish's “Do It To It,” Lil Jon's “ Snap Yo Fingers,” Sammie's “You Should Be My Girl” and Lil Scrappy's “Oh Yeah (Work).” He went on to appear in Sterling Simms' “Jump Off,” “Khujo Goodie,” Kelly Rowland's “Like This (Remix),” Messy Marv's “Bagg Up,” Bone Crusher's “ Wood Grippin,” Berner's “We Got It,” Cassidy's “ Pop It For That Paper” (all 2007) and Baby D's “ Put Em Up” (2008). In 2007, J-Bo appeared on Michael Jackson's “Give In To Me (DOUBLE_U REMIX).” The two also appeared together in Teflon's “ Real Head Bussa” and 112's “ U Already Know (A-town remix)” (both 2007).

On April 15, 2008, J-Bo released a first solo album titled “ATL's Finest” on the Sacramento, California based hip hop label Real Talk Entertainment. It featured a guest appearance by rapper Lil Scrappy on the track “I'm Still a Problem.”

Also in 2008, Young Bloodz released a single called “Ridin' Thru Atlanta,” featuring T.I.. It was set to be part of their new album, “Bad Influence.” The album, however, was unreleased.

Awards:
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