In the spirit of Homer and other great practitioners of the oral tradition, Atlanta rap prodigy Jeezy electrifies music audiences with his gritty tales of guns, drugs and violence. Jeezy’s debut album, “Thug Motivation 101,” is a masterpiece of epic poetry. In the same way the architect of “The Odyssey” crafted the adventures of Odysseus, Jeezy chronicles the excitement and danger of his existence as he combines raw realism with grace and delicacy. Known as the “snow man” for his exceptional accomplishments as a street-level cocaine dealer, Jeezy mixes ironic metaphors and down –south country talk to create a devastating effect.

Jeezy’s unusual and clever capacity as a lyricist shines brightly on the smash hit, “Icy.” Indeed, Jeezy’s bold manner propels his art, adding fire, flair and intensity to his already brilliant lyrical content.

Jeezy’s greatest asset is his voice, which undulates with the smooth cadence of Coltrane’s trumpet while pounding with the urban rhythm of James Brown’s soul. Already hailed as the most promising new talent by such hip-hop heavy weights as Jay Z and Diddy, Jeezy’s had a whirlwind of a year as he’s juggled the release of his first solo album along with the debut of a group LP with other members of Boyz n’da Hood.

In addition to possessing Tupacesque street credibility, Jeezy makes his lyrics entertaining by incorporating awareness about pop culture. Indeed, the snow man mesmerizes on the track “Soul Survivor” as he says, “We all got the same dreams, or is it the same nightmares?”

Jeezy reinforces his appeal as a triumphant outlaw on “Lets Get it.” Once again Jeezy makes unexpected allusions to the world of comic books and concludes the rhyme by comparing himself to a celestial body.

As the snow man enjoys his dual record deals with hip hop titans Def Jam and Bad Boy, his genius illuminates a landscape that would otherwise be like T.S. Eliot’s nightmare, a wasteland.