Their debut album, Welcome to the Hood, was released under Sure Shot Recordings, but received little attention. Subsequently, groupmember Hydro released a mixtape dissing Freeway, distancing himself and the group from its founder. While active, the group consisted of Face Money, Bars and Hydro, with Freeway playing a major mentoring role. During this time, with his crew and label in turmoil, Freeway turned to his Muslim faith. With uncertainty in the air, Freeway put together another Philadelphia-based crew called Ice City, named after their North Philly neighborhood. Relations between Beanie Sigel and State Property soured after the incarceration of Sigel, and State Property essentially broke up, with Sigel stating he was unsure he would work with them again. Over the next few years, members of the group-most notably Freeway and Sigel themselves-slowly began collaborating once again, though members such as Oschino and Peedi Crakk fell out of the loop. State Property problems and Ice City (2004–2006)Īfter Jay-Z's "retirement" album and the uncertainty over what direction the label was headed, Beanie Sigel was convicted and jailed on a charge of attempted murder. The album also sold over 500,000 units in the United States. The album had two singles, the biggest hits of Freeway's career thus far: "What We Do", Featuring Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, for which a video was released showcasing most of the Roc's roster at the time, and "Flipside", featuring State Property member Peedi Crakk both records were produced by Just Blaze. Many of them also hailed from Philadelphia, and were soon compiled into the group State Property led by Freeway and Beanie Sigel. The album was produced primarily by Roc-A-Fella-affiliated beatsmiths Just Blaze, Bink!, and Kanye West and featured a large number of Roc-A-Fella rappers. On February 25, 2003, Freeway released his debut album, Philadelphia Freeway. In 2001, he underwent a notorious freestyle battle with then-unsigned rapper Cassidy, hosted by Swizz Beatz and lost with a unanimous judges decision. After the appearance, Jay-Z signed him to a deal he was featured on "Think it's a Game", also alongside Jay-Z, on Sigel's second album The Reason. Not long after being signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, Sigel put in a word for Freeway, who made his first appearance on The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, on the track "1-900-Hustler" with Sigel, Jay-Z, and Memphis Bleek. Freeway began his career by participating in freestyle battles in his high school and met fellow Philadelphia native Beanie Sigel, while rapping on stage at a hometown nightclub. He adopted his moniker from the name of the infamous drug trafficker "Freeway" Rick Ross as he found no one wanted to listen to a rapper named Leslie.
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In 2009, Freeway was briefly signed to Cash Money Records, but returned to work again with Jay-Z at the mogul's entertainment organization and record label, Roc Nation, with his 2018 album Think Free.įreeway was born Leslie Pridgen, on August 6th, 1978. He is best known as a member of the rap group State Property, during his time with Roc-A-Fella Records alongside Jay-Z.
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Leslie Edward Pridgen (born August 6, 1978), better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper from North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.