POPPA LEEZY - Artist Profile

Real name: Ali Jones
AKAs: Ali, Power God Allah
Born: July 13, 1972
City: St. Louis, MO
Groups: St. Lunatics, Ali & Gipp
Labels: Derrty Entertainment, Universal Records

Image source: TheYBF

Poppa Leezy, perhaps better known as Ali, came onto the scene as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics, which formed in St. Louis in 1993 and included breakout star Nelly, as well as City Spud, Kyjuan, and Murphy Lee. Scoring an independent hit with "Gimme What U Got" in 1997, the St. Lunatics pushed Nelly toward a solo career, believing he had the star power to be signed first and to bring the rest of the group with him. When Nelly's debut solo album, Country Grammar, became a smash hit in 2000, the St. Lunatics were introduced to the world as guests on several of the album's tracks, with Leezy himself appearing on four tracks, including the single "Batter Up."

Following the success of Nelly's solo album, the St. Lunatics immediately went to work on a group album, releasing Free City, their major label debut, on June 5, 2001. The album was certified platinum, and the single "Midwest Swing" cracked the Billboard Hot 100, helping to cement the St. Louis hip hop scene's position in the mainstream.

On April 30, 2002, Leezy released his solo debut album, Heavy Starch, under the name Ali, which spawned the single "Boughetto," featuring fellow St. Lunatic Murphy Lee. Later in 2002, he and the other St. Lunatics appeared on Nelly's Top 5 hit, "Air Force Ones." In 2005, he and Atlanta rapper Big Gipp of Goodie Mob and Dungeon Family guested on Nelly's Top 5 single, "Grillz," leading to a collaborative album between the two rappers. On August 14, 2007, Ali & Gipp released the album, Kinfolk, buoyed by the single "Go 'Head," featuring Chocolate Tai.

Leezy has appeared on nearly every Nelly album, and returned to solo music in 2010 with a pair of mixtapes showcasing St. Louis talent. However, in 2020 and 2021, tension began to rise between the two rappers, culminating in shots taken on social media, including Leezy claiming he wrote many of Nelly's hits, while Nelly insulted Leezy's solo career.

In July 2021, Leezy released a new solo album, Rose Gold.

Solo Discography
Heavy Starch, 2002
The Champ Iz Herr (mixtape), 2010
So St. Louis (mixtape), 2010

Rose Gold, 2021

GUEST APPEARANCES

• 
  2000
• "Thicky Thick Girl," Nelly feat. Murphy Lee and Poppa Leezy (Country Grammar)
• "Batter Up," Nelly feat. Murphy Lee and Poppa Leezy (Country Grammar)
  2001
• "Be Like Me," Ms. Toi feat. Murphy Lee, Nelly, and Poppa Leezy (That Girl)
  2003
• "Batter Up (Jason "Jay E" Epperson Remix)," Nelly feat. Chocolate Tai, Jung Tru, King Jacob, Murphy Lee, Poppa Leezy, and Prentiss Church (Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention)
• "Dilemma (Jermaine Dupri Remix)," Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland and Poppa Leezy (Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention)
• "Groovin' Tonight," Nelly feat. Brian McKnight, City Spud, and Poppa Leezy (Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention)
  2004
• "Down In da Water," Nelly feat. Gube Thug and Poppa Leezy (Sweat)
  2006
• "Why," Tyrese feat. Poppa Leezy (Ghetto Royalty)
  2010
• "'Bout Nothing," City Spud feat. Poppa Leezy (Twelve-12: "Some Mixtape Shit")
• "Go," Nelly feat. Poppa Leezy and Talib Kweli (5.0)
  2013
• "Original Almighty," Nato Caliph feat. Poppa Leezy (Understanding Understood)
  2018
• "Genkidama Flow," Kyo Itachi feat. Haile, Madman, Poppa Leezy, and Vizar Rancarr (Genkidama)

COMPILATION APPEARANCES

• "Breathe In Breathe Out," Nelly and Poppa Leezy (Bad Company, 2002)

HEAVY STARCH
Released: April 30, 2002

Label: Universal Records

TRACK LIST

1. Intro

2. I Got This

3. Crucial (feat. Murphy Lee)

4. Ore-Ore-O

5. No (feat. St. Lunatics)

6. Boughetto (feat. Murphy Lee)

7. 360

8. Wiggle, Wiggle (feat. St. Lunatics)

9. Drop Top (feat. Kandi)

10. Collection Plate (feat. St. Lunatics)

11. Passin' Me By (feat. Toya)

12. Bitch

13. Beast (feat. Ray Ray)

14. Cool As Hell (feat. St. Lunatics)

15. St. Louis Alumni (feat. STL Alumni)

16. Serious

17. Walk Away (feat. Ms. Toi and Nelly)

THE CHAMP IZ HERR
Released: 2010

TRACK LIST
1. Intro

2. From the Beginning

3. Say Sum 'Bout It (feat. Nelly)

4. I Ain't Lying (feat. City Spud)

5. Skit

6. Man In My City (feat. Gunplay)

7. Servin' 'Em

8. Over Herr (feat. Paul Wall and Yo Gotti)

9. Get Low To da Flo (feat. St. Lunatics)

10. Skit

11. Tonight

12. I Luv the Hood (feat. City Spud)

13. Lame If You Don't Know Me (feat. Sag Live)

14. You Gotta Move (feat. Kyjuan)

15. Skit

16. Survival Rules (feat. Future and Murphy Lee)

17. I Want It (feat. Chingy and Chocolate Tai)

18. Skit

19. Tell Me Who U Iz (feat. Whole St. Louis)

20. Skit

SO ST. LOUIS

Released: 2010

TRACK LIST
1. Welcome 2 St. Louis

2. It Don't Matter

3. Been Did That (feat. Jibbs and Tab)

4. That Say a Lot (feat. Zeus Rebel Waters)

5. Side 2 Side (feat. Kyjuan and Murphy Lee)

6. I Luv Dat (feat. Murphy Lee)

7. Counting Money (feat. Lil St. Louis and Prentiss Church)

8. Polo (feat. St. Lunatics)

9. Headboard

10. Groovin'

11. We Can Get It In (feat. Jibbs and Sag Live)

12. Hustle Stack (feat. Sag Live)

13. Ask No Price (feat. Chocolate Tai and City Spud)

14. Just a Touch Away (feat. Amishe)

15. Do Ya Bizzness

16. My City Serious Remix (feat. Chingy, Fresco Kane, and Phat Pheezy)

17. Tell Me Who U Iz (feat. Hitman Holla, Luey V, and Potzee)

ROSE GOLD

Released: July 29, 2021

TRACK LIST

1. Still Living (feat. Blvck Spvde)

2. Back To Me

3. Pergola (feat. Fresco Kane)

4. Keep On

5. 10 Albums (feat. Murphy Lee)

6. Fire God (feat. Planet Asia)

7. It Is What

8. The Bestpart

For Ali's work with Ali & Gipp and St. Lunatics, see the pages for those groups.