' t ▁a ▁Th ang " ▁featuring ▁Jay - Z ▁( U . S . ▁# 5 6 ), ▁the ▁lead ▁singles ▁from ▁his ▁debut ▁studio ▁album ▁Life ▁in ▁ 1 4 7 2 . ▁Also ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁met ▁soon - to - be ▁frequent ▁collabor ator ▁and ▁production ▁partner ▁Bry an - Michael ▁C ox , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 1 1 - year - old ▁ra pper , ▁known ▁then ▁as ▁Lil ' ▁Bow ▁W ow ▁and ▁signed ▁him ▁to ▁So ▁So ▁Def ▁Record ings . ▁The ▁two ▁would ▁later ▁part ▁ways ▁after ▁only ▁ 2 ▁albums , ▁but ▁continued ▁to ▁frequently ▁collabor ate ▁on ▁later ▁projects . ▁The ▁deal ▁with ▁Columbia ▁was ▁terminated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Dup ri ▁switched ▁to ▁Ar ista ▁Records . ▁Dup ri ▁worked ▁on ▁T amar ▁Bra xt on ' s ▁debut ▁album , ▁T amar ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁" Get ▁None " ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁with ▁We e zer ▁and ▁Lil ▁Wayne ▁on ▁the ▁song ▁" Can ' t ▁Stop ▁Part ying ." ▁He ▁also ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁DJ ▁Ch uck ie ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁vocal ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁" Let ▁The ▁Bass ▁K ick ". ▁He ▁soon ▁released ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁studio ▁album ▁Inst ru ctions ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁▁ 2 0 0 4 – 2 0 0 9 : ▁Conf essions ▁and ▁The ▁E man cip ation ▁of ▁M imi ▁In ▁ 2 0