Young Jeezy Skates in $5 Million Lawsuit with Alleged BFF

Young Jeezy will stay $5 million richer ... a jury of his peers just ruled a man claiming to have helped launch the rapper's career gets nothing

Jeezy was in an Atlanta courtroom on Friday for his legal battle with Ellerbee Demetrius, a man claiming to be Jeezy's bff since '95. Demetrius says he's the one who helped Jeezy establish himself in the music biz, and in return he said he was owed money from at least 4 of Jeezy's albums.

As TMZ reported ... Jeezy denies cutting ANY music deals with Demetrius, and says they're far from BFFs.