Raised by a single mother, YNW Melly grew up in a poor area of Gifford, Florida, realizing quickly that he needed to find a money-making hobby if he ever wanted to make it out of his neighborhood. He joined the Bloods at a young age before directing his focus to music. That's when he found his calling.
Despite his natural talent and unique sound, YNW Melly has been riddled with legal trouble throughout his career. In late 2015, the rapper fired shots at a group of students, serving some time in prison as a result. While he was still incarcerated, he released his first project Collect Call, which is when he started to truly experience the early stages of fame.
At that point, "Murder On My Mind" became one of the biggest rap songs of the year, cementing YNW Melly as one of the rising stars of his generation. His vocals are filled with raw emotion, which is certainly what led him to work in the studio with the legendary Kanye West on "Mixed Personalities."
YNW Melly's story is tainted as he was accused of murdering his two close friends, YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy, in early 2019. He has been in prison since then, releasing We All Shine and Melly Vs. Melvin from behind bars.
He is currently awaiting trial and facing the death penalty.
