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©2007 MarvelHaiti.com. All Rights Reserved.
Shaping the Perception of Haiti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marvin Bernard (born March 31, 1978),[1] better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is an American rapper and part of the rap
group G-Unit.
Marvin Bernard (born March 31, 1978),[1] better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is an American rapper and part of the rap
group G-Unit.
Early life
Growing up with 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks, they formed the group G-Unit.
They released several successful mixtapes together, slowly creating a buzz
for themselves on the streets of New York. With the success of their
mixtapes, Tony Yayo quickly made a name for himself in the rap circuit.
G-Unit
G-Unit was founded when childhood friends, Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent and
Tony Yayo decided to make a group with each other. They met Young Buck
when Cash Money group came to New York and 50 Cent heard Young
Buck rapping. After 50 Cent signed his contract with Aftermath
Entertainment they signed Young Buck.
Fronted by 50 Cent, G-Unit quickly redefined the urban music industry back
to gangsta rap. They produced a series of mixtape albums with original
numbers and high quality artwork, making the discs something more than
a bootleg, but not quite an independent release.
50 Cent was soon granted his own record label by Dr. Dre and released
the album Get Rich or Die Tryin. Soon after the group had established their
own record label, G-Unit Records, G-Unit released their first official group
album Beg for Mercy in November of 2003, which went on to be certified 2x
Platinum. [2] [3]
Growing up with 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks, they formed the group G-Unit.
They released several successful mixtapes together, slowly creating a buzz
for themselves on the streets of New York. With the success of their
mixtapes, Tony Yayo quickly made a name for himself in the rap circuit.
G-Unit
G-Unit was founded when childhood friends, Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent and
Tony Yayo decided to make a group with each other. They met Young Buck
when Cash Money group came to New York and 50 Cent heard Young
Buck rapping. After 50 Cent signed his contract with Aftermath
Entertainment they signed Young Buck.
Fronted by 50 Cent, G-Unit quickly redefined the urban music industry back
to gangsta rap. They produced a series of mixtape albums with original
numbers and high quality artwork, making the discs something more than
a bootleg, but not quite an independent release.
50 Cent was soon granted his own record label by Dr. Dre and released
the album Get Rich or Die Tryin. Soon after the group had established their
own record label, G-Unit Records, G-Unit released their first official group
album Beg for Mercy in November of 2003, which went on to be certified 2x
Platinum. [2] [3]
Free Yayo
On December 31, 2002, nearly a year before the release of G-Unit's much anticipated album, Beg for Mercy, Tony Yayo was
arrested along with 50 Cent on weapons-possession charges. During a background check, police discovered Yayo had an
outstanding warrant for a previous weapons-possession charge. In early 2003, he was sentenced for bail-jumping and would
remain in jail until the beginning of 2004. As a result, he was unable to record for the album and was therefore only featured on
two tracks that had been recorded before.
Tony Yayo performing at Villanova Hoops Mania in 2005.
Tony Yayo performing at Villanova Hoops Mania in 2005.
During Tony Yayo's imprisonment, G-Unit became increasingly popular. They started a campaign called "Free Yayo". Many G-Unit
videos featured the group's members wearing "Free Yayo" t-shirts, but Yayo himself was unaware of the attention he was
receiving. The prison inmates that Yayo shared a television with preferred watching sports rather than music videos.
On December 31, 2002, nearly a year before the release of G-Unit's much anticipated album, Beg for Mercy, Tony Yayo was
arrested along with 50 Cent on weapons-possession charges. During a background check, police discovered Yayo had an
outstanding warrant for a previous weapons-possession charge. In early 2003, he was sentenced for bail-jumping and would
remain in jail until the beginning of 2004. As a result, he was unable to record for the album and was therefore only featured on
two tracks that had been recorded before.
Tony Yayo performing at Villanova Hoops Mania in 2005.
Tony Yayo performing at Villanova Hoops Mania in 2005.
During Tony Yayo's imprisonment, G-Unit became increasingly popular. They started a campaign called "Free Yayo". Many G-Unit
videos featured the group's members wearing "Free Yayo" t-shirts, but Yayo himself was unaware of the attention he was
receiving. The prison inmates that Yayo shared a television with preferred watching sports rather than music videos.
When Eminem and 50 Cent were scheduled to make an appearance
during the Grammy Awards, he convinced everyone to change the
channel. It was the first time he saw a "Free Yayo" shirt-his time worn by
Eminem.[4] Inspired by the shirt, he started working extra hard on his
rhymes while keeping in touch with the G-Unit crew who were letting him
know that he would get his chance once he was a free man.
On January 8, 2004, Tony Yayo was released from prison, but after
presenting a forged passport to his parole officer a day later, he was
imprisoned again for a few weeks. Upon release, Tony Yayo was finally
able to start work on his debut album. Whilst working on his album, he
was also recording on the G-Unit Radio mixtape series in which he
announced his return on the street level.
during the Grammy Awards, he convinced everyone to change the
channel. It was the first time he saw a "Free Yayo" shirt-his time worn by
Eminem.[4] Inspired by the shirt, he started working extra hard on his
rhymes while keeping in touch with the G-Unit crew who were letting him
know that he would get his chance once he was a free man.
On January 8, 2004, Tony Yayo was released from prison, but after
presenting a forged passport to his parole officer a day later, he was
imprisoned again for a few weeks. Upon release, Tony Yayo was finally
able to start work on his debut album. Whilst working on his album, he
was also recording on the G-Unit Radio mixtape series in which he
announced his return on the street level.
Debut album
While his appearances on mixtapes announced his return on the street level, his summer hit "So Seductive" let the rest of the world
know. In August, while his single was dominating urban radio, MTV, and BET, Yayo released his debut, Thoughts of a Predicate
Felon.[5] The other singles that were released from this album were: "Curious", "Pimpin'", "Drama Setter", and "I Know You Don’t
Love Me".
Second album
Godfather of the Ghetto is the second album from G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo. The first street single is "It's a Stick Up", featuring
Mazaradi FOX and Snoop From The Wire. A video was shot for that single and can be seen on Tony Yayo's MySpace page. Tony Yayo
has also recorded a track with DMX along with 50 Cent on a track titled "50 Reasons". In a recent interview with 106 & Park Tony Yayo
stated that the album will be released after 50 Cent's album, Curtis. [6]
Controversy:
Jim Jones
This feud took off when Tony Yayo yelled "boring" instead of "balling" (a reference to "We Fly High") backstage at a show where both
G-Unit and Dipset were performing.[13] Jim Jones responded in an interview on a radio station by saying that Tony Yayo was an
immigrant. Jim Jones said:
“ I don't know if he said that, but if that little nigga said that he need to get his money up 'cause I'm balling for real, you know what
I'm talking about?. It's all aggressive competition to each his own, smell me? You dig? That nigga's an immigrant. He's a straight
hater, he belong in little Haiti[14] ”
Tony Yayo took a shot at Jim Jones on Shade 45, claiming that Jim Jones was trash, and that he was disrespecting Haitians.[15]
Tony Yayo stated that Jim Jones tried to phone him, but Tony Yayo refused to take the call. He said:
“ Jim was trying to reach out to me, reach out through other people from the street, but I never accepted his call. He gets on radio
and says, "Yayo, you's an immigrant". So you disrespecting every Haitian on the planet. So he played himself like that. I'm like,
"These dudes is fools". Jim Jones cannot fuck with me creatively. You can't be serious. Cam'ron, none of them can fuck with me
creatively, and I got more money than them. I can call 50 right now and borrow $5 million dollars. It's not a problem.[16] ”
Tony Yayo later addressed Jim Jones on his mixtape Finally Off Papers (G-Unit Radio Pt. 23) on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems".
[17] He yells "Boring!" in the background to mock Jim Jones as well as shouting other insults towards him at the end of the track. [18]
While his appearances on mixtapes announced his return on the street level, his summer hit "So Seductive" let the rest of the world
know. In August, while his single was dominating urban radio, MTV, and BET, Yayo released his debut, Thoughts of a Predicate
Felon.[5] The other singles that were released from this album were: "Curious", "Pimpin'", "Drama Setter", and "I Know You Don’t
Love Me".
Second album
Godfather of the Ghetto is the second album from G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo. The first street single is "It's a Stick Up", featuring
Mazaradi FOX and Snoop From The Wire. A video was shot for that single and can be seen on Tony Yayo's MySpace page. Tony Yayo
has also recorded a track with DMX along with 50 Cent on a track titled "50 Reasons". In a recent interview with 106 & Park Tony Yayo
stated that the album will be released after 50 Cent's album, Curtis. [6]
Controversy:
Jim Jones
This feud took off when Tony Yayo yelled "boring" instead of "balling" (a reference to "We Fly High") backstage at a show where both
G-Unit and Dipset were performing.[13] Jim Jones responded in an interview on a radio station by saying that Tony Yayo was an
immigrant. Jim Jones said:
“ I don't know if he said that, but if that little nigga said that he need to get his money up 'cause I'm balling for real, you know what
I'm talking about?. It's all aggressive competition to each his own, smell me? You dig? That nigga's an immigrant. He's a straight
hater, he belong in little Haiti[14] ”
Tony Yayo took a shot at Jim Jones on Shade 45, claiming that Jim Jones was trash, and that he was disrespecting Haitians.[15]
Tony Yayo stated that Jim Jones tried to phone him, but Tony Yayo refused to take the call. He said:
“ Jim was trying to reach out to me, reach out through other people from the street, but I never accepted his call. He gets on radio
and says, "Yayo, you's an immigrant". So you disrespecting every Haitian on the planet. So he played himself like that. I'm like,
"These dudes is fools". Jim Jones cannot fuck with me creatively. You can't be serious. Cam'ron, none of them can fuck with me
creatively, and I got more money than them. I can call 50 right now and borrow $5 million dollars. It's not a problem.[16] ”
Tony Yayo later addressed Jim Jones on his mixtape Finally Off Papers (G-Unit Radio Pt. 23) on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems".
[17] He yells "Boring!" in the background to mock Jim Jones as well as shouting other insults towards him at the end of the track. [18]
