DJ Yella
DJ Yella | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Antoine Carraby |
Also known as | Yella, Yellaboy |
Born | Compton, California, U.S. | December 11, 1961
Genres | Hip hop, gangsta rap |
Occupation(s) | DJ, rapper, record producer, film director |
Instrument(s) | Turntables, keyboards, drums, vocals |
Years active | 1984–1996, 2009, 2016 |
Website | djyellaofnwa |
Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1961), known professionally as DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles.[1][2]
DJ Yella began his career as a member of the
Early life
Antoine Carraby was born in Compton, California, on December 11, 1961, and raised in Los Angeles.[5][6]
The second youngest of nine children, Carraby grew up poor and considered himself something of a loner. His parents divorced when he was four years old, and he lived primarily with his mother.[7]
He was passionate about music from a young age. He grew up listening to
Career
Yella began DJ'ing as a teenager in a local club called Eve After Dark. At the club he met aspiring DJ Dr. J, later to become member
Along with Dre, Yella helped produce Eazy-E's debut album
Yella remained close to Eazy and stayed on production duties at
Yella released his 1996 debut solo album One Mo Nigga ta Go on Street Life Records as a tribute to Eazy-E, featuring members of the Ruthless "family tree" Kokane, B.G. Knocc Out, and Dresta, rhyming over his productions.[14] The album peaked at number 82 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and at number 23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the US.[15][16]
After this record he retired from music to embark on a 12-year career directing and producing pornographic films.[17] Yella says he produced more than 300 adult films.[18][19]
Yella was played by Neil Brown Jr.[20] in the 2015 N.W.A biopic, Straight Outta Compton.[21][22][23] He is portrayed as very interested in sex and women, and also as less aggressive than the other members and unwilling to engage in conflict with Ice Cube.
In April 2016, Yella reunited with the former members of N.W.A at
Awards and honors
In 2016, Yella was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A.[26][27] In 2024, Yella and the other members of N.W.A. received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[28]
Discography
Studio albums
Album information |
---|
One Mo Nigga ta Go
|
Collaboration albums
with World Class Wreckin' Cru
- World Class (1985)
- Rapped in Romance (1986)
with N.W.A.
- Straight Outta Compton (1988)
- 100 Miles and Runnin' (1990)
- Niggaz4Life (1991)
Selected works
Year | Artist | Album | Role | Tracks |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Yella | "Slice"/"Kru Groove" | Performer | Both songs |
1985 | World Class Wreckin' Cru | World Class | Vocals, drum programming | Entire EP |
1986 | World Class Wreckin' Cru | Rapped in Romance | Vocals | Entire album |
1988 | Eazy-E | Eazy-Duz-It | Producer | Entire album |
1988 | J.J. Fad | Supersonic | Producer, mixing, backing vocals | Entire album |
1988 | N.W.A | Straight Outta Compton | Producer | Entire album |
1989 | The D.O.C. | No One Can Do It Better | Drums | "Comm. Blues", "Comm. 2" and "The Grand Finalé" |
1989 | Michel'le | Michel'le | Mixing | Entire album |
1990 | N.W.A | 100 Miles and Runnin' | Producer | Entire EP |
1990 | J.J. Fad | Not Just a Fad | Producer | Entire album |
1991 | N.W.A | Niggaz4Life | Producer, co-writer | Entire album; co-wrote "Real Niggaz Don't Die", "Real Niggaz", "She Swallowed It", "I'd Rather Fuck You" and "Approach to Danger" |
1991 | Yomo & Maulkie | Are U Xperienced? | Producer | Entire album |
1993 | Eazy-E | It's On ( |
Producer, co-writer | "Still a Nigga" and "Gimmie That Nutt" (co-wrote both songs) |
1994 | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | Creepin on ah Come Up | Producer | "Intro", "Foe tha Love of $ and "Moe Cheese" |
1994 | Menajahtwa | Cha-licious | Both producer and executive producer | Entire album |
1994 | H.W.A. | Az Much Ass Azz U Want | Producer | "High Timez" |
1996 | Eazy-E | Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton | Producer | "First Power", "Ole School Shit", "Sippin on a 40", "Tha Muthaphukkin Real", "Lickin, Suckin, Phuckin", "Creep N Crawl", "Gangsta Beat 4 tha Street" and "Eternal E" |
1996 | Yella | One Mo Nigga ta Go | Both producer and executive producer | Entire album |
Filmography
Films | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1993 | Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video
|
Himself | Documentary |
2017 | The Defiant Ones | Himself | TV documentary |
Biographical portrayals in film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Portrayed by | Notes |
2015 | Straight Outta Compton
|
Neil Brown Jr. | Biographical film about N.W.A |
2016 | Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le | Deric Augustine | Biographical film about Michel'le |
References
- ^ "The 50 Most Influential DJs | Music". BET. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "DJ Yella: 'Cops Got to Be Held Accountable'". Usatoday.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ Coe, Kairi. "Exclusive! DJ Yella Speaks on World Class Wreckin' Cru Days w/ Dr. Dre". Vladtv.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "What Happened To DJ Yella, N.W.A. Original Member? You'll Never Believe The Career He Chose After Music". Bustle. August 14, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ Kautz, Justin. "N.W.A.". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ISBN 9798506023630. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ^ "Interview with DJ Yella". Youtube.com. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ "Yella Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-4169-1792-2.
- ^ May, Mitchell (March 7, 1991). "Home Entertainment. Rave recordings". Chicago Tribune. Tempo. p. 8.
- ^ "Str8 Off tha Streetz of Muthaph---in' Compton". Entertainment Weekly. February 2, 1996. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ "N.W.A Legend DJ Yella Remembers Eazy-E Visiting Him — After He Died". HipHopDX. August 11, 2021.
- ^ Robertson, Iyana (September 8, 2015). "DJ Yella Addresses Speculation Of Foul Play In Eazy-E's Death: "You Never Know"". VIBE.
- ^ "One Mo Nigga ta Go – Yella". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ "Yella Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ "Yella Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Trent. "22 Rappers You Probably Didn't Know Have a History With Porn". XXL Magazine. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ "N.W.A Pioneer DJ Yella Directed Over 300 Pornographic Films – Then Found God". HipHopDX. August 24, 2021.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (August 11, 2015). "The N.W.A Member Turned Pornographer". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (July 29, 2014). "Universal's 'Straight Outta Compton' Casts its MC Ren and DJ Yella". Variety.
- ^ "DJ Yella Says Watching 'Straight Outta Compton' Was Eerie – XXL". XXL Magazine. August 6, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ "Straight Outta Compton's Neil Brown Jr. on Oscars Controversy". January 25, 2016.
- ^ Ford, Rebecca (July 29, 2014). "N.W.A Biopic Casts MC Ren & DJ Yella Roles". Billboard.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (June 28, 2015). "Ice Cube Reunites With N.W.A's DJ Yella and MC Ren Onstage". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Watch Ice Cube reunite with N.W.A. members MC Ren and DJ Yella at Coachella". NME. April 17, 2016.
- ^ "N.W.A | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". www.rockhall.com. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ "NWA inducted to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". BBC News. April 10, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Dillon, Nancy (February 4, 2024). "N.W.A, Gladys Knight Score Laughs, Praise With Lifetime Achievement Grammys". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- DJ Yella at AllMusic
- DJ Yella at IMDb