Moneybagg Yo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moneybagg Yo
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Moneybagg Yo in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Demario Dewayne White Jr. |
| Born | September 22, 1991 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2011–present |
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| Children | 4 |
DeMario DeWayne White Jr. (born September 22, 1991), known professionally as Moneybagg Yo, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is known for his melodic trap and Southern hip hop music style.
White signed with fellow Memphis rapper Yo Gotti's record label, Collective Music Group in 2016, later in a joint venture with Interscope Records. His commercial mixtapes Federal 3X (2017) and 2 Heartless (2018) yielded his mainstream breakthrough, peaking at numbers five and 16 on the Billboard 200, respectively. His studio albums, Reset (2018), 43va Heartless (2019), Time Served (2020), and A Gangsta's Pain (2021), were each met with critical and commercial success; the latter became his first to debut atop the chart and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 single "Wockesha."
White is the recipient of multiple accolades, and has received a Grammy Award nomination, in addition to American Music Award, MTV Music Video Award, Hollywood Music in Media Award, and iHeartRadio Music Award nominations; for the latter of which, he received four. He won the 2021 "Trapper of the Year" Award by genre progenitor T.I.
Contents
Early life
DeMario DeWayne White Jr. was born on September 22, 1991, in South Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in the Walker Homes neighborhood.
Career
2011–2013: Early life and career
Growing up in South Memphis, Moneybagg had a love for hip hop music from a young age and was heavily influenced by artists such as Boosie, Yo Gotti, Juvenile, and Future. According to him, he was captivated by everything about their lives and aspirations. "Everything about their life, I just fell in love with," he said in an interview reflecting on his childhood. In an effort to escape the struggles of life in the hood, Moneybagg turned to rapping as a means of making a living. He began his career in 2011 with the release of his first official single "F U Pay Me". Over the following years, he released several mixtapes, including Da Block 2 Da Booth in 2012. In a 2022 interview with the New York Times, Moneybagg spoke about how during the early stages of his career he had to sacrifice important moments in his life and his children's lives such as birthdays, holidays, football games and even simple things like doughnuts with his dad, as he was focused on providing for his children and making a name for himself in the industry.
2016–2018: Release of several mixtapes and Moneybagg's debut studio album, Reset
Main articles: 2 Federal, Heartless, Federal 3X, Fed Baby's, 2 Heartless, and Reset.
In 2016, his project Federal Reloaded, a revision of the first installment of the Federal series, featured guest appearances from Y Grizzle, Young Dolph and OG Boo Dirty, among others. The follow-up, ELO (Everybody Lives On), included guest appearances from Yo Gotti and Migos' Quavo, among others. His work with Yo Gotti continued with their joint effort titled 2 Federal, released in October 2016. In February 2017, he released his mixtape Heartless, which peaked at number 177 on the Billboard 200. The mixtape featured guest appearances from YFN Lucci and Lil Durk. In October 2017, Moneybagg released Federal 3X, his debut with Interscope Records. The mixtape contains a sole feature from YoungBoy Never Broke Again. In November of that year, he and YoungBoy released the collaborative mixtape Fed Baby's, which contained his first collaboration with Georgia rapper Future, who was a longtime fan of his music. Regarding this, Moneybagg Yo told the New York Times: "A lot of people were really riding, listening to my music, that you wouldn't expect". In 2018, Moneybagg Yo, his label Bread Gang, and local label N-Less Entertainment released a compilation album: Moneybagg Yo Presents: NLess Ent x Bread Gang on January 1. On February 14, 2018, he released the sequel to his Heartless project with 2 Heartless, which contained guest features from Quavo, Yo Gotti, Lil Baby, and BlocBoy JB and production from Zaytoven and Southside. On July 27, 2018, he released the mixtape Bet On Me, with features from YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, and Gunna with the production handled from Tay Keith, Drum God, and Javar, among others. Moneybagg Yo released his debut studio album Reset in November 2018; it peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200.
2019–2021: 43va Heartless, Time Served, and A Gangsta's Pain
Main articles: 43va Heartless, Time Served, and A Gangsta's Pain.
To start off 2019, Moneybagg released his second studio album, 43va Heartless, in May 2019. His third studio album, Time Served, was released in January 2020. It includes "All Dat" and "U Played", his first Hot 100-charting singles. The album reached number three on the Billboard 200, with 66,000 units sold during its first week of release. It was followed up by a deluxe edition in May. On June 30, 2020, he released the single "Said Sum", his highest-charting song as a lead artist. After Moneybagg Yo and fellow rapper Blac Youngsta both announced they would be releasing their respective solo albums on a shared day of September 18, 2020, the rappers took this to social media two days before to announce they would instead release a collaborative mixtape titled Code Red. Moneybagg Yo also released a remix of "Said Sum?", featuring American hip hop group City Girls and American rapper DaBaby, which is included on the mixtape. Moneybagg released his fourth studio album, A Gangsta's Pain, on April 23, 2021. It features guest appearances from Kaash Paige, Big30, Future, Polo G, Lil Durk, Jhené Aiko, and Pharrell Williams. The album became his first number-one project, debuting with 110,000 units on the Billboard 200, and returned to the top in its third week. On June 1, 2021, Moneybagg released the standalone single, "Rookie of the Year", an ode to basketball player Ja Morant.
2022–present: London's Wireless Festival, Hard to Love, and Speak Now
In July 2022, Moneybagg performed to tens of thousands of people at London's Wireless Festival, in what was his first international show "Trap taking over the world now," he said when speaking the New York Times, "It ain't limited no more." In June 2023, he released the mixtape Hard to Love, which charted at number ten on the US Billboard 200.
In June 2024, he released his fifth studio album, Speak Now. It features several notable artists, including Chris Brown, Rob49, Lil Durk, YTB Fatt, and Morgan Wallen. He released the album's deluxe edition on September 27, 2024, featuring GloRilla, Big Boogie, and BossMan Dlow. He later teased a follow-up album scheduled for later in 2024, and described it as being for the ladies, as it contains more "melodic vibes".
Conflicts
Background
Moneybagg Yo has had several legal issues throughout his career. He grew up in the hood closely affiliated with gangs, being the cousin of Three 6 Mafia's Crunchy Black.
Signing with CMG
Moneybagg Yo first gained attention in the music industry with the release of his July 2016 mixtape, All Gas No Brakes. Its release caught the attention of CMG label founder Yo Gotti, and he made multiple attempts to sign Moneybagg. After building up a solid trust and rapport with Yo Gotti, Moneybagg ultimately decided to sign on the dotted line with his label. Yo Gotti reportedly brought forth a US$200,000 signing bonus. Both rappers are from different parts of Memphis and there is a longstanding conflict between the North and South sides of the city. Moneybagg Yo is from South Memphis, while Yo Gotti is from the North. Many affiliates of Moneybagg were divided on the decision; some claimed that it was a great move for the rapper's career while others argued it was a betrayal to his roots in South Memphis; there is longstanding conflict between those the two parts which has escalated to dire levels including the loss of life. Supporters of the decision argued it would help him reach a wider audience.
Personal life
Moneybagg Yo has four children. He is known for indulging in luxurious items and experiences, not only for himself, but also for his children, often gifting them with high-end jewelry and other expensive items. They also have a personal chef.
Moneybagg has grown into the biggest rap star to emerge from Memphis in generations, self-admittedly making $150,000 per-concert on some occasions and has been involved in several public feuds with other artists. As a result, he has to be mindful of his safety, even when he is in his hometown. Throughout his day with New York Times journalist Jon Caramanica, he was accompanied by two large security guards with military training. This is a precautionary measure to ensure his safety and security as he continues to gain fame and success in the music industry.
In February 2022, it was reported that Moneybagg Yo was allegedly relocating outside of his hometown of Memphis. The news came after the death of his friend Nuskie. The passing of Nuskie is thought to have had a significant impact on Moneybagg Yo, leading him to make the decision to relocate. In a 2022 interview with the New York Times, he confirmed that he had relocated to Atlanta, GA to maintain a sense of peace and focus on the family he has with the mother of his children.
Even though Moneybagg now primarily lives in Atlanta, he has stayed connected to his roots in South Memphis and has been actively investing in local businesses such as an alkaline water called Vior. He has also bought a large plot of land in the area in which he plans to name after his late friend, Nuskie, and develop into a community center, dirt bike paths, and paintball course. "This for my neighborhood," he said.
Relationships
In 2019, rumors circulated that Megan Thee Stallion and Moneybagg Yo were dating after collaborating on music. In a January 2020 interview, Moneybagg Yo confirmed that the two had a relationship but that they eventually broke up. However, fans speculated that Megan Thee Stallion had dissed Moneybagg Yo in her 2020 single "B.I.T.C.H.", with lyrics that seemed to reference cheating rumors. After his short dating experience with Megan Thee Stallion, it was evident that he'd been back in union with Alexisua Richardson, who is known as "The Real Poison Ivy" and the mother of his children.
The year 2023 led to another reuniting and breakup between Moneybagg Yo and Juicy, and again during June 2023, Moneybagg Yo released a single about Poison Ivy titled "F My BM." Despite this, the two have partnered on a restaurant together in April 2023.
Moneybagg Yo has been in an on and off relationship with influencer Ari Fletcher since 2019.
Religion
In 2018, Moneybagg Yo converted to Islam, taking his Shahada from rapper Kevin Gates. He prays five times a day and fasts during Ramadan.
Discography
Studio albums
- Reset (2018)
- 43va Heartless (2019)
- Time Served (2020)
- A Gangsta's Pain (2021)
- Speak Now (2024)
