What is DJ Yella's Net Worth?
DJ Yella is a former DJ, rapper, record producer, and pornographic filmmaker, best known as the longest-lasting member of the pioneering hip hop group N.W.A. He also released a solo album entitled "One Mo Nigga ta Go," which came out in 1996. After that, DJ Yella left the music industry and began directing and producing pornographic films.
Early Life
DJ Yella, whose real name is Antoine Carraby, was born on December 11, 1961 in Compton, California as the eighth of nine children. He grew up poor, and his parents divorced when he was four years old. Passionate about music from an early age, he learned how to play the drums. As a teenager, he DJ'd under the name Yella at clubs throughout Los Angeles, including the club Eve After Dark.
(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MTV)
Career Beginnings
At the club Eve After Dark, Yella met fellow DJ Dr. J, who would later become Dr. Dre. The pair went on to record several demos in a back room of the club. Yella and Dre subsequently formed the electro group World Class Wreckin' Cru, which released its first studio album, "World Class," in 1985. The album included the singles "Surgery" and "Juice," which were hits in the underground West Coast scene. World Class Wreckin' Cru released its second and final album, "Rapped in Romance," in 1986.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
N.W.A
In 1987, Yella joined the newly formed hip hop group N.W.A, whose original lineup consisted of Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Arabian Prince. MC Ren also joined the group. The group had immediate success with its debut studio album, "Straight Outta Compton," which came out in 1988 and earned the first Platinum certification of any gangsta rap album. N.W.A went on to release the EP "100 Miles and Runnin'" in the summer of 1990; it went Gold later in the year. The group released one more studio album, 1991's "Niggaz4Life," before disbanding. Another hit, it became the first hardcore rap album to peak at number one on the Billboard 200. Following severe tensions between the members of N.W.A and the 1995 death of the group's founder, Eazy-E, the group made several attempts to reform but was mostly unsuccessful.
Record Producing
In addition to producing N.W.A's albums, Yella produced a number of albums by other artists, often with co-producer Dr. Dre. He helped produce Eazy-E's debut solo album "Eazy-Duz-It" in 1988, and co-produced J.J. Fad's debut studio album "Super Sonic" the same year. In 1989, Yella co-produced Michel'le's self-titled debut album, and in 1990 reunited with J.J. Fad for his second album, "Not Just a Fad." He went on to co-produce Yomo & Maulkie's only studio album, "Are U Xperienced?," and two tracks from Eazy-E's 1993 EP "It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa." Yella subsequently produced the hit single "Foe tha Love of $" from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's EP "Creepin on ah Come Up." His other producing credits include Menajahtwa's debut album "Cha-licious" and some tracks from H.W.A.'s EP "Az Much Ass Azz U Want."
Solo Career
In 1996, Yella released his debut solo album, "One Mo Nigga ta Go." Dedicated to the late Eazy-E, who had passed away the previous year from AIDS complications, the album yielded the singles "4 tha E," "Dat's How I'm Livin'," and "Send 4 Me." After the release of the album, Yella left the music industry to direct and produce pornographic films, which he did for more than a decade.
Media Portrayals
Yella has been portrayed in some films. Most notably, he was played by Neil Brown Jr. in the 2015 N.W.A biopic "Straight Outta Compton," directed by F. Gary Gray. In the film, he is portrayed as being woman-crazy, but also less aggressive than the other members of the group. Yella was subsequently portrayed by Deric Augustine in the 2016 Lifetime television film "Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le," based on the story of R&B singer Michel'le.
Autobiography
Yella penned an autobiography entitled "Straight Outta Compton: My Untold Story." This made him the first member of N.W.A to release an autobiography.
