Tony Yayo, whose real name is Marvin Bernard, is an acclaimed American rapper popular for his association with the prominent hip hop collective G-Unit.
In 2005, he unveiled his first-ever album and has since made a triumphant return with The Loyal Mixtape in 2023.
His chosen moniker, Tony Yayo, draws inspiration from the iconic film Scarface.
REAL FACTS ABOUT TONY YAYO
FULL NAME: Marvin Bernard
BETTER KNOWN AS:Tony Yayo
DATE OF BIRTH: March 31, 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH: Queens, New York City, U.S
NATIONALITY: American
OCCUPATIONs: Rapper, Songwriter
LABELs: Interscope, G-Unit
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Marvin Bernard, who was born on March 31, 1978, in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, came from parents who had immigrated from Haiti.
At the age of fifteen, he dropped out of school in order to sell drugs and support his family, and his parents separated a year later.
During his upbringing, he developed long-lasting friendships with Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent.
CAREER
After serving time in prison for drug-related charges, Bernard, adopting the name Tony Yayo, joined forces with 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks to form the group G-Unit.
Despite facing difficulties, the group released successful mixtapes and albums, solidifying their position in the rap industry.
However, due to internal dispute, G-Unit disbanded in 2014 but briefly reunited before disbanding again in 2022.
Tony Yayo experienced a setback in his rap career when he was sentenced to jail from early 2003 to mid-2004.
While incarcerated, his friends in G-Unit and Eminem launched a campaign called “Free Yayo,” which gained attention even at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
Upon his release, Tony Yayo regained momentum by appearing on mixtapes and being featured on Lloyd Banks’ popular album “The Hunger for More.”
His solo debut album, “Thoughts of a Predicate Felon,” released in 2005, reached the second position on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2007, Tony Yayo began working on his second official album.
However, in 2009, both Yayo and Lloyd Banks decided to part ways with Interscope Records due to dispute with their fellow rapper 50 Cent and the label’s co-founder, Jimmy Iovine.
Despite this setback, Yayo continued to release singles such as “Pass the Patron” in 2010 and “Haters” in 2011, featuring collaborations with 50 Cent, Shawty Lo, and Roscoe Dash.
After a hiatus of twelve years, Yayo finally released his second studio album, titled “The Loyal,” on February 10, 2023.
Initially, it was exclusively available on Apple Music, but it became available on other platforms on Valentine’s Day.
Additionally, Yayo also dropped a mixtape called the “134 Tape” in July.
PERSONAL LIFE
When it comes to his personal life, Tony Yayo is a father to a son and a daughter, but he is not married.
While he was in a relationship with Karrine Steffans in 2001, Yayo has chosen to keep his love life private in recent years, and there is limited information available regarding his current romantic status.
