YNW Melly

Jamell Maurice Demons(born May 1, 1999), known professionally asYNW Melly(initialism forYoung Nigga World Melly),is an American rapper and singer. He rose to fame in 2018 following the release of his single "Murder on My Mind", atrapsong that exploreshomicidal ideation. As his mainstream breakthrough, its release garnered him further attention after he was charged with the double-murder of two fellow rappers in the "YNW" collective the following year, resulting in an ongoing legal battle and incarceration. Prior, "Murder on My Mind" peaked at number 14 on theBillboardHot 100and led him to sign with300 Entertainmentto issue the song as a single for his debut commercial mixtapeI Am You(2018), which was met with positive critical reception along with its follow-up,We All Shine(2019).
Both mixtapes entered theBillboard200chart and receivedgoldcertifications by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA);We All Shinecontained thedouble platinum-certified song "Mixed Personalities" (featuringKanye West), and his incarceration began shortly after its release. His first two studio albums,Melly vs. Melvin(2019)Just a Matter of Slime(2021), both maintained his commercial success despite mixed critical response. The former was supported by twoBillboardHot 100-top 40 singles—"223's" (featuring9lokkNine) and "Suicidal" (remixed featuringJuice Wrld)—and peaked at number eight on theBillboard200, while the latter peaked at number 11. His third studio album,Young New Wave(2024) was generally panned by critics, and failed to chart.
In February 2019, he was arrested and charged with two counts ofpremeditatedmurder for which he faceslifewithout the possibility ofparoleor thedeath penaltyif convicted.He is also a suspect in the 2017 murder of a sheriff's deputy in Gifford.In March 2019, Demons pleaded not guilty to the double-murder charges. His first trial ended in ahung jury,and as of January 2024, his retrial is paused and awaiting adjudication for the inclusion ofdigital evidence.  As of July 2024, his trial has been pushed back until September 2025.
Jamell Demons was born on May 1, 1999, and grew up inGifford, Florida.He was raised by his single mother, Jamie Demons-King,and does not know who his father is.  Another rapper, Donte "Tha Gift" Taylor, claims to be YNW Melly's father.His mother was 14 years old when she became pregnant with him, giving birth to him in ninth grade. Later moving to a poorer part of Gifford, she struggled to pay for housing and basic necessities.
Demons joined theBloodsgang at a young age.He started posting his songs onSoundCloudwhen he was 15. In late 2015, Demons was arrested for shooting at 3 students nearVero Beach High School. He was subsequently convicted of aggravated battery, discharging a firearm in public, and two counts of aggravated assault, for which he served a year in juvenile detention.
Demons' younger brother,YNW BSlime(b. 2007), is also a rapper.
Demons adopted the stage name "YNW Melly" in 2016. YNW (aninitialismof "Young Nigga World" or "Young New Wave") is ahip-hop collectivethat included Demons, Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams, Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr., and Cortlen "YNW Bortlen" Henry.
In late 2017, while still incarcerated, Demons released his first project, anEPcalledCollect Call, which contained features from numerous well-known artists, includingLil Band John Wicks. In 2018, he released the singles "Virtual (Blue Balenciagas)", "Melly the Menace", and "Slang That Iron". Other singles include "4 Real", "Butter Pecan", and "Medium Fries".The respective music videos have amassed 26 million, 16 million and 11 million views onYouTube, as of January 2019.
During 2018 he met and bonded with the Chicago rapperKing Von, with whom he shared the same music manager, Jameson “100K” Francois.
In August 2018, Demons released his debut mixtapeI Am You,which later appeared on theBillboard200at number 192 on January 10, 2019.
On January 18, 2019, while incarcerated, Demons releasedWe All Shine, his second commercial mixtape, consisting of 16 tracks.The project featured collaborations withKanye Westand Fredo Bang.A music video directed byCole BennettwithLyrical Lemonadefor "Mixed Personalities" featuring West was released with the album.
As of March 2019, Demons had amassed over 200 million streams onSpotifywith over 10 million monthly listeners. His most-streamed song was "Murder on My Mind", which was originally released as a single before being added toI Am You.
On November 22, 2019, Demons released his debut studio album,Melly vs. Melvin.It peaked at number eight on theBillboard200, making it his highest-charting album. The album included the singles "223's", which peaked at number 34 on theBillboardHot 100.
On November 29, 2019, Demons was featured on "Rollin" single by his friend, etiquette colleague and Chicago artistKing Vonthis is specifically the second single forLevon Jamesmixtape, this song was also accompanied by a music video filmed by DrewFilmedIt.
On March 13, 2020, Demons released a remix of his track "Suicidal",making it the second single fromMelly vs. Melvin. The remix included a feature from late American rapper and singerJuice Wrld, making it his third official posthumous feature. The song has peaked at number 20 on the Hot 100, becoming Demons' second top 20 entry.
After a year of not releasing music and still fighting his pending murder case, on March 5, 2021, Demons recruited fellow Florida artistKodak Blackfor the release of "Thugged Out".This was followed up with other notable singles such as "Pieces"featuringQueen Naijaand "Bestfriend 4L"featuringLil Tjay. The singles leading up to Demons' sophomore studio album,Just a Matter of Slime,likeMelly vs. Melvinwere released while incarcerated and were put together with pre-recorded vocals prior to his incarceration.
YNW Melly has been noted for his melodic vocals and his "mix of bright harmonies slathered in grit and soulful love-sick ballads".
Demons was arrested on October 19, 2015, on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of discharging a firearm in public, after firing shots at three people nearVero Beach High School.Demons spent a year in jail before being released on probation.
In 2017, Demons was arrested for violating probation and spent several months in jail before being released in March 2018.
Demons was arrested on June 30, 2018, inFort Myers, Floridafor possession ofmarijuana, possession of weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, anddrug paraphernalia.
Demons was again arrested on January 3, 2019, in Fort Myers for possession of marijuana.
On February 13, 2019, Demons was charged with two counts ofpremeditatedmurder in connection with the October 2018 shooting deaths inFort Lauderdale, Floridaof two YNW associates described as his close friends, rappers YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy.Authorities purport that Demons conspired with fellow YNW rapper Cortlen Malik Henry (YNW Bortlen) to stage the double-murder of Anthony D'Andre Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy) and make it appear as if they were fatally injured in adrive-by shooting. Demons turned himself in on February 13, 2019.He announced on hisInstagram:
On February 22, 2019,Complexreported that Demons and Henry were suspects in the fatal 2017 shooting of off-dutyIndian River CountySheriff's Department deputy Garry Chambliss in Gifford.
On November 30, 2021, Demons' double murder trial was set for March 7, 2022.The trial was later delayed and reset for May 23, 2022. Delayed again, the trial was pushed back until June 6, 2022.
After the trial did not proceed, Demons' defense team decided to submit aspeedy trialrequest on May 26, 2022. The trial would have to commence in the next 175 days.
On July 6, 2022, a decision was announced that Demons would no longer facecapital punishmentif convicted.However, on November 9, 2022, the decision was overruled by anappellate judge, once again making Demons eligible for capital punishment if sentenced.Following the eligibility, Demons' team attempted to get this thrown out with an appeal to theSupreme Court of Florida; however, this attempt was unsuccessful.
Jury selectionfor Demons' double murder case had begun on April 11, 2023.Melly's trial began on June 12, 2023.
According to the prosecutors, forensic and video evidence point to Demons as the killer. Surveillance footage showed him taking the seat inside the car from which experts determined the shots were fired. Demons alleged the victims died as a result of a drive-by, even though prosecution evidence showed the fatal shots that killed the pair had come from inside the car. Demons and Henry were accused of parking, exiting the car, then staging the killings by shooting back into the vehicle, after which Henry solely drove the victims to Memorial Hospital in Miramar, where they were pronounced deceased.The jury deliberated for fourteen hours over three days but were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, even after the judge gave them anAllen charge, a direction that urged them to try to come to unanimous conclusion. A mistrial was declared July 22, 2023 as the jury could not come to a unanimous decision.Demons remains in custody awaiting his retrial.On September 22, 2023 Broward Circuit Judge John Murphy declined to grant the rapper bond as he awaits his a new trial set for October 2, 2023.
In January 2024 the trial was put on hold indefinitely after a judge's ruling to suppress a promotional video about Melly's life from evidence prompted prosecutors to file an appeal.
On April 2, 2020, Demons (via management) told fans onTwitterthat he tested positive forCOVID-19.He was in the process of trying to get an early release from prison due to health concerns, as6ix9inewas released from prison due toasthmaandbronchitis.On April 14, his motion was denied.
Demons claims to suffer fromsplit personality disorder, in which he has a second personality called Melvin.Demons claims Melvin is the violent side of his personality and Melly is the happy and loving side.