DJ Yella

DJ Yella

DJ Yella in 2015
Background information
Birth name Antoine Carraby
Also known as Yella
Born (1961-12-11) December 11, 1961
Compton, California, U.S.
Origin Compton, California, U.S.
Genres Hip Hop
Occupation(s) DJ, record producer, film director
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, drums, turntables
Years active 1981–present
Labels Ruthless Records
Associated acts World Class Wreckin' Cru
N.W.A
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
The D.O.C.
J.J. Fad
Michel'le
Kokane
Arabian Prince

Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1961), better known by his stage name DJ Yella, is an American DJ, record producer and film director from Compton, California. He was a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru along with Dr. Dre.[1] He later became a founding member of the pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A (composed of DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Arabian Prince, and Eazy-E).[2][3][4]

Career

Along with Dre, Yella produced Eazy-E's debut album Eazy-Duz-It and all three N.W.A albums including one by rapper Dizzee Dac, translating into millions of sales. He co-produced along with Arabian Prince the platinum-selling debut albums of J.J. Fad and Michel'le with Dre and contributed to The D.O.C.'s 1989 album No One Can Do It Better (also produced by Dre). Jerry Heller witnessed Dre and Yella's work together and wrote in 2006 of an almost eerie understanding between the pair, as they crafted high quality beats and productions with almost no words or full sentences needing to be spoken.

Yella remained close to Eazy and stayed on production duties at Ruthless Records after the acrimonious breakup of N.W.A. He produced J.J. Fad's second album Not Just a Fad (1990), Yomo & Maulkie's album Are U Xperienced? (1991), two tracks from Eazy-E's It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa (1993), the gold-selling hit single Foe tha Love of $ from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Creepin on ah Come Up E.P., Menajahtwa's album Cha-licious, and tracks from H.W.A.'s Az Much Ass Azz U Want E.P. (all three from 1994), and oversaw Eazy's final album in 1995 after his sudden AIDS-related death. Yella released his 1996 debut solo album One Mo Nigga ta Go on Street Life Records, featuring members of the Ruthless 'family tree' like Kokane, B.G. Knocc Out, & Dresta, rhyming over his productions.

After this record he retired from music to embark on a 12-year career directing and producing porn films. Yella says he produced more than 300 porn films.[5]

In November 2011 Yella began working on a new album, entitled West Coastin', which was released in the summer of 2012.[6]

Yella was played by Neil Brown, Jr. in the 2015 N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton.[7] 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.

Discography

Album information
One Mo Nigga ta Go
  • Released: March 26, 1996
  • Chart positions: #82 US, #23 Top R&B/Hip Hop

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 (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa 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"
1995 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

References

  1. ↑ Coe, Kairi. "Exclusive! DJ Yella Speaks on World Class Wreckin' Cru Days w/ Dr. Dre". Vladtv.com. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  2. ↑ "Bustle k". Bustle. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  3. ↑ "The 50 Most Influential DJs | Music". BET. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  4. ↑ "DJ Yella: 'Cops Got to Be Held Accountable'". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  5. ↑ Yamato, Jen. "The N.W.A Member Turned Pornographer". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  6. ↑ "DJ Yella of NWA is BACK ! ! ! | RuthlessFamily.com". Ruthlessfamily.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  7. ↑ "Straight Outta Compton’s Neil Brown Jr. on Oscars Controversy". 25 January 2016.
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