Tony Yayo

Tony Yayo Almost Collaborated With Nicki Minaj

24 Sep 2010 21:57:25 EDT

'I was trying to do a record with her,' G-Unit MC tells 'RapFix Live' of hearing Minaj early in her career.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Queens MC Tony Yayo may have an eye for spotting hometown talent. Before Nicki Minaj joined the ranks of Young Money and was still making a name for herself on the underground circuit, Yayo heard some of the fledgling femcee's bars and was impressed enough to jump on a track with her. The G-Unit soldier broke down their near-collaboration during his "RapFix Live" interview Thursday.

"She was out there and she was messing with this guy named Fendi. I was trying to do a record with her, but Fendi was like, 'For what? Why you wanna do something with her?' Then I left it alone. This was a long, long time ago when I was seeing her on the 'Come Up' DVDs, 'cause that's how she started," Yayo explained.

Even if he didn't get on a record with Minaj, Yayo felt that someone needed to scoop up the promising lyricist to serve as the flagship diva of a hip-hop crew.

"You know what's crazy? Like, three years ago, I said to [music executive and G-Unit producer] Sha Money [XL] ... 'You need a hot female artist, rapper. I'm telling you, that lane is open,' " Yayo recalled.

Even though Sha shot him a look of disbelief, Yayo pressed on. " 'I'm telling you, Sha, that female lane, that rapper lane is wide open.' What she did was capture it at the right time, 'cause nobody's out. There's no Lil' Kim out, there's no Foxy ... she just conquered that lane at the right time with the right people."

For Minaj's part, the Young Money queen has seemed open to hooking up with G-Unit in the studio. When MTV News caught up with the "Your Love" spitter over the summer and posed the question of a possible collabo with fellow Queens-bred lyricist 50 Cent, she said the opportunity never came up.

"Our paths never crossed, and it's weird," Minaj said on MTV2's "Sucker Free Countdown." Although she didn't mention chopping it up with Yayo, she has made the acquaintance of one of his fellow Unit brethren. "I did meet [Lloyd] Banks, like, once or twice before."

What do you think a Nicki Minaj/ Tony Yayo song would sound like? Let us know in the comments!

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Tony Yayo Says 50 Cent's Beef With Fat Joe Is 'My Problem' Too

23 Sep 2010 21:08:30 EDT

'If you really dislike 50, then you really dislike Yayo,' he says on 'RapFix Live.'
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Tony Yayo wants to make it clear how the beef between 50 Cent and Fat Joe spills over to the rest of the G-Unit crew: "I didn't have a problem with Fat Joe; 50 did," Yayo explained Thursday (September 23) on "RapFix Live." "So now it's my problem."

Fat Joe and 50 Cent have been trading barbs in rhyme and during interviews for years now. When the Terror Squad lyricist appeared on "RapFix Live" last month, he said there's little chance the dispute with Fif could end peacefully. "The day 50 Cent want to lock up with me in a bathroom and do this like men, we can hug each other and keep it moving the day after that," Joe said, referring to a one-on-one fight.

Yayo, however, dismissed Joe's notion. The G-Unit soldier said the idea of a straight-up battle is unheard of in his Queens, New York, neighborhood and said he'd jump into a fight with 50 against Fat Joe.

"Where I'm from, there's no such thing as a fair one," he explained. "If that man is fighting, you fighting too. That's just how it is. Like [Joe] said, he don't know where [the beef] started from. Whatever beef 50 got with him, that's his issue. But 50 is my homie, and it is what it is."

When asked if the issue between 50 and Joe could exist solely between the two men, Yayo didn't think so. "If you really dislike 50, then you really dislike Yayo," he said. " 'Cause anybody that doesn't like 50 isn't gonna like Yayo. There goes the answer right there. If I see you, you see me, something might potentially happen."

What do you think about the ongoing beef between 50 Cent and Fat Joe? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Tony Yayo To Appear On 'RapFix Live'

22 Sep 2010 17:44:43 EDT

G-Unit MC will talk about his recent moves in music and more.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

When you put the hottest lyricists in the game on a couch across from MTV News' Sway and get them to answer questions dreamed up by fans at home, anything can happen.

On "RapFix Live," lyricists MCs announced record deals, busted out freestyles with Travis Barker and opened up about Twitter drama. So, a live, unedited fan-driven webcast with one of the pillars of the rowdy Gorilla Unit is sure to deliver a few "did that just really happen?" moments.

Queens spitter Tony Yayo will drop by 1515 for this week's show, which kicks off Thursday at a spankin' new time, 4 p.m. ET. We're cooking up some questions but we have no idea what nuggets of knowledge Yayo will drop. Will he unveil Lil B as the newest addition to the Unit? Will he reveal the best way to subdue an over-amped fan mid-bumrush? Will he disclose how Oprah the Dog came into her own Twitter account?

It's up to the real Yayo fans to get online and decide what the lyricist will address, so tweet your questions to @mtvnews and @mtvrapfix, and find out the answers during the live stream. The last time MTV News caught up with Yayo, he revealed that he keeps an eclectic playlist on hand, bumping everything from J. Cole to Lady Gaga. The lyricist also opened up about collaborating with breakout Pack star Lil B on Yayo's forthcoming mixtape.

"Lil B, I told you I'm feeling," he told us. "I wanna start something new and get some artists under the wing. Lil B, Danny Brown is on the mixtape coming soon. [G-Unit member] New Money Trav. Trav knows Lil B. He has connections with Too Short. I got connections with E-40. They all end up coming to the show in the Bay. That's how 50 [Cent] wound up doing the remix to [E-40's] 'N---a Don't Act Like a Bitch.' They all ended up backstage. We had E-40 back there, Too Short, Lil Uno from the Pack. It was so many people back there. I linked up with Lil B. His music is good. He's a real humble dude. That cooking dance is hot."

What do you want Tony Yayo to talk about during his "RapFix" interview? Tweet us at @mtvnews and @mtvrapfix with the hashtag #rapfixlive. You can also upload video questions for him at Your.MTV.com.

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Tony Yayo Says He 'Could See' Lil B Joining G-Unit

11 Aug 2010 06:50:56 EDT

MC tells Mixtape Daily that he's collaborating with the Pack member on a tape.
By Shaheem Reid

Celebrity Favorites: Tony Yayo

Tony Yayo said he has the most eclectic musical taste in G-Unit. He listens to J. Cole, Lady Gaga, The-Dream and the Pack's Lil B, who is on a few tracks from Yayo's new mixtape, along with protégé Danny Brown.

"Lil B, I told you I'm feeling," he said. "I wanna start something new and get some artists under the wing. Lil B, Danny Brown is on the mixtape coming soon. [G-Unit member] New Money Trav. Trav knows Lil B. He has connections with Too Short. I got connections with E-40. They all end up coming to the show in the Bay. That's how 50 [Cent] wound up doing the remix to [E-40's] 'N---a Don't Act Like a Bitch.' They all ended up backstage. We had E-40 back there, Too Short, Lil Uno from the Pack. It was so many people back there. I linked up with Lil B. His music is good. He's a real humble dude. That cooking dance is hot."

Tony said B came to the G-Unit mansion and banged out a few tracks shortly after.

"When I'm in the studio, me and D. Brown, it was cool new energy," the Southside Queens native said. "It was cool to have new energy in the studio. Like how Cam'ron vibes with Vado. I think Vado makes Cam better. You hear his sh-- sounding better because of Vado. Me working with D. Brown, I hear my sh-- sounding better and better. When you work with a guy who has punch lines, you take your time to create punch lines too. It's like a war in the studio. Lil B came to the studio, knocked out his verses easy. Came to the mansion, we balled out and just chilled, man."

When asked if he could see Lil B as part of G-Unit, Yayo didn't think it was out of the realm of possibility.

"I could see that," he said. "He's a little crazy, but I could see that. He makes good music. It's all about the good music."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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06 Aug 2010 11:45:34 EDT

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Eminem Is The 'Godfather Of The Hip-Hop Game,' G-Unit Members Say

29 Jul 2010 16:08:15 EDT

Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks attribute Eminem's chart-topping success to his fan base.
By Shaheem Reid

His reign at the top is not short like leprechauns, but long like scowling giants: Eminem is enjoying his fifth week with the top-selling album in the country. Wednesday, on the set of Lloyd Banks' "Any Girl" video, G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo said the key to Em's success is simple and obvious: He has a very loyal fanbase.

"Congratulations, man," Lloyd Banks said. "Damn! I don't even know what else to say. I know he's happy and I'm happy for him. It's big. He might do six weeks or seven weeks [at #1]. Em has a cult following and they ain't gonna turn their backs on him. He's gonna shine on the darkest day. I think he wasn't never afraid to bring people into his life, [but] at the same time you don't see Em. You don't see [him on] reality shows, you don't see him as much; you see him through his music. He brings you into his life. You know about his wife, his kids, his best friend. On that last album, he touched on a lot of those topics and other personal things he had going on, too. A lot of people can relate to it. I feel like his music is getting more and more powerful. The messages are bigger. With me touring and going all around, you actually see it. I just hope I get a record with him real soon."

"Eminem is like the godfather of the hip-hop game," Yayo said. "In a time like this, when records are not selling, he's the only one that is selling. You know, Drake and all the other ones [did well], but Em did [close to] 800,000 his first week, and he's #1 for the fifth week. It's incredible. I think he has a faithful fan base of people who have been following him for years. They're not going to stop following him and not stop listening to his music. Em said he didn't like his last album as much as this one. You can hear the difference. I like both of the albums. '3 a.m.' is one of my joints. But Eminem has followers that's gonna mess with him until the day he dies."

Are you one of Eminem's faithful? Sound off in the comments below!

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Foxy Brown, Tony Yayo Speak About Sean Bell Settlement

29 Jul 2010 15:19:26 EDT

Brown, a friend of Bell's fiancée, says she 'handled everything so gracefully.'
By Rahman Dukes

Four years after a shooting left an unarmed Sean Bell dead (on the eve of his wedding) and two of his friends wounded following a tragic incident with New York City police, the city has agreed to pay $7 million dollars to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Bell's family and his friends.

According to The New York Times, in the early hours of November 25, 2006, five New York City police officers fired 50 shots into the car Bell — who was to be married that day — was driving outside a club in Queens, New York. The car reportedly struck a detective in the leg and hit a police van before the officers began firing. None of the three men in the car — Bell and his friends Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield — were armed, although the officers apparently believed at least one was.

In what's seen as the closing chapter in one of the most controversial police shootings in New York City history — three officers were acquitted of manslaughter and reckless-endangerment charges in 2008, a ruling many activists and rappers spoke out against — the families of the victims are looking to move past the tragedy.

As part of the settlement, Bell's two young daughters (whom he had with his fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell) will receive $3.25 million; Guzman (who was shot 17 times) and Trent Benefield will receive $3 million and $900,000 respectively, according to Times.

Earlier this week, Foxy Brown — a close friend of Bell's fiancée — said Paultre Bell is a strong woman who remained in high spirits throughout the four-year ordeal.

"She just handled everything so gracefully," Brown said. "She just did everything with grace and class."

G-Unit member Tony Yayo, whose G-Unity foundation gave proceeds from a recent event to Bell's family, said the settlement is long overdue.

"I think it's a beautiful thing, but rest in peace to Sean Bell," Yayo said. "I mean, you have times now when a police officer can shoot you in your back, handcuffed on the floor, in a train station in front of everybody and get two years," Yayo said, referring to the Oscar Grant shooting in Oakland, California, in which found a transit officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter last month. "So Sean Bell's people deserve that money, definitely, and blessings to them."

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Tony Yayo Explains 50 Cent Onstage 'Attack' In Brazil

13 Jul 2010 17:28:19 EDT

G-Unit member says incident has been exaggerated -- a fan simply 'got a little carried away.'
By Shaheem Reid

One overzealous fan doesn't stop a show, Tony Yayo says. Earlier this week, footage of 50 Cent and G-Unit performing in Salvador, Brazil, hit the Internet. In the middle of "Ayo Technology," a fan jumps onstage and tries to grab the G-Unit general. 50's security and Lloyd Banks promptly subdue the fan — and the song never stops. On Tuesday (July 13), Yayo gave his take on the situation.

"The show got crazy, man," Yayo, who is still in Brazil with his crew, told MTV News via phone. "For security reasons, when somebody jumps onstage ... when [performers] got on chains for $20,000, $30,000, $40,000, that's a security risk right here. Nobody should be onstage except me, Banks and 50. It was just a fan — he got a little carried away, a little happy. People make it seem like he got beat down real, real bad. He didn't get beat down bad — he just got tackled, taken off the stage and the show [went] on."

Yayo said that whenever the Unit go to foreign territories, fandemonium ensues.

"We been getting crazy love," Tony added about the group's time in Brazil. "That's why I don't want people in Brazil to think we out here beating down our fans. When somebody is on the stage, you want to keep the show going. We never stop the show. When you onstage and you got a crowd of 10,000 Brazilian people, you don't want to stop it because a guy is jumping onstage. Just like Africa or other places you go, people get excited — we're like UFOs to the people. They don't see rappers come to Brazil and come to these other places. Sometimes fans get a little excited — that's what that was about. The guy wasn't beat up bad or nothing."

The incident was hardly the first time a fan has crashed a G-Unit performance. Back in 2008, a fan in Angola jumped onstage and endeavored to make off with 50's Cent chain. Fif and company promptly jumped in the audience and recovered the merchandise. The man was later arrested after being turned in to police by his own parents.

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Tony Yayo Urges Fans: 'Don't Forget' About Haiti

13 Jul 2010 15:53:32 EDT

'Keep donating,' says the G-Unit rapper, who is of Haitian descent.
By Shaheem Reid

While reflecting on the tragic earthquake and aftershock in Haiti just a half a year later, Tony Yayo said he has a message for everyone:

"I want to tell people it's only been six months," he told MTV News on Tuesday (July 13). "Don't forget what happened. And all the people that donated [before], keep donating and do what you got to do."

Yayo — who is of Haitian descent — suffered the loss of a relative and some friends in the disaster but said he and his family are just like the rest of the people in Haiti: recovering.

"My family is good. We lost one cousin. That was tragic. But everybody is kinda taking it in stride," Yayo said via phone from Brazil, where he's on tour with 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and DJ Whoo Kid.

"I was watching CNN the other day, and one of the things I saw was all the Haitians happy about the World Cup," Tony continued. "That was amazing that a soccer game could uplift, that people that were in a tragic situation could be happy over a soccer game."

Yayo acknowledges the recovery efforts going on in Haiti but feels more can be done — by himself and others.

"It's crazy, man, because they said there are [hundreds of millions of dollars]. I'm not sure of the number, but they say they can't touch some of the money yet," Yayo said. "I don't understand that, but it's crazy the relief efforts generated that much money.

"Last time, we did Funkmaster Flex's car show and Wyclef came onstage with me, 50 and Banks," he added. "I'm sure you've seen that. The mission now is for [the G-Unit] to get to Haiti. That's our thing, is to get down there, but we want to send clothes and more stuff down there."

Wyclef Jean blogged about continued earthquake-relief efforts for CNN on Tuesday, asking that progress be expedited because it's "being made at the speed of a turtle."

What more can be done to help Haiti? Share your ideas in the comments.

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50 Cent And Tony Yayo Talk Invitation Tour Kickoff

28 May 2010 16:48:15 EDT

'I have to keep changing the set so that it's not the same show every night,' Fif says of concert video leaking online.
By Shaheem Reid

50 Cent comes home Friday night (May 28) when he starts his first tour in more than three years on U.S. soil.

G-Unit member Tony Yayo said there's no way he's missing the trek. "I'mma go out. I gotta go pick up some money with Fif," Yayo told MTV News last week about the Invitation Tour. "It's too easy with this guy. Stop playing with me, Fif. I'mma go out on the U.S. run. I think [Lloyd] Banks is going out. We just doing new things. 50 is so much into the movies; he started paying attention to the music again. He's so much into the movies, he's trying to be the next Will Smith.

"It's no place like home," Yayo added about performing in America. "It's no place like traveling in the U.S. Overseas is a whole different experience. The U.S. run is going to be great. Our first date is Cleveland. We're going to Vegas, everywhere."

On Friday, 50 told Cleveland.com that he'll be refining his stage show throughout the trek.

"This tour was designed for me to come back and massage my new ideas on the public," 50 said. "Because of the technology, there's no real mystique to your actual performance anymore. After the first show, that's gonna be on YouTube. So I have to keep changing the set so that it's not the same show every night. Some of the same staging and production value, but I have to keep changing it. That means more rehearsals in the process, but you offer more than one show. I got so much material, I could actually perform for three hours straight, so it's easier for me to make the decision to change music than a newer artist that doesn't have that kind of catalog, where they can keep switching songs to play music that people are going to enjoy."

Expect a live band to be backing the Unit.

"I love it," Yayo said of the instrumentation. "It's nothing like a live band. Shout-out to my live band in L.A. Instruments, the live band, the guitar, the drums. You feel it, the crowd feels it. What I bring to the table is the energy. Banks is lyrical. 50 has the brains, the smarts. I bring the energy. So when I hear the drums, the bass line, the guitars, the energy level is raised up, versus just having the DJ scratching in the back."

Are you planning to check out the G-Unit on tour? What do you expect from their show? Let us know in the comments!

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