The three artists who inspired YNW Melly: “I just knew I was going to be a star”
YNW Melly has experienced a successful music career at a young age, disrupted by constant legal troubles. He’s been arrested multiple times over the years for aggravated assault, violating probation, marijuana possession, and, most recently, the murder of his friends, YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy, for which he’s facing a potential life sentence or death penalty.
The 26-year-old Florida rapper started making music in his teens and experienced success with his hit 2017 single, ‘Murder on My Mind’, which is six-times platinum and reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. He released his debut mixtape, I Am You, the following year.
Rap music may appear to come naturally to Melly, but that wasn’t always the goal for him. He initially wanted to sing and taught himself by listening to Michael Jackson and Chris Brown, who are also notorious for their dancing skills. He felt that he was always going to have a successful career outside of 9-to-5s, which was partly why he misbehaved in school.
“Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne,” he told Billboard of his inspirations. “That was when I was growing up as a kid. I was the smallest in the family, but always in trouble. I was so bad to the point it was funny. I basically had a cheat code, at five years old I made a picture just like the I Am You cover as a baby. The whole background was painted and shit.
“I just knew I was going to be a star, so I’m just gonna be bad. I didn’t even want to be a rapper, I wanted to sing. I couldn’t sing at first, it took me a year to learn. I taught myself by listening to Chris Brown and Michael Jackson.”
Melly admitted he was a loner in school and spent his break times working on his vocals. “In school, I’d never play with anybody,” he said. “I’d walk around the edges of the gate singing. I had my first girlfriend then. I was weird, I used to like the ghetto girls with the greasy edges. It was something about those things. I liked when their hair smelled like grease.”
For someone who never wanted to be a rapper, he sure proved to be a success in hip-hop. He’s collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the US, including Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Kodak Black, Lil Baby, Future, Lil Durk, and Kevin Gates. In 2019, he also collaborated with Kanye West on the song ‘Mixed Personalities’.
Ye heard the track ‘Blue Balenciagas’ and asked his A&R to fly Melly out to Paris. He didn’t believe it was a real opportunity and shut him down, until his manager found out it was legit. Kanye ended up giving Melly a verse and helped out with the beat.
It remains to be seen whether that will be one of the last memories he has of freedom. He pleaded not guilty to premeditated first-degree murder, with the retrial set to begin in January 2027 to decide his fate.