Marvin Bernard better known as Tony Yayo, who was born on March 31, 1978, is an American rapper recognized for his association with the hip hop collective G-Unit.
He launched his first album in 2005 and recently returned to the music scene with The Loyal Mixtape in 2023. His stage name is influenced by the film Scarface.
FACTS ABOUT TONY YAYO
- FULL NAME: Marvin Bernard
- 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, born on March 31, 1978, in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, is the son of Haitian immigrants.
He dropped out of school at the age of fifteen to sell drugs to support his family, and his parents separated a year later.
During his childhood, he developed strong friendships with Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent.
CAREER
After serving time for drug-related offenses, Bernard, known as Tony Yayo, teamed up with 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks to form G-Unit.
Despite facing various challenges, the group released a series of successful mixtapes and albums, establishing themselves in the rap industry.
However, due to internal disputes, G-Unit disbanded in 2014, only to briefly reunite before splitting again in 2022.
Tony Yayo’s rap career hit a snag when he was sentenced to jail from early 2003 to mid-2004.
While he was incarcerated, his G-Unit friends and Eminem initiated a “Free Yayo” campaign, which garnered significant attention, even at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
Upon his release, Tony Yayo regained momentum by appearing on mixtapes and contributing to Lloyd Banks’ successful album “The Hunger for More.”
His solo debut, “Thoughts of a Predicate Felon,” released in 2005, reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2007, Tony Yayo began working on his second studio album. However, in 2009, he and Lloyd Banks parted ways with Interscope due to disagreements with 50 Cent and the label’s co-founder, Jimmy Iovine.
Yayo released singles such as “Pass the Patron” in 2010 and “Haters” in 2011, featuring 50 Cent, Shawty Lo, and Roscoe Dash.
After a twelve-year hiatus, Yayo launched his second album, “The Loyal,” on February 10, 2023, available on Apple Music and later on other platforms on Valentine’s Day.
He also dropped a mixtape titled “134 Tape” in July.
PERSONAL LIFE
Tony Yayo has two children, a son and a daughter, but he is not married. A
lthough he was in a relationship with Karrine Steffans in 2001, he has kept his romantic life private in recent years, and not much is known about his current relationship status.