Jamell Maurice Demons, known by his stage name, YNW Melly, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. On the verge of a major breakthrough with such hit singles as “Murder on My Mind“, “Mixed Personalities“, and “Suicidal“, his career bombed before it ever took off when he was charged with double-murder.
From an up-and-coming rapper to an incarcerated felon, we look at the rise and fall of YNW Melly and his estimated net worth.
What is YNW Melly’s Net Worth?
Based on varying reports by multiple sources, rapper YNW Melly is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $2 million.
He started making music and uploading his work to SoundCloud when he was 15. In 2016, he adopted the stage name, YNW Melly.
Depending on the source, YNW stands for either “Young N***a World” or “Young New Wave”, and is a hip-hop collective, which, besides Melly, comprised of rappers Anthony Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr., “YNW Sakchaser” Williams, and Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry.
While still serving time in 2017, Melly dropped his debut EP, Collect Call. In August 2018, he debuted his mixtape, I Am You.
The single, “Murder on My Mind”, which was later released as part of the mixtape, became his biggest hit, especially after his double-murder incarceration.
On January 17, 2019, while serving another prison sentence, he released his second mixtape, We All Shine, featuring artists like Kanye West and Fredo Bang.
His debut studio album. Melly vs. Melvin was released on November 22, 2019, and peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The singles “223’s“; and a remixed version of “Suicidal“, featuring Juice Wrld were included in the album.
YNW Melly: Childhood and Early Run-In with The Law
Jamell Maurice Demons, the man behind the rap persona YNW Melly, was born on May 1, 1999, in Gifford, Florida.
He was born to a teenage single mother, Donte Taylor, who was 14 when she gave birth to Jamell; his father, Jamie Demons, was but a figment of his past.
Due to the financial hardships of his childhood and the lack of a father figure, Jamell joined the Bloods gang while still young.
His earliest conviction came when he opened fire near the Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Florida, and was put behind bars for many months under several felony charges.
2019 Double-Murder Charges
Throughout his adulthood, YNW Melly has had many brushes with law enforcement. He was arrested on June 30, 2018, in Fort Myers, Florida, for possession of drugs and weapons/ammunition.
On January 3, 2019, he was again arrested for possession of marijuana.
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Source: Miami Herald
His most egregious offense came on February 12, 2019, when he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder connected to the murders of two of his close friends and YNW business associates, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr.
According to reports, Melly and fellow rapper, Corten Henry, conspired to make the killings look like a drive-by shooting with Henry even manning the vehicle that transported the wounded bodies of the victims to the hospital where they succumbed to their wounds.
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Melly turned himself in, to the authorities on February 13, 2019, and made the announcement via his Instagram, saying:
″No I did not get locked up in Washington , but I am turning myself in today… a couple months ago I lost my two brothers by violence and now the system want to find justice.. unfortunately a lot of rumors and lies are being said but no worries god is with me and my brother @ynw.bortlen and we want y’all to remember it’s a ynw Family I love you″
Melly and Henry are also suspects in the 2017 shooting and killing of Indian River County Sheriff’s Department deputy, Gary Chambliss.
In March 2019, Melly pleaded not guilty to the double-murders and is currently awaiting trial.
COVID-19 Diagnosis
On April 2, 2020, Melly’s legal representatives announced via his Twitter that he had contracted the coronavirus while in prison.
He sought to get an early release from prison, citing deteriorating health, but his motion was denied on April 14, 2020.
