Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1967), better known by his stage name DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles, California.
Yella was passionate about music from a young age.
He grew up listening to funk music and learned to play the drums.
As a teenager, Yella performed at various clubs of Los Angeles.
He was a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru along with Dr. Dre.
He later joined the pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A (originally composed of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Arabian Prince and Eazy-E).
Career
Along with Dre, Yella helped produce Eazy-E's debut album Eazy-Duz-It and the three N.W.A albums, with the first one being a compilation album translating into millions of sales.
Along with Dr. Dre and Arabian Prince, Yella co-produced J.J. Fad's gold certified debut (Super Sonic) and also Michel'le's (self-titled) album and contributed to The D.O.C.'s 1989 album No One Can Do It Better (also produced by Dre).
Jerry Heller, in his 2006 memoir Ruthless, witnessed Dre and Yella's work together, writing that the two had an almost eerie understanding, as they crafted high quality beats and productions with almost no words or full sentences needing to be spoken.
thumb|left|The cover for Yella's first single "Slice" (1984) with the Wreckin' Cru 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 EP, Menajahtwa's album Cha-licious, and tracks from H.W.A.'s Az Much Ass Azz U Want E.P. (all three from 1994).
He also produced Eazy's final album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton, released about a year after his death in 1995.
Yella released his 1996 debut solo album One Mo Nigga ta Go on Street Life Records as a tribute to Eazy-E, featuring members of the Ruthless "family tree" Kokane, B.G. Knocc Out, and Dresta, rhyming over his productions.
After this record he retired from music to embark on a 12-year career directing and producing pornographic films.
Yella says he produced more than 300 adult films.
In November 2011 Yella began working on a new album, entitled West Coastin', which was scheduled for release in the summer of 2012.
This album remains unreleased as of 2021.
Yella was played by Neil Brown Jr. in the 2015 N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton.
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.
thumb|left|A Photograph of DJ Yella with N.W.A Discography
Studio albums
With N.W.A
N.W.A. and the Posse (1987)
Straight Outta Compton (1988)
100 Miles and Runnin' (1990)
Niggaz4Life (1991)
Selected works
References
External links
