Tony Yayo broke down the hardships of finding “peace” as a rapper on the new episode of podcast Club Shay Shay.
Tony Yayo joins Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay for a raw, unfiltered conversation about his life, his career in hip hop, and the brotherhood behind G-Unit. Yayo starts by comparing life in Europe to America, saying liquor tastes better, food is healthier, and there aren’t guns everywhere like in the U.S. Fresh off tour in Europe with Chris Brown in Manchester, he talks about how Washington D.C. feels dangerous today with residents scared to drive their own cars. Yayo reflects on growing up in the Southside of Jamaica, Queens, calling it the best borough in New York over Brooklyn and the Bronx. He shares that his parents are from Haiti, and explains how he got the name “Tony Yayo” from Scarface.
Yayo reflects on hip hop beefs, loyalty, and survival. He says he’ll never be mad at DJ Khaled for siding with Fat Joe during the feud with 50 Cent. He remembers riding in a bulletproof truck riddled with bullets, the murders of PnB Rock and Pop Smoke, and why he prefers hanging with his lawyer over rappers. He recalls being harassed by hip hop police when G-Unit was labeled “the most dangerous rap group in the world.” He praises Eminem as his “favorite white boy in the world,” calls Dr. Dre one of the best producers, and says Eminem listens to details like “the footsteps in Poltergeist.” He talks about how Eminem’s cosign made Joe Budden’s career, how Kanye West was around before fame, and how 50 Cent would turn down million-dollar deals.