DeMario DeWayne White Jr. (born September 22, 1991[2]), known professionally as Moneybagg Yo, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee.

[6] His studio albums, Reset (2018), 43va Heartless (2019), Time Served (2020), and A Gangsta's Pain (2021), were each met with critical and commercial success; the latter became his first to debut atop the chart and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 single "Wockesha."

Moneybagg Yo, whose real name is Demario DeWayne White Jr, was born on September 22, 1991, in Memphis, Tennessee,[2] to a single mother.

According to Moneybagg Yo, he had a difficult childhood where his mother served the role of both parents and they often struggled with financial issues, including not having lights, furniture or running water at times.

"Demario attended Mitchell High School in the city which is where he earned his stage name "Moneybagg Yo" as a tribute to his "hustler's mentality".

Despite trying to focus on sports like basketball and football, and even getting a job at a chicken restaurant,[a] Moneybagg's struggle to provide for his family, led to him turning to selling drugs in order to make ends meet.

In spite of dropping out of school, Moneybagg Yo began to focus on entrepreneurial pursuits and diligent efforts to make a living, often spending significant time in the Haravan community where he became involved in drugs and violence.

[22] DeWayne grew up in the Walker Homes community, which was known for its high crime rates and gang activity, he has spoken about being exposed to violence and drugs at a young age.

[18] After the incident at his family picnic, Moneybagg Yo used the traumatic experience as motivation to work harder in his music career.

Despite facing challenges and setbacks, Moneybagg Yo remained determined to succeed and used his experiences to fuel his passion for music.

Growing up in South Memphis, Moneybagg had a love for hip hop music from a young age and was heavily influenced by artists such as Boosie, Yo Gotti, Juvenile, and Future.

On July 27, 2018, he released the mixtape Bet On Me, with features from YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, and Gunna with the production handled from Tay Keith, Drum God, and Javar, among others.

It features guest appearances from Kaash Paige, Big30, Future, Polo G, Lil Durk, Jhené Aiko, and Pharrell Williams.

[35] In July 2022, Moneybagg performed to tens of thousands of people at London's Wireless Festival, in what was his first international show "Trap taking over the world now," he said when speaking the New York Times, "It ain't limited no more."

Its release caught the attention of CMG label founder Yo Gotti, and he made multiple attempts to sign Moneybagg.

After building up a solid trust and rapport with Yo Gotti, Moneybagg ultimately decided to sign on the dotted line with his label.

Many affiliates of Moneybagg were divided on the decision; some claimed that it was a great move for the rapper's career while others argued it was a betrayal to his roots in South Memphis; there is longstanding conflict between those the two parts which has escalated to dire levels including the loss of life.

In a Vlad interview, Moneybagg Yo claimed that people were "hating on him for no reason" and that no one had been killed in the Level II Nightclub shooting, so signing to CMG and getting a record deal shouldn't be an issue.

The origins of the feud can be traced back to around 2010, in which there was an altercation in the parking lot outside the Level II nightclub in Memphis, Tennessee, that left six people shot.

[60] In September 2020, Moneybagg Yo was celebrating his 29th birthday with his crew and girlfriend Ariana Fletcher in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This added to the perception that Moneybagg Yo was following the "paper trail," or prioritizing financial gain, over loyalty to his roots and crew.

[67] Prior to his death, Big Nuskie had given an interview where he spoke about his childhood in the Whitehaven neighborhood and his time spent in juvenile detention.

Following the news of the shooting, Moneybagg Yo tweeted a series of broken heart emojis and posted multiple images in tribute to his fallen associate.

Big30, who is also signed to Bread Gang, posted a tribute to the rapper on his Instagram account, expressing his grief and mourning the loss of his cousin and role model.

Many people believe that Nuski's affiliation with Moneybagg Yo and his label Bread Gang may have played a role in his murder, possibly as a result of this ongoing feud.

[16] Moneybagg has grown into the biggest rap star to emerge from Memphis in generations, self-admittedly making $150,000 per-concert on some occasions[72][b] and has been involved in several public feuds with other artists.

[73] In a 2022 interview with the New York Times, he confirmed that he had relocated to Atlanta, GA to maintain a sense of peace and focus on the family he has with the mother of his children.

Even though Moneybagg now primarily lives in Atlanta, he has stayed connected to his roots in South Memphis and has been actively investing in local businesses such as an alkaline water called Vior.

He has also bought a large plot of land in the area in which he plans to name after his late friend, Nuskie, and develop into a community center, dirt bike paths, and paintball course.

[76][77] After his short dating experience with Megan Thee Stallion, it was evident that he'd been back in union with Alexisua Richardson, who is known as "The Real Poison Ivy" and the mother of his children.