Mario Mims, better known by his stage name Yo Gotti, is an American hip-hop artist. He’s one of the numerous hard-core rappers to emerge from the 1990s Southern hip-hop scene. Yo Gotti’s rhyming style is influenced by both non-Southern and Southern hip-hop, but he likes and is devoted to the Gangsta style. He is admired and recognized around the world for his rhyming skills, and he is currently the underground rap leader and brightest hip-hop star in Memphis. He was born into a family of hustlers, and as a result, he began to emulate them. However, he changed his ways to become a rapper after realizing that “either you hustle till you go to jail or you transition out,” as he put it. He selected the musical road after being inspired by rap superstars like as Three Six Mafia, 8 Ball & MJG, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Al Kapone, Gangsta Blackhe, and Lil Yo. He published numerous hit albums such as ‘From da Dope Game 2 da Rap Game,’ ‘Self Explanatory,’ ‘Life,’ and ‘I Am,’ among others. His songs’ lyrics frequently depict the dangers of living in the hoods while also being sexually graphic.
Childhood and Adolescence
Mario Mims was born on May 19, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in the notorious Ridge Crest housing complexes, which were notorious for their high crime rates.
His parents, as well as his relatives and aunts, were all hustlers, and he was exposed to the Memphis criminal underworld nearly from infancy. ‘Being from the street, things like hustling will come your way,’ Mims reportedly said in a conversation.
Yo Gotti grew up in a middle-class household. His father was a Zimbabwean gym instructor, while his mother was a South African woman. His educational background is unknown. He was raised in a devout family and considers Christianity to be his religion.
Mario’s parents and other family members were detained after authorities raided their home when he was in second grade. As a result, he had to fend for himself and his family, so he began thugging on the streets.
Later, he became interested in music and began rapping with his crew in Memphis during the 1990s at the age of 14. In 1996, he released his first Gangsta style Underground cassette as ‘Lil Yo’ under the ‘Crime Lordz Records’ label, titled ‘Youngsta On A Come Up.’
He consigned the cassette to local small, independently owned and operated record stores and began selling it hand to hand with a pack of cannabis. This tape became a local smash, and he became a well-known rapper in the area.
Beginning of a Career
Yo Gotti then released three albums under the Inevitable Entertainment label, titled ‘Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game,’ ‘Self-Explanatory,’ and ‘Block Burning, Vol 1’ (2000, 2001, and 2002).
In 2003, he released his fourth studio album, ‘Life,’ with the first song, ‘Dirty South Soldiers,’ after signing with the TVT record company (a duet with Lil John).
In 2005, his song ‘Full Time’ was included on the soundtrack of the popular drama film Hustle & Flow, and in 2006, he released his fifth album, ‘Back 2 da Basics,’ with the same label, which achieved third place on the US Rap charts.
Yo Gotti has produced 22 mixtapes since March 2006, with his Cocaine Muzik mixtapes garnering a large fan base, with his ‘Cocaine Muzik 2’ (2009) gaining 11th place on the US Rap charts.
Later the Years
Following a series of mixtapes, Yo Gotti’s next album, ‘Live from the Kitchen,’ was released in 2012 on the Polo Grounds/RCA label and peaked at #4 on the US Rap charts and #12 on the Billboard 200.
This album was a commercial success, selling over 16 thousand copies in its first week and more than 36 thousand sales in the United States as of 2017.
‘We Can Get It On,’ ‘Single,’ ‘5 Star,’ and ‘Women Lie, Men Lie (featuring Lil Wayne)’ were among the album’s singles that charted at notable positions on Billboard’s charts.
‘Harder,’ featuring Rick Ross, debuted at number six on the US Bubbling Under R&B/ Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Rick Ross makes a cameo appearance in the music video for the single ‘5 Star,’ and the track has sold 500 thousand copies and received RIAA Gold certification.
Yo Gotti’s seventh album, ‘I Am,’ was released in 2013 and debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 and number two on the US Top R&B/ Hip Hop Albums charts.
As of 2015, it had sold over 212 thousand copies in the United States. The RIAA awarded the album’s first single, ‘Act Right,’ featuring Jezzy and YG, and the fourth song, ‘I Know,’ featuring Rich Homie Quan, Gold certifications.
The second single, ‘King Shit,’ peaked at #5 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under R&B/ Hip-Hop Singles list in the United States.
Collaboration with the CMG label
Yo Gotti is the current CEO and President of Collective Music Group, formerly known as Cocaine Muzik Group, a record label firm formed by him.
From 2014 until 2017, Yo Gotti released mixtapes under the CMG label, including ‘The Return,’ ‘2 Federal,’ ‘Chapter One,’ ‘White Friday (CM 9)’, and others.
With Epic Records and CMG, he released his eighth album, ‘The Art of Hustle,’ in 2016, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 charts and #1 on the US Top R&B/ Hip-Hop Albums.
In the first week of its release in the United States, the album sold over 45 thousand copies. The first single, ‘Down in the DM,’ peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.
Following that, he appeared in three songs from Meghan Trainor’s ‘Thank You’ album. The single ‘No’ charted at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while ‘Me Too’ charted at number 20 on the US Billboards list.
‘Gotti Made-It (with Mike Will Made-It)’ and ‘Heartless- Yo’ are two mixtapes he released in 2017.
He has collaborated with several hip-hop musicians during his career, including Niki Minaj, Slim Thug, DJ Drama, Nelly, Birdman, and Jim Jones, to create powerful hip-hop music.
Personal History and Legacy
Mario had two daughters and a son with Lakeisha Mims, with whom he had two daughters and a son.
However, they later chose to go their separate ways. The youngsters are currently living with their father, according to sources.
After that, he was in a relationship with Jammie Moses, with whom he had three children, but they are also alleged to have split up, however their present status is unknown.
Estimated Net Worth
Yo Gotti is a rapper, songwriter, and record producer from the United States with a net worth of $16 million as of 2022.
Trivia
Yo Gotti has released a fourteen-minute documentary called ‘Born Hustler,’ in which he shows the North Memphis neighborhood where he grew up, as well as his mother and aunties discussing their hustling business and how he was as a child.
He has Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jeep, and a Ferrari 458 Spider, among other cars. Gotti also has a sizable jewelry collection, estimated to be worth between $ 0.75 million and $ 1.25 million.