Is YNW Melly out of jail? Where is the American rapper as of 2024?
YNW Melly is an American rap artist and singer. He has been part of the rap collective Young New Wave (YNW) since 2016 and has made waves in the hip-hop industry with hits such as I Am You, Murder on My Mind, and Mixed Personalities. Besides music, he hit the headlines when he was arrested in 2019 on suspicion of double murders of his two friends. Is YNW Melly out of jail?
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
YNW Melly's career was on an upward trajectory from when he debuted in 2014 until 2019 when problems started. He has faced multiple criminal issues, including the double murder charge against him in February 2019.
Profile summary
Full name | Jamell Maurice Demons |
Nickname | YNW Melly |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 1 May 1999 |
Age | 25 years old (as of 2025) |
Zodiac sign | Taurus |
Place of birth | Gifford, Florida, United States |
Current residence | Broward County Jail, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'8" |
Height in centimetres | 173 |
Weight in pounds | 130 |
Weight in kilograms | 59 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Mother | Jamie Demons-King |
Siblings | 2 |
Relationship status | Single |
School | St. Peter’s Academy, Vero Beach High School |
Profession | Rapper, singer, songwriter |
Net worth | $100,000 |
Is YNW Melly out of jail?
No, YNW Melly is not out of jail. He remains in custody at Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, as he awaits his double murder retrial. YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, has been in detention since his arrest in February 2019. His initial murder trial in 2023 ended in a mistrial.
Recently, his attorneys filed a petition requesting his release, arguing that the conditions of his confinement are unlawful and inhumane. According to the petition, Demons has been held in extreme isolation for over three years, with no phone calls or family visits, including with his mother.
The petition describes these conditions as "cruel, unusual, and beyond belief." In response to the petition, a judge ordered the Broward Sheriff’s Office to justify why Demons should not be released.
After requesting additional time, the sheriff’s office has until December 16 to respond to the court's directive. BSO said in a statement:
The Broward Sheriff’s Office does not generally comment on pending litigation. Our Office of General Counsel will be responding to the judge’s order. Jamell Demons has been placed on administrative segregation, which is a classification resulting in an alternate living assignment for an inmate whose placement in the general population poses a serious threat to the safety of staff or inmates, or life and property.
Michael Pizzi, the attorney representing YNW Melly, clarified that the petition does not dispute the validity of the criminal charges against his client.
Instead, it aims to have the judge assess the conditions of YNW Melly's confinement and potentially grant a pre-trial release. YNW Melly's retrial for the double murder case is currently set to commence in September 2025.
YNW Melly’s biography
Source: Original
He was born Jamell Maurice Demons in Gifford, Florida, United States. YNW Melly’s mom is Jamie Demons-King, and he has never known who his father is. He is an American national of African-American ethnicity.
The rapper has a younger brother, Brandon Curtis King, professionally known as YNW BSlime. Like Jamell, Brandon is a rapper and singer known for songs such as Vulnerable, Just Want You, and Slime Dream. His sister, Jewely D, known on social media as YNW Jewel, is a nursing student and owner of a beauty shop.
Where did the rapper go to school? He reportedly went to St. Peter’s Academy and Vero Beach High School but did not complete his studies after a gun drama that led to his incarceration for several months.
How old is Melly today?
The American rapper and singer is 24 years old as of March 2024. He was born in 1999 and marks his birthday on 1 May. His zodiac sign is Taurus.
YNW Melly’s career
YNW Melly is a hip-hop artist. He released his first single, 1K (2014), in 2014 and while in incarceration in 2015, he realised the need to take his music career seriously.
In 2016, together with other hip-hop artists, they formed the rap collective YNW (Young New Wave), and he adopted the stage name YNW Melly. Other group members included YNW Sakchaser, YNW Juvy, YNW Bortlen, and YNW BSlime.
Source: Getty Images
In 2017, Melly released his debut EP, Collect Call, and his debut mixtape, I Am You, in 2018. His debut studio album, Melly vs. Melvin, launched in November 2019, peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.
He has collaborated with hip-hop bigwigs such as Kanye West, Juice WRLD, King Von, Lil Tjay, Kodak Black, and Queen Naija. Some of his top songs include:
- Murder on My Mind
- Mixed Personalities
- City Girls
- No Mind
- Far Apart
- Mama Cry
- Pieces
- I Am You
- Best Friends 4L
What happened to YNW Melly?
The American rapper is accused of the double murders of his two friends, Christopher Jermaine Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy) and Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser), which occurred on 26 October 2018 in Miramar, Florida, US.
The state claims that when the incident occurred, YNW Melly was in the company of Cortlen Malik Henry (YNW Bortlen).
In trying to mislead the investigations, YNW Melly and YNW Bortlen then made the crime scene appear as if it was a drive-by shooting. The two YNW rappers are charged each with two counts of first-degree murder.
On 14 February 2019, the rapper turned himself in after releasing a statement about the murders on Instagram. His first trial commenced on 12 June 2023, and after about a month, a mistrial was declared on 22 July 2023.
In January 2024, prosecutors filed for an appeal after a judge’s ruling suppressing a promotional video about Melly’s life from evidence. Consequently, his second trial remains on hold until the appeal is heard and determined by the appellate courts, which would take several months.
YNW Melly’s net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the rapper’s net worth is approximately $100 thousand. Earnings from his flourishing music career are believed to be his primary source of income.
Who is YNW Melly’s girlfriend?
The rapper is seemingly not in a relationship at the moment. However, he previously dated Mariah Hamilton. The former couple reportedly commenced their relationship in 2016 and called it quits in 2019 when the rapper was incarcerated.
Mariah is reportedly a digital content creator. When her ex-boyfriend was incarcerated in 2019, she revealed that the police pressured her to give information against Melly. In an interview with Law & Crime’s Sidebar podcast, she said:
Because I was his girlfriend at the time, so they thought I knew more than what I telling them. Which I didn’t. So they were just harassing me. When the situation first happened, I was threatened. I was 17, about to turn 18. They came to my house, telling me they were going to arrest me on accessory after the fact. My mom didn’t know what to do.
How tall is Melly?
The Michief on My Mind singer stands 5 feet 8 inches (173 centimetres) tall. His weight is estimated to be 130 pounds (59 kilograms).
FAQs
- What is YNW Melly’s real name? He was born Jamell Maurice Demons.
- What is NYW Melly’s age? He is 24 years old as of March 2024. His date of birth is 1 May 1999.
- Does NYW Melly have siblings? He reportedly has two siblings, brother Brandon Curtis King and sister Jewely D.
- When is YNW Melly’s release date? The rapper’s retrial has yet to begin; thus, his release date is unknown.
- Who was NYW Melly’s girlfriend? He dated Mariah Hamilton between 2016 and 2019.
Is NYW Melly out of jail? The American rising rap artist is still behind bars waiting for his retrial. He is suspected of killing his two friends, YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser, on 26 October 2018. Melly has been behind bars since February 2019.
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Muhunya Muhonji (Lifestyle writer) Muhunya is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from Egerton University, Class of 2014, with a passion for storytelling and content creation. Since joining Legit.ng as a writer in July 2021, he has covered diverse topics such as entertainment, technology, business, and biographies. His journalism journey has seen him complete multiple professional courses, including the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course (2023), the Google News Initiative course (March 2024), and Fact-Checking and Research training (September 2024). Email: muhunyah@gmail.com
Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020. In 2023, Simwa finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com
