YNW Melly

Jamell Maurice Demons (born May 1, 1999), known professionally as his stage name YNW Melly, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Gifford, Florida. He is best known for his songs "Murder on My Mind" and "Mixed Personalities" featuring Kanye West. His single "Murder on My Mind" is considered YNW Melly's breakout, which garnered even further attention after the rapper was charged with double-murder. He released his debut album, We All Shine, on January 17, 2019, to generally positive reviews with critics.

In February 2019, he was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. He is also a suspect in the 2017 murder of a sheriff's deputy in Gifford. In March 2019, Demons pleaded not guilty to the double-murder charges and is currently awaiting trial.

Early life
YNW Melly was born on May 1, 1999, in Gifford, Florida to father Jamie Demons and mother Donte Taylor. Demons was raised by his single mother. She was 14 years old when she became pregnant with him, giving birth to him in the ninth grade. Later moving to a poorer part of Gifford, his mother struggled to pay for housing and necessaries. Demons joined the gang at a young age, later posting his songs on  when he was 15. In late 2015, Demons was arrested for shooting at a group of students near and subsequently convicted of aggravated battery, discharging a firearm in public, and two counts of aggravated assault, for which he served several months in prison.

Legal issues
Demons was arrested on June 30, 2018, in Fort Myers, Florida for possession of, possession of weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon and drug paraphernalia.

Demons was again arrested on January 3, 2019, in Fort Myers for possession of marijuana.

On February 12, 2019, Demons was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the October 2018 shooting deaths in Fort Lauderdale of two men described as his close friends, aspiring rappers Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams, 21, and Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr., 19. Authorities purport that Demons conspired with fellow YNW rapper Cortlen Henry, also known as YNW Bortlen, to stage the double-murder of Williams and Thomas Jr. and make it appear as if they were fatally injured in a drive by shooting. Henry allegedly drove the victims to the hospital where they later succumbed to their wounds. Demons turned himself in on February 13, 2019. He announced on his Instagram that

"″No I did not get locked up in Washington, but I am turning myself in today... a couple months ago I lost my two brothers by violence and now the system want to find justice.. unfortunately a lot of rumors and lies are being said but no worries god is with me and my brother @ynw.bortlen and we want y’all to remember it’s a ynw Family I love you″"

- @ynwmelly

On February 22, 2019, Complex reported that Demons and Cortlen Henry (YNW Bortlen) are now suspects in the fatal 2017 shooting of off-duty Indian River County Sheriff's Department deputy Gary Chambliss in Gifford.