Yo Gotti is hands down one of the most notable and popular rappers to have come from Memphis, Tennessee. He has been rapping for what seems like his whole life. While he has come under fire for his brutally honest and raw lyrics, Gotti has earned himself a solid reputation as one of the most promising rappers on the scene. He also has a vast and dedicated fan base.

If you’re a fan of this rap sensation, be sure to get yourself Yo Gotti tickets to see him live in concert when he performs in your town. 

How Yo Gotti Started Out

Yo Gotti, born Mario Mims, grew up in Frayser, Memphis in Tennessee. At the age of thirteen, he started hanging out with a much older crown of people. His new group of friends would call him ‘Gotti’, potentially after John Gotti, the notable crime boss. According to him: "It doesn't mean because I'm a hustler I know how to do something negative," Gotti said.  "I know how to hustle music, I know how to hustle real estate housing.  I'm a hustler."

Gotti would go through some tough years where he was selling drugs. Many of his lyrics deal with this time in his life.

It was at this young age that he first started rapping, too. At first, he was rapping under the name Lil Yo, and he was affiliated with DJ Sound and his crew of musicians. From 2000 to 2006, Gotti would release a number of independent albums including, Self-Explanatory, Life and Back 2 da Basics and From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game.

Initially, Gotti would distribute his own music, often enlisting the help of his family and friends. Gotti said "I was selling CDs at school, down on Beale Street, on the road."

Success is slow to Grow

After spending many years independently promoting his material, Gotti released his first full length studio album on a major label in 2012. The album, called Live From the Kitchen, featured songs which had been released almost four years prior to the album’s release. These included ‘5 Star’, ‘Women Lie, Men Lie’, and ‘Look In The Mirror’. The second single even featured prolific rapper Lil Wayne. Despite that, none of the singles did too well on the charts. When the album itself dropped, it debuted at the number 12 spot on the Billboard 200. However, its sales were very low and remained low. This led Gotti to leave RCA Records & Polo Grounds Music.

Collective Music Group & Finding How Own Way

After a string of setbacks, Gotti finally decided to create his own music label called Collective Music Group (which original was Cocaine Muzik Group). Gotti is both the CEO and President of the company and used his label to release his sixth studio album in 2013, I Am.

This album fared much better than his previous ones and features the singles ‘Act Right’ featuring Young Jeezy and YG, ‘King Shit’ featuring T.I., and ‘Cold Blood’ featuring J. Cole and Canei Finch. These singles all did much better on the charts and got Gotti more airtime.

New Music & Building Fame

Gotti is a testament to how hard work and perseverance can pay off and lead you to success. After spending over a decade in the rap game, it took Gotti a while to find his footing. He kept pushing himself and today he is recognized as one of the strongest voices on the scene. His hits are all over the charts and on every corner of the internet. His many songs even feature well-known artists in the industry adding further star power to his music.

In early 2016, Gotti announced that he would be releasing a standard and deluxe version of The Art of Hustle. When the album was released, it reached number four on the Billboard 200. The lead single from the album was called “Down in the DM” and featured Nicki Minaj on the remix. This song reached the number 13 spot on the charts and became Gotti’s highest charting single in the entire country.

If you want to see Yo Gotti live, be sure to get yourself a pair of Yo Gotti tickets to be at one of his exciting shows!