Yonas

Yonas Mellesse, professionally known as YONAS, is an American hip hop artist from the Bronx, New York. His career began in 2009 with the independent release of his first EP, “New Golden Era.” This early work led to him winning a Billboard Songwriting Award for his single “Banga.” A year later, Yonas released his first mixtape, “I Am Us,” produced by Sean Ross. In 2011, his album “The Proven Theory” was released on iTunes. The music video for his single “Shy Kidz” gained visibility on MTVu and Fuse TV on Demand after he won an audience contest for independent artists. He was featured as a Breakout artist in XXL magazine in June 2012.

YONAS has released four albums, including “The Proven Theory” (2011), “The Transition Deluxe” (2013), “About Time” (2018), and “The Kid from Morris Heights” (2022). His 2012 mixtape, “The Transition,” was downloaded 70,000 times within its first two months. His EP “The Black Canvas,” released in 2013, reached number 4 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap charts and number 25 on the overall iTunes album chart. He has toured extensively, including a 50-city nationwide tour in the fall of 2012 opening for Aer, and two overseas tours. YONAS has shared stages with artists such as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Wale, Juicy J, Timeflies, Gorilla Zoe, The White Panda, and Logic. His song “Fall Back” was featured in the 2012 motion picture “The Place Beyond the Pines,” expanding his reach beyond music releases. His albums have consistently reached the Top 5 on iTunes Hip Hop Charts, Top 25 on overall iTunes Albums Charts, and Top 50 on the Billboard Hip-Hop charts. YONAS has independently sold over 100,000 songs and 15,000 albums, accumulating over 70 million digital streams.