In 1990, Yo-Yo was introduced to the hip-hop scene by actor/rapper Ice Cube when she collaborated with him on his debut solo album, "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted.” A year later, Yo-Yo released her own single, "You Can't Play with My Yo-Yo" which peaked at #1 on R&B’s Hot 100 and in 2008, was ranked #92 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop. Combined with the success of her follow-up singles releases, "Stompin in the '90s," "Ain't Nobody Better," and "Girl, Don't Be No Fool" Yo-Yo’s debut album, "Make Way for the Motherlode" broke the Billboard Top 100 chart – at that time, a ground-breaking accomplishment for the music industry.
In 1992, Yo-Yo released her critically acclaimed sophomore album, “Black Pearl” that featured the hit singles, "Homegirl Don't Play Dat" and "Black Pearl.” Her success continued with the album releases of “You Better Ask Somebody” (1993) and “Total Control” (1996). Not one to spend much time away from the recording studio, over the years, she has collaborated on countless singles with some of the biggest names in the industry including, Brandy, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, Coolio, and Shaquille O’Neal. In 1995, she shared an MTV Video Music Award nomination for “I Wanna Be Down” and the following year, shared a Grammy Award nod for the chart-topping single, “Stomp.”
In 1990, Yo-Yo made her feature film debut in Menace II Society and later that year, appeared as herself in Boyz N the Hood . Her additional film credits include, Who’s the Man , Sister Act 2 , Panther and 3 Strikes . Yo-Yo’s appearances on the small screen include a recurring role on Martin , as well as guest starring on The Jamie Foxx Show and The Parent ‘Hood,’ among others. In 2008, she co-hosted Vh1’s hit reality show, Miss Rap Supreme .
Despite an ongoing successful music and acting career, in 2002 Yo-Yo decided to continue pursuing her lifelong dream of having a college education. She received a liberal arts degree from New Jersey’s Bergen Community College in 2006. Upon graduation, Yo-Yo jumped at the opportunity to return to her hometown and teach for three years at her alma mater, Washington High School as part of their Music Magnet program. She also established the Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition (IBWC), an organization aimed at supporting young women in South Central, Los Angeles community. In 2005, she partnered with fellow female rap icon MC Lyte to create the Let Your Life Shine Foundation that encourages youth involvement in the arts.
After giving a show-stealing sneak peak performance at the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, Yo-Yo will release her highly anticipated EP, “My Journey to Fearless,” in March 2009 which features collaborations with DJ Toomp, Missy Eliot, Raheem Davon, Erick Sermon, Rick Ross, and DJ Quick, among others.
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