Young Dro is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter who has been in the music industry since 1999. His major breakthrough came when he released his album, I Got That Dro, as a hip-hop artist under the Tight 4 Life label. His fame was solidified by one of the tracks in the album titled “Yes Sir.”
The song led Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., better known by the stage name T.I., to sign up Young Dro into his music label, Grand Hustle, in 2004.
Featuring T.I., Young Dro released a track titled “Shoulder Lean” ft DJ Drama on May 2, 2006, which peaked at number 10 on Billboard.
Under Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records, Young Dro released his 16-track album, Best Thang Smokin’, in 2006, including “Shoulder Lean,” which served as the album’s lead single.
Following the success of the previous album, coupled with the release of several hip-hop mixtapes, Young Dro released his second album, “High Times” in 2013.
He is currently signed to T.I’s record label Grand Hustle as well as affiliated with Def Jam, Atlantic, E1, and Real Talk.
Profile Summary
| Full name | D’Juan Montrel Hart, |
| Age | 45 years old |
| Date of Birth | January 15, 1979 |
| Place of Birth | Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | American Rapper |
| Ex-Girlfriends | Fantasia Barrino Tamika Joseline Hernandez (Rumoured) |
| Height | 5’11” 1.81 m 181 cm |
| Weight | 73 kg 161 lbs |
| Socials | Instagram |
Young Dro Biography
D’Juan Montrel Hart, better known as Young Dro, entered the world on January 15, 1979, in Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Details about his parents and family background are scarce. However, reports have it that he is the second oldest of his mother’s five children and that his father had a total of 21 children.
Regarding education, he attended Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School, but more detailed specifics about his school days and college are kept private.
His interest in rapping came from the success of his friend, Chris “Daddy Mack” Smith, associated with Kris Kross.
As a kid, Young Dro had a close friendship with Chris “Daddy Mack” Smith, known for being part of the duo Kris Kross. Dro mentioned they shared the same classroom, recalling how the famous rapper used to sit directly ahead of him.
Regarding the music that influenced him, the group Goodie Mob, also hailing from Atlanta’s west side, had the most significant impact on shaping his style, widely known to the public.
Young Dro Professional Career
Young Dro’s music career began in 1999 after securing a deal with an Atlanta-based music label, Tight 4 Life. Around that time, he went by the name Dro.
His track “Yes Sir” swiftly gained immense popularity within the local scene, catapulting him into early prominence. In 2001, he released his debut album titled “I Got That Dro,” which was well-received by audiences. Subsequently, he continued to deliver numerous rap performances and engaged in collaborations with various fellow musicians in the industry.
Young Dro teamed up with rapper T.I. (Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) and joined his record label, Grand Hustle. His tunes hit the Billboard charts, displaying his musical influence. In 2006, he dropped his second album, “Best Thang Smokin,” making a notable comeback after a break. His music earned love from fans, cementing a strong following in the rap scene.
In 2006, he caught people’s eyes by winning the Element Award for the Best Hip Hop Dance of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards, securing two victories. That same year, he also earned acclaim at The Ozone Awards.
His latest album, “Da Reality Show,” came out in 2015. Since then, Young Dro hasn’t released any new albums, staying relatively quiet in the music scene.
Awards & Nominations
In 2006, Young Dro received recognition at the BET Hip Hop Awards for his song “Shoulder Lean” with T.I.
Also, he was nominated for the Element Award: Best Hip Hop Dance Of The Year and Best Collabo. However, he won the BET Mobile Hot Ring Award for the same song.
That year, he also snagged the Best Rapper Award (Georgia) at The Ozone Awards, marking another win for his talent in the rap scene. Despite being nominated for the Best New Dirty at The Dirty Awards, he didn’t secure the win in that category.
So, in total, Dro received five music awards nominations in 2006 and could take home 2 out of the 5.
Young Dro received an award from Cleveland, Ohio, for his “It Still Takes A Village” campaign against gun violence.
Young Dro’s Arrests
In August 2016, Dro was arrested on gun and drug charges before a concert at a Southeast Georgia college.
His charges include possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a weapon in a school safety zone, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Details of the court charges were not made public.
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, Young Dro was sentenced to 12 months behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of battery/family violence. The charges stem from an incident in July 2019 where he allegedly punched his girlfriend and smashed a plate of banana pudding on her face during a quarrel.
According to TMZ, Young Dro was directed to serve 50 days as he had the credit of 20 days. Alongside probation, he did a drug and alcohol evaluation within 30 days of his release, attended domestic violence counseling, and forfeited all weapons. For the remaining 12-month sentence, he was on probation.
Personal Life
Young Dro dated Fantasia Barrino for two years, but they split due to the challenges of managing her career alongside their relationship.
After keeping it private, he revealed his relationship with Tamika through his song “FDB” on the 2013 High Times album.
In the song, he mentioned struggles with Tamika regarding their child, but Tamika publicly disputed his claims, stating he hadn’t seen their daughter for two years despite living just 30 minutes away.
Rumors started to spread in 2016 about his involvement with rapper Joseline Hernandez after a joint performance.
Joseline later announced her pregnancy two months later without specifying the father, leading to speculation that Young Dro was the father; he, however remained silent but attended the baby shower for Bonnie Bella in December 2016.
Young Dro Children
Despite Young Dro’s lifestyle, one thing he has been very careful not to talk about in public is his children. Although, this is quite contradicting considering his relationship with Tamika.
Dro cares about raising his children and wants the best for them. During an interview with 11Alive, Dro said he doesn’t allow his children to listen to his lyrics; details below:
“I have children,” said Young Dro. “And I govern what they listen to. My son don’t hear none of my music, This is your home. Are you going to allow lyrics to raise your children? Are you going to allow Instagram to raise your child? Are you going to allow another gang member to raise your child?”
Dro said this during a town hall meeting in the City of South Fulton.
Physical Appearance
Young Dro is an African American with dark hair and brown eyes. He doesn’t have any tattoos on his body. He is about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs around 161 pounds (73 kilograms).