With Shady Records giving him the heads-up, Yayo managed to negotiate a rare TV slot behind bars to see the moment that proved Eminem had his back.
On a recent episode of Club Shay Shay, Tony Yayo looked back at one of the most powerful moments of his career: Eminem showing him support at the Grammys.
“Eminem wearing the ‘Free Yayo’ t-shirt at the Grammys – that was a turning point in my life”, Yayo said. “Because he didn’t have to do that. I was on Rikers Island. At this point, he’s selling 16 million records. Hard copies. Not streams. Not a machine. This is facts. You were gonna go to Blockbuster, Target… Good times. 16 million”.
Catching the moment wasn’t easy. Prison politics meant the TV was contested territory, but the Shady Records team made sure he knew it was happening. “Shout out to Tracy McNew and Paul Rosenberg. They called me from Shady, like, ‘Yo, make sure you watch the Grammys that night’. You know, jail is all about politics. You can get stabbed over TV and newspaper”, Yayo recalled.
He explained how different groups wanted to watch their own channels, but for a brief moment, he was able to take the screen. “So I told them that night, I just needed a couple of seconds to watch the Grammys. And they let me rock, I watched the TV”.
For Yayo, that moment of solidarity from Eminem broadcast live to millions was something he says changed his life.
"Eminem didn't have to do that. I was on Rikers Island. At this point, he's selling 16 Million records." – @TonyYayo pic.twitter.com/FFNayGu5Q1
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) September 15, 2025
