5 takeaways from Yella Beezy’s ‘Triple Blessed’ documentary

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Rapper Yella Beezy, the new “Face of Dallas,” dropped a cinematic mini doc that peeled back the curtain on him. In the 15-minute feature titled Triple Blessed, fans will learn about the fatal shooting that inspired the rapper to take music seriously, his own gun violence survival story, and what it took to land his first No. 1 in the Triple D.

Born and raised in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood in Dallas, Texas; Beezy, who’s real name is Deandre Conway, is no stranger to adversity. All the odds stacked against him, a “rough start,” and tremendous support from his family and community are exactly what made him go after a life beyond the streets, and helped him to succeed in the music industry.

In his documentary, the “Restroom Occupied” rapper, and a chorus of voices closet to him, inform and inspire audiences with firsthand accounts of some of Yella Beezy’s greatest triumphs and darkest moments.

Here are five key takeaways from Triple Blessed.

1. His father was shot and killed when he was 12 years old.

Yella Beezy recounts one of his most painful memories in the documentary. For the first time in six years, he returned to the house where he watched his father die after being fatally shot at his front door. The visuals he remembers — like seeing his father on his back with his feet up missing his shoes or how his father’s pet snake was so wrapped around his lifeless body that animal protection had to come remove him before transporting the body — are enough to make one wonder how Beezy makes music with such uplifting lyrics. The now 28-year-old rapper remembers having nightmares about the scene until his mother moved them away from that neighborhood. 

2. He was shot eight times while driving on the highway.

In 2018, two of Beezy’s greatest achievements were overshadowed by violence. An unidentified driver fired more than 20 shots at the then 26-year-old and eight landed. One bullet even shattered his elbow, caused Beezy to lose control of the car and crash. Just receiving his first gold record and a new baby at the time, all the rapper wanted to do was fire back, but he couldn’t find is gun. His mom says she still has anxiety from that night, as it felt like a flashback to the day his father was gunned down.

3. His first passion was sports not music.

Funny enough, Beezy didn’t always have a vision to make it big in music. He actually enjoyed sports more and wanted to play professional football when he was a kid. His grandmother said she always knew he’d be a musician, but she expected him to sing not rap. In light of his father’s tragic demise, the artist put together and released his first mixtape when he was just 13 years old. He didn’t get his first hit, “That’s On Me,” until he was 25.

4. He’s been named “The Face of Dallas” for his national notoriety.

In the documentary, fans will hear Beezy’s neighbors and local radio figures praising him for being “one of the sparks that lit [the] whole Dallas market.” One neighbor even said, “A lot of rappers can’t go back to the hood. This man right here got a lot of respect. He takes care of the people.” Likewise, “the people” took care of him by pushing his debut single, “Trap in Designer,” to the forefront in 2014-2015. His manager says, “The streets selected [it].”  

When his breakout hit “That’s On Me” finally took off about a year after its release, Beezy knew that he finally had one. He said he made “M’s” off the track despite initially not believing in that record.

The pros say Dallas hadn’t seen that kind of success in a decade, and Beezy says it’s because there aren’t as many resources in the Triple D, so he had to “get it out the mud.”

5. His hometown inspires his music and style

Beezy’s manager, Low, considers Dallas to be “the new Texas hotspot” due to how the hustlers have influenced the city. All throughout his lyrics, you can hear him rapping about getting fresh and living in luxury. Dripping in designer, custom cars, and attracting the baddest women is a way of life in the Triple D. Beezy recalls seeing people wear designer clothes just to go to the mall to buy some more. He also saw people hustling out of lofts, condos, and big houses because wealth is to be shown in his hometown.

He’s also kept his signature shag haircut since the eight grade to show pride in where he comes from. So, when other rappers like Kanye West, rock the style, Beezy says they’re “biting” Dallas’ unique flavor.

“Triple Blessed” premiered on Tuesday (Dec. 31) at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT on YouTube.com/REVOLTTV. Watch it below!