Yonas Mellesse is an independent hip hop artist with a breakout mixtape titled The Transition who released charting EPs titled The Black Canvas and Going Places. He has albums titled The Proven Theory and The Transition Deluxe. He began to take violin lessons as early as the age of five and would go on to study classical violin. In 2009, he released a debut EP called The New Golden Era featuring his Billboard Songwriting Award-winning single "Banga."
