Rio da Yung OG | |
Birth Name: | Damario Donshay Horne-McCullough |
Birth Date: | 11 May 1994 |
Birth Place: | Flint, Michigan |
Genre: | Michigan rap, trap music, hip-hop |
Years Active: | 2016 - present |
Label: | Boyz Entertainment |
Damario Donshay Horne-McCullough (born May 11, 1994), known by the stage name Rio da Yung OG, is an American rapper and convicted felon from Flint, Michigan.[1] He is known for being a key rapper in the Flint rap scene and collaborating with Flint rappers such as RMC Mike and Peezy.[2] He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021 but has continued to create music while incarcerated. He is a signee of record label Boyz Entertainment, started by rapper Peezy.[3]
Rio da Yung OG has visible facial scarring due to deep second-degree burns on the right side of his face. In an interview, he revealed that he got the scars when he was 12, as he tried to cook French fries, but was intoxicated and forgot about them, and a grease fire began. He attempted to stop the fire with water, which is dangerous because grease has a lower density than water, causing it to go up and expand the flames upwards. The burn remains because he denied getting skin graft treatment.[4]
On 27 February 2019, Horne-McCullough, along with 14 other co-defendants, were charged for multiple federal crimes.[5] Horne-McCullough was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He started serving his sentence in Summer 2021 after surrendering himself at a date requested by the court. RMC Mike has said on the No Jumper podcast that Horne-McCullough is expected to be released early from December 2023 to January 2024.[6]
Horne-McCullough's arrest has sparked the "Free Rio" movement. Rappers Trippie Redd and Louie Ray have made songs dedicated to Horne-McCullough. The rapper Peezy also released the mixtape Free Rio.[7] Other rappers supporting his release include 42 Dugg,[8] BabyTron, and RMC Mike.