RIAA Gold Award for 'Nicety' – Presented to DJ Yella
Gold Sales Award presented to DJ Yella commemorating over 500,000 copies sold of Michel’Le’s single “Nicety” on Ruthless Records.
Description
Presented to Antoine “DJ Yella” Carraby, this official RIAA Gold award celebrates the success of “Nicety,” the second single from Michel'Le’s 1989 self-titled debut. Released by Ruthless Records, “Nicety” followed the platinum-selling “No More Lies” and helped establish Michel'Le as a key voice in late-’80s R&B. The single also marked a strategic shift for Ruthless—a label previously known for hardcore rap—into the broader pop and R&B market.
Produced by DJ Yella and Dr. Dre, “Nicety” fused New Jack Swing rhythms with the hard-hitting, drum-forward production that defined early Ruthless releases. The result was a crossover track that received consistent airplay on urban radio and national video platforms, including BET and MTV. Michel'Le’s distinct tone and vocal range, combined with the label’s aggressive sonic approach, made “Nicety” stand out during an era when few R&B artists emerged from hip hop-centric imprints.
The framed award includes gold-colored 12-inch, 7-inch, and cassette single representations, along with a photo of Michel'Le and an RIAA certification plate personalized to DJ Yella. His autograph appears on the outer display glass in black marker.
There is minor separation at the edges of the mounted photograph component inside the frame. Please review images for condition details.
Dimensions: 17" x 21"
All dimensions are approximate.
Disclaimer:
This item features a Silver OVD, verifying its authenticity through the DJ Yella Estate. A TRuEST™ authenticator was not on-site to witness its awarding or it being signed, which is why this item does not carry our gold-level witness-based authentication OVD.
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