Breaking news in pajamas: Hood Anchor Ye's unique style captivates Atlanta audiences

Yahoo

3 days ago

The Brief
Hood Anchor Ye, a social media personality with nearly 100,000 followers, is gaining attention in Atlanta for his raw and personal style of news reporting, connecting with audiences who typically don't watch traditional news.
Ye's unique reporting style, often featuring him in casual attire like bathrobes and durags, has earned him millions of views, and he covers crime scenes and public safety incidents with humor and honesty.
Motivated by personal tragedies, Ye aims to emotionally connect viewers to local events, and his work has been recognized by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens for its unique approach to community storytelling.
ATLANTA - With nearly 100,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, a local social media personality known as Hood Anchor Ye is making waves in the Atlanta news scene—offering breaking coverage with a raw, personal style that's connecting with audiences who don't typically watch the news.
What we know
Ye, who has been seen reporting from the same scenes as professional news crews, said the idea started unexpectedly in January. While stuck in traffic on Interstate 75 during a police standoff with a man threatening to jump from a bridge, he began filming what he saw and narrated it like a breaking news report.
That video quickly gained traction online—and turned into a full-time career.
What they're saying
"People, they DM me, they text me," Ye said. "So as soon as they hit me, I'm driving straight there. You know, I am from the city, so as soon I know where it's at, I go on the bad roads. I ain't running no lights or no stop signs or nothing, but you know I might speed a little bit," he said with a grin.
His signature reporting style—often in a bathrobe, pajamas, or durag—has earned him millions of views. "I got the robe, I got my pajamas, I got like doo rag, I've got all that," Ye said. "And I just recently just added the tie just to be a little professional."
From crime scenes to public safety incidents, Ye shows up, speaks to police and bystanders, and shares what he learns in real time—sometimes with humor, always with honesty.
"I really just say what's the first thing that come to my mind. And if it's a curse word, it's a curse word," he said.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Ye began following the news just six months ago. But a string of personal tragedies—including the death of his best friend in a car crash and that friend's brother in a shooting—deepened his sense of purpose.
"It's like the same stuff that these families going through, like I already done been through," he said. "Having to pull up and then you know you see your little one laying out on the ground—I done been through that, you know what I'm saying?"
Now, he hopes his reports not only inform but connect viewers emotionally to what's happening in their city.
"I just thank God... to be in position to even, you know, be legit and just, you know, do something that I love doing," Ye said. "Like this journalism—like I love doing this."
One major highlight? Meeting Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who praised Ye's work and his unique approach to community storytelling.
The Source
FOX 5's Alexa Liacko spoke with Hood Anchor Ye for this article.