Yonathan Elias

Yonathan Elias is an Eritrean/Nigerian TV Personality, Actor, and Model who has been stealing the spotlight in the entertainment industry for over 15 years. Elias uses his brand of being 1st Generation in the United States to uplift other 1st generational men and women, in their hopes and dreams of following their passion, just like he did. Elias first became known around the globe as a viral sensation after he produced a YouTube video named "D.C. Metro," which received more than 700,000 views. Today, Elias is considered a YouTube sensation with more videos counting up to 2 million views. He increased his fan base even more after co-hosting BET's number one rated music video show, "106 & Park." Yonathan Elias took the Reality realm by storm when he became the main cast member of BET's hit reality show 'Grand Hustle' alongside T.I. He also is the co-host of a popular podcast called "The Gold Room" and also a weekend morning program on AriseTV, alongside actress Rain Pryor, called "Arise & Shine". Elias is also the proud host of a music video countdown program that he creatively developed on Ethiopian Broadcast Service (EBS) called "Sound Pulse". Born and raised in Inglewood, California, Elias began his career in the entertainment industry by taking acting classes. By his teens, Elias was already known for his outstanding talents and charismatic personality. Diversity and innovation has been the backdrop of his impressive career. He continues to use his Eritrean/Nigerian background as motivation to showcase the talents that lie within his culture and country. Elias earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from California State University, San Bernardino. He went on to earn a Master's degree in Communication Studies from the prestigious Howard University in Washington, D.C. Elias uses his education to continue to tackle the competitive world of media and communication. He's worked as a lead anchor for Local Matters, media correspondent for numerous media outlets, host for Howard University Homecoming's 2013 Yard fest, and Soul Train Dancer.