Yelawolf is not your average rapper. If you were first introduced to his music through someone’s speakers you’d notice he wasn’t quite like any other rapper you’ve heard. And if you noticed that, then you were probably one of the firsts to recognize that Yelawolf would be a new leading voice in hip-hop but specifically southern rap. But the first time you lay your eyes on Yelawolf you wouldn’t think for a moment that he was the guy you were bumping in your headphones talking about box Chevy’s and popping the trunk (on you). No, Yelawolf looks nothing like a rapper. Yelawolf looks like he could be a tattoo artist, a motorcycle rider, and ,just maybe, the kid that bullied you in high school. However, despite his intimidatingly edgy appearance, Yelawolf is just another Southern gentleman speaking the truth over country rap tunes.
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Yelawolf was born in Gadsen, Alabama but raised around the South. Before making a home in Atlanta, GA; Yelawolf also lived in Baton Rouge, LA and Antioch, TN. Yelawolf is half white, half Cherokee and he pays homage to his Native American ancestry through his stage name. Before he dedicated his life to the mic, he was a professional skateboarder and BMX rider. He is exactly what is needed in hip-hop right now yet at the same time something that hip-hop never expected. Perhaps that’s why people outside of the South have been a little slow to react to the storm brewing in their own backyards.
Yelawolf began setting himself up to take over in 2005, independently creeping into the southern hip-hop scene with the release of his debut album Creekwater. He proved that he was more than capable of holding his own. featuring few local Atlanta veteran emcees Grip Plyaz, Ben Hameen and Fly Friday on several tracks. Soon, Yelawolf became affiliated with the touted Dixie Mafia– a collective of artists from the deep South that includes Killer Mike, Zoo Atlanta and Zay Cash. This tight knit group of hard-spitting rappers would go on to create a buzz for the independent Atlanta rap scene (that wasn’t snap music) and promote their own artistry through events and small concerts.
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In 2007, Yelawolf released his first mixtape Ball Of Flames: The Ballad of Slick Rick E. Bobby, a play on the movie Talladega Nights which stars Will Ferrell. In the mixtapes introduction, Yelawolf proclaims he’s ‘one the livest beat riders from the Bible belt’ and we can’t too much disagree. He made enough noise with this mixtape to capture the attention of Columbia Records; the label to whom he was briefly signed to later that year. In 2008, Yelawolf released a follow up mixtape, Stereo, as well as the EP Arena Rap. By the time 2009 came around, Yelawolf had solidified his place in the South but needed to capture the attention of the world. At this time, more collaborations outside of the South started forming for Yelawolf. He appeared on Juelz Santana‘s lead single for Born To Lose, Built To Win ‘Mixin’ Up The Medicine‘. He also appeared on Slim Thug’s Boss Of All Bosses and Bizarre of D-12’s Friday Night at St. Andrews. This year, Yelawolf has made some of the bigg
