Yelawolf
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha, better known as Yelawolf, is an American hip hop recording artist from Gadsden, Alabama. In his early years, Yelawolf released his first independent album Creek Water, which was released in 2005. During 2005 to 2010, he's been putting the releases of one extended play and four mixtapes. One extended play, titled Trunk Muzik, amassed a strong attention that would follow the rapper's signing a record deal to Interscope Records, which re-released the mixtape as Trunk Muzik 0-60...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRapper
Date of Birth30 December 1979
CityGadsen, AL
CountryUnited States of America
'Yela' represents hunger, life, light, fire, power. 'Wolf' speaks to my fighting spirit. The soul I put in my music.
You have to fall. You have to understand what that feels like. For what I want in my life, and for where I want to go with this music, you gotta be humiliated, man. You gotta understand what that feels like. It just makes you stronger.
Where I'm from is like 'Hustle & Flow' versus '8 Mile.' It's that really grimy, box-Chevy, dope-boy, working-class music.
I just picked up a lot of classic-rock, melodic influence from my mom, music that she listened to, like 10,000 Maniacs, Led Zeppelin, REO Speedwagon and Yes.
My grandmother, grandfather, my mom - we've always been driven by laughter. It's what held us together. Thanksgivings, any kind of family get-together, we usually end up in tears.
I equally love both, classic rock and hip-hop. I love all music, really, and I really use classic rock a lot. I'm heavily influenced by that melodically in my music. I can't really separate the two.
I'm never in the mood to eat or drink when I get to a show. I'm just too nerved out.
Triple 6 Mafia and Mystikal in Atlanta was one of my first shows. I remember how sweaty and smashed up everybody was, and it was so punk rock.
I don't sit under the tattoo gun unless I'm sold on it completely and it will define me as a person.
I definitely prefer intimate crowds. I mean, those are always the best shows, like, a small venue. Packed to the gills. Hot, sweaty. Those are always the fun shows.
I just want to make a classic. Classic is the standard. I'm just trying to make music that will last a lifetime.
Melody always comes to me first before words - cadence and melody. When you're humming the melody and it's incredible and words start coming out it can build into something special.
It's hard being a white rapper sometimes! When that happens you just need to battle through.
1,2,3, I'm at the Chelsey Hotel, like, Sid and Nancy, with knife, and two grams of candy