His 2010 breakthrough tape, Trunk Muzik, showcased his rapid, double-time flow with a backwoods, country-style delivery. Immediately, though, Yelawolf proved himself to be a ferociously confident rapper with a knack for clever branding and sharp bars. Yelawolf’s introduction to hip-hop came early, from the Run-DMC tape he’d listen to while riding the bus to school from the Nashville projects each morning, but he found his way to the industry haphazardly, spending his young-adult days as a commercial fisherman and skateboarder before he ever touched a mic.
Born Michael Atha in 1979 in Gadsden, Alabama, with a childhood spent bouncing around Georgia and Tennessee, he emerged in 2005 as a flamethrower of a rapper, following the tradition of Southern luminaries like Outkast and 8Ball & MJG-with a bit of Kid Rock thrown in for good measure. Long before Lil Nas X yeehaw'ed his way to the top of the charts, Yelawolf was spitting bars over twanging guitars and stomp-clap percussion sections.
