Yelawolf

December 30, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Michael Wayne Atha, better known by his stage name Yelawolf, was born on December 30, 1979, and is a rapper from the U.S. He began his solo career in 2005, releasing one extended play (EP) and four mixtapes until 2010. It wasn’t until 2010’s “Trunk Muzik” EP that Atha gained mainstream attention, culminating in a deal with Interscope Records. His first major label release was a reworking of “Trunk Muzik” called “Trunk Muzik 0 — 60” (2010). Atha signed a recording contract with Eminem’s record label, Shady Records, in January 2011 and released his second studio album, “Radioactive,” in November 2011. The album debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200.” Today, we honor him and his achievements.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Michael Wayne Atha

Nickname:

Yelawolf

Birth date:

December 30, 1979

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Capricorn

Height:

6' 0"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$400 thousand

Background

Michael Wayne Atha, better known by his stage name Yelawolf, was born in Alabama, but he moved frequently throughout his childhood. He grew up in Antioch, Tennessee, and attended Carter Lawrence Elementary School in Nashville.

With the independent release “Creekwater,” Atha made his full-length album debut. He later signed with Sony BMG for the release of a promotional single, ‘Kickin’.’ He returned to the underground rap scene after becoming disillusioned with life while being with a major label. Once invigorated, he set about building an audience for himself through MySpace and mixtapes. An appearance on Bizarre’s album, “Friday Night,” in 2010 signaled the rapper’s decision to align himself with Eminem’s Shady Records and its family of artists. His signing to the label was announced in 2011, and his official debut album, “Radioactive,” was released by the end of the year. Guest appearances included Eminem, Kid Rock, Lil Jon, and Gangsta Boo, as well as names like Diplo and Jim Jonsin. A year later, Atha collaborated on the rap-rock EP “Psycho White” with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. A 2013 tour with Hopsin previewed his album “Love Story,” but with Shady Records celebrating its 15th anniversary and Atha on tour with D.J. Paul, the record didn’t come out until 2015. Eminem produced the album and made a guest appearance on the track ‘Best Friend.’ Atha followed “Love Story” with a series of singles in addition to touring. ‘Out of Control,’ a collaboration with Travis Barker, was the first single to be released, followed by ‘Daylight,’ ‘Shadows,’ and ‘Row Your Boat.’ He released the single ‘Punk’ in 2017, which featured Barker and rapper Juicy J. After teasing it for a while, Atha revealed “Trunk Muzik III,” a sequel to his two previous “Trunk Muzik” mixtapes. This would be his fifth proper album and his final release for the Shady Records imprint. “Trunk Muzik III,” which featured Machine Gun Kelly, Rittz, and many other guests, was released in March 2019. Later that year, he released “Ghetto Cowboy,” his sixth studio album, through his independent label, Slumerican. Atha had a period of extreme output in 2021, releasing five new projects between February and April of that year.

Atha proposed to his girlfriend, musician Fefe Dobson, in July 2013. He has three children as of 2015. They wed on September 27, 2019.

Career timeline

2005

The Reality TV Series

Atha stars in the UPN Network series “The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliot.”

2009

The Record Deal

Atha signs with Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment.

2014

The Compilation Album

Atha puts out a compilation album titled “Shady XV” with Shady Records.

2020

The Collaborative Album

Atha releases his debut collaborative album called “Devil Went Down To Georgia.”

Why We Love Yelawolf

He has a unique rap style
Atha is known for his distinct style, which ranges from American gothic to gore, as well as the “richness and invention of his language” and the range of his vocal style. This ranges “from beer-swilling rowdiness to a crawling, contemptuous sibilance.”
He enjoys having fun
Aside from being a rapper, he is also a very good skateboarder. He is always down to perform crazy stunts.
He recognizes the greats
Atha has always recognized and talked about the people who influenced his style and sound. These include stars such as Eminem, Kid Rock, Outcast, Pete Rock, J. Dilla, e.t.c.

5 Surprising Facts

He is of Cherokee descent
He acknowledged that his father is Cherokee.
‘Yelawolf’ is a tribute to his heritage
He says he created the name ‘Yelawolf’ by combining the Cherokee word ‘yela’ and the English word ‘wolf’ because it “symbolizes the duality between his intelligent ‘light’ side ... and his assertive, survivalist ‘dark’ side.”
He attended a lot of high schools
Due to his family moving a lot, he claims to have attended 15 high schools.
He has a lot of weird tattoos
Atha has a lot of tattoos, including a catfish swimming down his forearm and a Heart Of Dixie stamp on his stomach.
His mother’s boyfriend introduced him to hip-hop
Atha was introduced to the world of hip-hop by his mom’s boyfriend who was a sound designer for Aerosmith.