Local Rapper Returns as a Star

By Zachary Circo

Middle Stew Reporter

          NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The rapper Yelawolf returned to the South to perform as a Shady Records artist at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville on Nov. 16 as his Slumerican Tour came to a close.

           Yelawolf, a rapper from Gadsden, Ala., who signed to Eminem’s Shady Records record label in January 2011, performed the second-to-last show on the Slumerican Tour in Nashville. Yelawolf, who grew up in Nashville, considers the city his second home, making the performance more entertaining as the rapper put more vivacity into his songs.

          Yelawolf was joined by fellow Slumerican rapper, Rittz. Both rappers are known for using rapid-fire precise rhyming with accurate enunciation. The two Southern MCs also embrace their Southern culture, proudly incorporating imagery of their lives in the American South into their songs.

          After signing with Eminem in January 2011, Yelawolf released his major-label debut album, "Radioactive", in November of the same year. However, this did not slow the rapper’s roll in the slightest, as he has recently done collaborative projects with English singer Ed Sheeran and American drummer Travis Barker. "Psycho White", the collaborative album that came out of his relationship with Blink 182’s drummer, Travis Barker, was part of the show at the Cannery Ballroom, as the EP had been released only three days prior to the concert.

          In addition to his fast-paced rhymes and proud country boy persona, Yelawolf is known for his livewire performances, getting extremely rowdy on the stage. As his set began, Yelawolf walked onto the stage with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other while “Whistle Dixie”, a single from the Psycho White album, played in the background. Throughout the night, Yelawolf captivated the crowd’s attention through his wild showmanship, even climbing to the top of the speakers and tying an American flag around his neck, before diving into the crowd at one point.

          The audience was able to watch Yelawolf perform some of his biggest hits, such as “Daddy’s Lambo”, “Pop the Trunk”, and his verse from the 2011 BET Cypher, as well as new songs from Psycho White. In addition to his own discography, Yelawolf paid homage to some of his influences, covering a the Beastie Boys song “Paul Revere” and dedicating it to the late MCA, as well as covering “The Way I Am” out of respect to his mentor Eminem. The Gadsden, Ala., MC also touched upon his other musical influences, rapping over the instrumentals to songs from the bands Nirvana, AC/DC, and Lynard Skynard, as well as singing the Hank Williams Jr. song “If Heaven Ain’t a Lot Like Dixie”.

          Rittz recently signed to the largest independent record label in the world, Strange Music Inc., and he showed off this fact by wearing his new Strange Music pendant and rapping his part of a song that he recorded with the head of Strange Music. Rittz also performed songs from his album White Jesus and songs that he recorded alongside Yelawolf.

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