‘This was my company’: rapper Yelawolf revisits Berkeley

February 15, 2011 7:00 am by Tracey Taylor

There isn’t much rapper Yelawolf hasn’t seen or experienced. As his online biography notes, this “badass Alabaman” was born Michael Wayne Atha to an absentee father and a bartender mother, he attended over 15 schools while “soaking up slang and spiritualism in Baton Rouge, Antioch, Tennessee, and Atlanta”. He worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska and crossed the country on Greyhound buses exploring and honing his musical skills.

Yelawolf also spent time in Berkeley, trying to become a professional skateboarder, an effort he had to abandon due to injuries. He recently returned to Berkeley, and specifically to People’s Park, where, as he put it, he used to “keep company”.

In the video above Yelawolf talks about the time he spent here, and describes the day he decided to get up and walk away (potentially offensive language alert applies).

Yelawolf’s album Trunk Musik 0-60 came out in November, and mega-rapper Eminem signed him to his Shady Records label last month.

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  • Guest

    Everyone wants to be a rapper. Let’s pray the world ends in 2012 so we don’t have to put up with it anymore.

    So instead of drinking alcohol and smoking pot all day in the Park, he raps about drinking alcohol and smoking pot all day… did he really get that far in life?

    I don’t think the word “hone” is appropriate for this style of rap music. Let’s face it, it’s not very good. If there wasn’t the local aspect to this story, would you ever listen to this? No.

    How many times does the word “bitch” need to be in a song? I thought the man said he was spiritual. He has a strange concept of spirituality.

    How much personal growth can a man have gone through if he hangs around Eminem? Again, the guy claims he left the Park to get away from doing nothing but drugs all day, but he is hanging out with rappers who do nothing but rap and do drugs all day. Also, is Eminem still talking about how much he hates gay people? Or was that just a phase?

  • http://tivon.tv Tivon

    The comment above is worse than the situation Yelawolf may have even tried to lift himself out of.

    Negativity gets people…where? I hope you achieve whatever goals you’ve set for yourself, and respect the goals others set for themselves. I’m more than sure his life has improved with time, i wish you the same good fortune!

  • Name Withheld

    I think Eminem stopped talking about how much he hates gay people when he realized that it was costing him record sales and alienating him from the Hollywood/NYC crowd he so desperately wants to be a part of. He probably still hates them, he just doesn’t talk about it in public any more.

  • Bruce Love

    It’s pretty good poetry:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np3pU-dLok4

    Written out lyrics with a “trot” (click on lines) here:

    http://rapgenius.com/lyrics/Yelawolf/Pop-the-trunk

    “This ain’t a figment of my imagination buddy, this is where I live Bama!”

  • Long-Time Berkeley Resident

    “Negativity gets people…where? I hope you achieve whatever goals you’ve set for yourself, and respect the goals others set for themselves.”

    If someone is doing something destructive, then it is appropriate to criticize them. Hopefully, the negativity (=criticism) will slow or stop the destructive behavior.

    When people criticize racism or environmental destruction, would you make the same statement? Would tell the critics to respect the goals that the racists or polluters set for themselves?

  • Name Withheld

    NOTE: You may not like his music, but at least this guy has found a way to pay his own way instead of being just another leech living in People’s Park. For that I applaud him, and wish him the best of luck in his chosen career.

  • Matt

    Yelawolf is about as original as you can get, forget about the pot and drinking and listen to the lyrical style, the words, the country tip. You could not invent a better persona with high paid hollywood producers. His rap style and speed have gained him so much respect in the industry in such a short time, Eminem, Busta, Gucci and so many already have given praise. Watch out for him, 2011 will be his year to shine. Good luck Yela. keep mixin up the medicine….

    Catfish Billy is in the HOUSE…

  • Bruce Love

    The various “criticisms” (which really seems based on just not understanding) has me playing other tracks out of curiosity. “Daddy’s Lambo” (the original version, I guess) is just silly laugh out loud funny (and fun to listen to as music). “I Just Want to Party” is a darker but similarly kinda silly take on a closely related topic — a little more nuanced here since the rappers themselves aren’t the poor ones in the room. “Lemonade freestyle” gives you some sense of a guy who senses he’s entering the big time. “Love is not enough” hurts. And, yeah, “Pop the Trunk” is an intense, somber painting of very real things – I think it’s a genius track (look for the production video for better appreciation).

    A lot of great lyrics. Good beats. Really authentic portrayals of some of the parts of life he’s seen when he feels but also some really elevated, reaching back down and pointing towards up, funny, smart lyrics. I found one stinker track I really didn’t like because of the production but I won’t say which. I think this smart, articulate, and soon to be darn rich guy (with any luck) is breaking through for a reason. “Good to Go.”

    (For their protection, the culture critics should avoid Mark Twain, most of the great blues artists from the early 20th century, pretty much all rock and roll, vast numbers of poets and writers with a good sense of “voice”, and so on. Except, perhaps, on your birthday when you just want to party. (that’s a joke that refers to some lyrics) :-)

  • LoL

    I can think of a couple things this guy has probably never seen or experienced: responsibility, education, a real job…

    But I love the shots of the pianist hitting the same bass note over and over for the entire song.