Yelawolf

Michael Wayne Atha, better known by his stage name Yelawolf, is an American rapper. He is currently signed to Shady Records, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment and Interscope Records. He is co-managed by Redd Klay Entertainment along with his personal manager Jeremy “J Dot” Jones.

Raised in Gadsden, Alabama, Atha appeared on the reality series The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott and released his independent debut album Creek Water in 2005. Two years later, Atha signed to Columbia Records and released the single “Kickin’” from his unreleased first studio album, before being released from the label later that same year. From 2008 to 2010, Atha released an extended play and four mixtapes with Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment. Trunk Muzik 0-60, Atha’s fourth mixtape, was also released by Interscope Records. In 2011, Atha signed to Shady Records and his debut studio album Radioactive was released on November 21, 2011 to positive reviews. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 27. He spent much of his childhood in various locations around the southern United States, including Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Atlanta, Georgia and Antioch, Tennessee.

Atha is half white and Cherokee, and the name Yelawolf is a reference to his Native American roots.

Yelawolf is an avid skateboarder and made attempts at a professional skateboarding career but was forced to abandon due to injuries. Yelawolf began releasing mixtapes independently in 2007. He was briefly signed to Columbia Records in 2007 and left the label the same year.

A 2013 tour with Hopsin previewed his album Love Story, but with Shady celebrating its 15th anniversary and YelaWolf going on tour with DJ Paul, it took until 2015 for the album to see release.