Article: Rapper Yelawolf faces his past and finds his voice

Growing up, there were few constants in Yelawolf’s life.

The rapper, born Michael Wayne Atha to a teenage mother in Gadsden, Ala., said he logged time at 15 different schools in a childhood defined by change.

“There were only a few things in my life that maintained,” he said in a recent phone interview. “My grandparents’ phone number, where they lived and the Chevy parked in the driveway.”

Now 31, Yela’s adaptability has proven to be an essential asset as he navigates the modern music industry. Initially signed to Columbia Records in 2007, the rapper was dropped by the label later the same year after Rick Rubin took over as co-president and started cleaning house.

Despite having little opportunity to prove himself to the new boss, Yelawolf doesn’t appear to harbor any bitterness. Indeed, asked if he felt ready for the spotlight when he signed that first deal, the rapper, who performs at the Majestic Theatre on Tuesday, March 29, didn’t flash any false bravado. “I mean, honestly?” he said, pausing to consider his words. “I didn’t really know.”

There are no such doubts these days. Yelawolf, now signed to Eminem’s Shady Records, currently has a buzzed-about mixtape (“Trunk Muzic 0-60”) making the rounds and his long-in-the-works debut album, “Radioactive,” is expected out sometime this summer.

Read the full article here: Square