Yelawolf is the stage name of Michael Wayne Atha, an American rapper, singer, and songwriter who hails from the state of Alabama.
He is most known for his debut independent album, ‘Creek Water,' which was published in 2005 and became a critical and commercial success. Interscope Records has signed him as a recording artist.
Yelawolf is an American hip-hop recording artist that has a net worth of $4.5 million and a salary of $150,000 per year. Yelawolf, real name Michael Wayne Atha, has amassed a substantial fortune from rapping contracts with Columbia Records and Eminem's Shady Records, where he is now signed.
Yelawolf's real name is Michael Wayne Atha, and he was born in Gadsden, Alabama, in December 1979. In 2005, he performed as an artist on the UPN reality show The Road to Stardom, which starred Missy Elliott.
Following the conclusion of the program, he released his first mixtape, followed by his independent first album, named Creek Water. Eventually, he signed with Columbia Records but was later released.
He released two additional mixtapes and signed with Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment, with whom he released an EP the following year. His mixtape Trunk Muzik, released in 2010, generated a lot of interest online.
In 2010, he signed with Interscope Records and released his debut album, Trunk Muzik 0-60. In 2011, he secured a recording contract with Eminem's Shady Records label. He has recorded two studio albums, the most recent of which being Love Story, which was released in 2014. In addition, he has published two EPs and six mixtapes.
Yelawolf founded his music label, Slumerican, in 2010. His album Radioactive debuted at #27 on the Billboard 200 list in its first week of release. He was homeless for some time in California. In July 2013, he announced his engagement to Fefe Dobson. He has collaborated with artists such as Eminem, Ed Sheeran, and Travis Barker.
Early Life
Michael Wayne Atha was born on the 30th of December, 1979, in Gadsden, Alabama. His mother Sheila, gave birth to him when she was just 16 years old. Throughout his childhood, Atha moved often.
Regarding his stage name, Yelawolf has said, “Yelawolf is Native American. My father is Cherokee and I’m from Cherokee county – Gadsden, Alabama. Yela represents light, the sun, power, fire, hunger, and Wolf represents my ability to survive… my fierceness
Career
Yelawolf signed with Sony BMG for the release of his single ‘Kickin', which was his first release under the label. After becoming disillusioned with life on a major label, he returned to the underground rap scene to pursue his dreams. Having been re-inspired, he set about establishing a following for himself through MySpace and mixtapes.
‘Friday Night', a compilation album by Bizarre, included him as a guest artist in 2010. Yelawolf's decision to connect himself with Eminem's Shady label and its family of musicians became a foreshadowing of things to come. It was revealed in 2011 that he would be signing with the label, and by the end of that year, his formal first album, Radioactive, had been released.
Starring in the video were artists such as Eminem, Kid Rock, Lil Jon, and Gangsta Boo. The production was handled by industry heavyweights like Diplo, Jim Jonsin, and the Justice League. His first collaboration with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker was on the rap-rock EP Psycho White in 2012.
While a 2013 tour with Hopsin served as a prelude for his upcoming album Love Story, the album didn't officially drop until 2015, thanks to Shady celebrating its 15th anniversary and Yelawolf embarking on a tour with Dj Paul.
“Out of Control,” the band's first single after reuniting with Travis Barker, arrived first, followed by “Daylight,” “Shadows,” and “Row Your Boat.” In 2017, he released the track “Punk,” which featured rapper Juicy J and actor Barker. A version of this song would appear on the rapper's third major-label album, Trial by Fire, which was released in late 2017.
Yelawolf's net worth is estimated to be $4.5 million as of 2022.
Highlights
Here are some of the most memorable moments in Yelawolf's professional life:
- CreekWater (Album, 2005)
- Let’s Roll (Song, 2011)
- Till It’s Gone (Song, 2015)
- Love Story (Album, 2015)
- Row Your Boat (song, 2017)
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Running a Business
Yelawolf stated in an interview with Forbes that when he relocated to Nashville in 2011, he intended to open a retail location that would include a tattoo parlor and barbershop. He met with Mike Wolfe, widely known for his television show “American Pickers,” who had recently purchased a building and was seeking a suitable business partner.
Wolfe and the rapper formed a partnership, with Wolfe concentrating on how the rapper's notoriety would assist in attracting clients. So the building became the main store for Slumerican, but the rapper's concept went beyond music to include more than simply clothing and accessories.
Yelawolf teamed with Violet, the owner of Sim's barbershop chain, to expand the store's capabilities to include a tattoo and barbershop. Yelawolf was certain that he was on the right road because Vilot already had a celebrity clientele that included Rihanna, Eminem, and Adele, among others.
When he looked back on 2017, he was pleased with how well the company was doing. Combined with his pay as a resident producer at House Blues, Yelawolf's net worth was already on the rise, thanks to the proceeds from the shop and his other sources of income.
