Yela Talks About Em

[Amaranthine]

Haven't seen this posted.

It's been a long road for Yelawolf, but on November 21, the Gadsden, Alabama, MC will finally release his official debut album,Radioactive.

The Southern rapper first signed to Columbia Records in 2007, but never got to release his LP. After that deal fizzled out, Yela hit the mixtape scene and became one of rap's most anticipated newcomers, eventually linking up with Eminem's Shady Records. For Yelawolf, Eminem's input during the making of Radioactive was priceless.

"His ideas and his opinions are worth a lot," Wolf told MTV News on Tuesday. "Artistically, it's worth more than I can pay for — for him to even say what he thinks about a record."

In February, Yelawolf talked with us about the significance of being signed to Shady and working with Eminem. "I mean, it's a huge deal being able to have a mentor who's done this for so long and [has] been through so much," Wolf said. "Also, artistically, [he just pushes] me to be better. Being around them dudes will make you better naturally. So we're excited, man."

Yelawolf also told us this week that Em was present every step of the way during the making of the album. The first official single, "Hard White (Up in the Club)," features Lil Jon and it's the perfect mix of crunk and rowdy rock. Many of the album's tracks mark a departure in sound from what fans would expect to hear on a Slim Shady record. Even the one record that Yela's boss appears on, the hyped-up "Throw It Up" with Three 6 Mafia co-founder Gangsta Boo, is sonically different from anything that has appeared on Eminem's Relapse or the Grammy Award-winning multiplatinum Recovery.

Still, Yela insists that the living rap legend's value stretches further than a single appearance. "I've been in the studio with him when I was writing a couple of records for this. He mixed, he did arrangements, he was fully involved," he said.

Yelawolf wraps up his Hard White Tour on Friday in Las Vegas.

[Mr.DGAF]

Really looking forward to the Throw it Up track. I keep hearing how different it is from his normal sound, which is intriguing. Still, how different can it be? How far into the creative depths can Eminem dive now-a-days?

[mdemaz]

Yela is a runaway freight train, all the kids are getting into his shit.
Hype factor is massive, good for him.
I think it's cool that he respects Em soo much.

[Francesco]

Still, how different can it be? How far into the creative depths can Eminem dive now-a-days?

I don't think EM's verse itself would be a type a verse we haven't heard but the whole record would be something new & fresh artistically.
Yela's a white dude from Gadsden, Alabama & his sound is absolutely unique mostly 'cuz of it, while Gangsta boo is a legendary black female gangsta rapper from Memphis, Tennessee which is complicated enough exactly 'cuz we're actually gonna hear 3 verses from the perspectives of 3 totally different artists from totally different regions...
Basically if they even rapped about the same thang, it would still be complicaed cuz they'd see it from totally different angles, let alone the totally different type a sound for EM.
Gangsta Boo said Yela let her be herself & let her be in her own zone & his own shit fit perfectly to it & not just that but EM came & fit in it as well instead of forcing it to his zone... That would be the answer of your question.

[Mr Change]

Great to see Eminem being so active on something like this, imagine how involved he must be with other shady 2.0 members' albums and how anxious for his next solo album he is

[James Deuce]

Yele to flop, honestly.

No matter how creative and talented he is. Sorry, folks.


Hope I'm wrong, though.

[OMEGA]

Yelawolf is awesome. Dude embraced his redneck hillbily-ness and, similar to artists like Cudi, came up with his own unique sound that blends different genres. Right now I'm totally into Trunk Muzik, and I think Radioactive is going to be a brilliant debut for him.

It's also great to hear that Eminem is overseeing the project. Although their sounds are different, they share similarities as artists (and I'm not talking about being white). Hopefully Yelawolf influenced Eminem into coming up with new concepts and focus on story-telling tracks, and Slim influenced Yela in how to be appealing to a broader audience while at the same time maintaining his uniqueness and originality.

I'm a little bit worried about sales though. The thing is, if the collabo with Em turns out to be a major hit and the ace up their sleeves (which I think is the plan right now), the album will do good numbers. If they drop the ball with marketing and there are no other big singles (not even Pop the Trunk big), Yela will still be an "underground" artist.

[TheGentlePlayer]

^^
Yeah, I think he should drop the Em song as a single. Then make a music video to it so he can buold up a hype. Can't believe he don't even have a real single out yet, and he want to be "radio active"

[Sam.]

Really looking forward to the Throw it Up track. I keep hearing how different it is from his normal sound, which is intriguing. Still, how different can it be? How far into the creative depths can Eminem dive now-a-days?

Saying that you're doubting his observing skill which has been and still is sharp as a knife.Cinderella Man & On Fire proves what I said,both songs are totally different from the rest of the Albums making them the best stand out tracks from the Album.There are many facets of things that can be said in Rap ,which .....most of them are yet to be touched by him and I bet he will in the future.