Yelawolf Tells His Life Story (Full Interview)

Rapper Yelawolf returned to VladTV after over a decade since his last interview on the platform. The music artist detailed his upbringing in Alabama and Tennessee, highlighting his rebellious teenage years filled with skateboarding, drugs, and evading trouble with the law. He also talked about his introduction to Hip-Hop before experiencing homelessness and moving back to the south to hone in on his image. Continuing to develop his sound while living in an Alabama trailer park, Yelawolf eventually moved to Atlanta and signed with Ghetto Vision Entertainment. After gaining a buzz through hooks and merging rock, country, and rap, he secured a major deal with Interscope through the release of his "Trunk Muzik" mixtape. The Interscope deal paved the way for a partnership with Eminem's Shady Records and a number of notable releases and collaborative EPs. To hear Yelawolf detail his life and career, check out the full interview above.

[@vladtv]

Watch full interviews early, uncensored and ad-free as a Member - kzbin.infojoin

[@flybylo]

GET RYAN UPCHURCH AS A GUEST!!

[@khunter8757]

You can definitely tell Yelawolf does not trust Vlad lol. Hes normally a lot more friendly.

[@slum4510]

Could be. Or he’s sober lol

[@matthewpflugh1810]

That's what I thought

[@eternalrewind2190]

Seems like he's taking benzos

[@DurtyWyatEarp]

There's a bigger audience here too who if y'all don't recall called him a racist white boy redneck

[@jodiehighroller9820]

@@slum4510I’d say sober

[@ujays111]

Probably one of the most versatile dudes in hip hop been listening to him since I was in highschool. Still listening today

[@terrycollins0314]

I met Yela BEFORE he became famous while down in Gadsden Alabama building a log house. Really humble & intelligent individual. He has definitely came a long way since then.

[@hllj2793]

Tell us more - how was he?

[@keithmccabe1090]

I met him too I was working front desk at a TownePlace Suites when he was touring Love Story, It was really brief but he was dope. Nice guy

[@LordOfThePancakes]

Cap

[@codbeast1427]

Yelawolf is scared of Bama mfer is never there. 💀

[@camthecanecorso]

He’s So underrated it’s crazy. He has word play skills like no other

[@jasonmahr5397]

For real. I cannot understand why this guy is so underrated. It makes no sense to me.

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

Agreed!🤘🏽

[@FU2H8R]

Thumbs up for Yelawolf not Vlad

[@DustinHardin-jb1oh]

Yelawolf straight up legendary!!

[@damonscarface2063]

What rock band is in again?

[@DustinHardin-jb1oh]

Sometimes Y is the rock album

[@dohy1]

😂

[@garybrown7047]

I don't even know what to say

[@michaelallen9571]

@@damonscarface2063 definitely need to listen to his music if you haven't before

[@beauhewett2140]

Yelawolf is one of my favorite artists. Thanks for this Vlad

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

Same! He’s one of my all time favorites 🤘🏽

[@valid3383]

Yelawolf gonna keep it authentic when it comes to the art.

[@my87fifty]

This why the people that been listening to him before even shady still love this dude. Always been the same except where he’s learned, improved and mastered.

[@Minivanmusician]

"Sometimes Y" is the best rock album I've heard in DECADES ... And he's a hell of an MC as well. Most overall talented artist I can think of..

[@raxputinofficial]

So glad you brought Yela back! Great interview. He deserves way more recognition for what he's done in music🔥🤘

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

Hell yeah! Absolutely!🤘🏽

[@timgibson8790]

Forget genres, aint no box you can put Yela in unless its gotta bowtie on it! This man is more than a rapper he is an artist. A true living representation of the word. Love Story is one of the best albums ever made. Slumerican Made!

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

🤘🏽

[@gcage7508]

Killed it on the shady cypher 🏆 🐐 em Stan’s gonna get mad but his verse was better

[@Minivanmusician]

"Rock N Roll Baby" is incredible. So is "Radio"

[@HavocsBells]

Which Radio? 😊

[@Minivanmusician]

@@HavocsBells on Sometimes Y

[@HavocsBells]

​@@MinivanmusicianBoth are pretty good, but that's my favorite too!

[@dogflirt]

Yela doing another hiphop album is the best thing in years!! An absolute legend, one of the best to ever do it!!

[@BACKYARDALLDAY]

Great interview, yela is for sure a goat

[@Black_Cat_Green]

So good to see Yelawolf!!!!!! Thank you so much for doing the interview. Rare site to see him sit down like this too.

[@thisisty8872]

Wolf not a big fan of vlad. Watch his other interviews

[@Backwardstogoforwards]

Bro he hasn't got a gun to he's head he agreed to the interview

[@Adam-ui3ot]

Then why the fuck would you be there.

[@ronmexico421]

ima be completely honest , shady never did shit to market wolf , love story didnt go gold because of shady , it went gold because of motherfuckers like me who traveled around the country doing promo for free and hung 5000 flyers around nashville , yeah the shady cosign was cool but his fanbase has always carried his promo , i have the posts and videos of all the shit we did on the street team, guerilla marketing , flyers in skate shops , smoke shops u name it we were there

[@adubhdx]

I'm pretty sure the song best friend with eminem helped a lot so shady did do something. Radioactive wasn't great n def needed a change so love story definitely was the album that made it all work out - em produced some beats on it too

[@officialdivadeville7588]

great interview, love this!

[@my87fifty]

Yelawolf a real ass dude. He seems like a a$$hole but the more I watched these he’s just a real dude that ain’t about any kinda bs. He knows what an interview can do and twist his words and he makes sure that ain’t happening ever again. Been here since pop the trunk premiered on world star what 14 years ago? Just like Kendrick with high power on world star @worldstar use to be the joint. Scroll thru videos everyday. I’ve found some of my favorite artist from them before people knew who they were.

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

He’s actually super cool very genuine extremely real!

[@SilverCali11]

Happy mothers day to all the mothers out there especially mama wolf.

[@kdr1048]

Yellawolf is an amazing lyricist! And 1000% one of my all time favorites 🏁💪 Awesome interview

[@stevenharper2249]

Dude put in his work and keeps it 💯

[@jamalcan1]

My big bro put me on to Yelawolf back in 03 or 04 ish when he would make moves in BHam.

[@LooseninjaNZ]

Shout out to Yelawolf for staying authenticly yourself the whole way through. No one else sounds like you . also shout out to sharing with us your story with all the ups and downs. Id love to see you smile more homie. You have alot to be proud for . Also cheers for always coming to New Zealand we appreciate big artists making the effort when they come from ages away to our country :)

[@user-ob4gi3tz8m]

Yelawolf is the best

[@alienboiiii]

Wow man I just became a yela wolf fan, what a knowledgeable stand up dude.

[@telepathy90]

Phenomenal interview . Much love and success to yela

[@thaddeuspearson8689]

How do I get in touch with Yelawolf to get one of his tattoos? I had a very similar thing happen to me with the psych stuff and that resonated with me heavy.

[@elijahugsang5304]

Yelawolf has been in this game for a min. Love his work respect the grind.

[@mikelac2]

Yelawolf has so many great songs...his black sheep album with Caskey is the best album in 25 years

[@Chomo-JoGreen-Go]

Been a long time!!! Decade+ since the last Vlad and Yela collab.

[@rafaelresende1704]

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE TO GET THAT HAT ????

[@lildeeinthafield4790]

Gotta watch this my dawg

[@pueblo1493]

Really like this whole platform. Vlad always kills it. Yella was really monotone and boring AF. Zero excitement. Love Yella just needs something to push it up a level.

[@cat-yi9cg]

Love yela. U should get Ritz next

[@Una2Cold]

Can’t wait for this album. Yela is the fucking man

[@nomostudios67]

If I’m not mistaken, I think he’s performing today in North Carolina right down the road from me in Black Mountain

[@lenorab6289]

I've been a Yelawolf fan for a long time. He's grown a lot over the years. Interesting guy. 🌟⚡

[@k.m.k-ultrafanpage4kottonm243]

Literally watching peanut butter falcon right now and as this poped up

[@LaurieBatts-bd2ox]

I like yelawolf. He reminds me of the maturing Eminem.

[@CrazyAztekX3]

Yelawolf ⚡️🤘🏼⚡️ (criminally underrated)

[@adamstewart4230]

I have always wanted an in-depth interview like this with yelawolf, I've seen a few but I feel like they've never totally went through everything. Never thought I would say this, but thank you for that Vlad. And of course Yelawolf much thanks for the interview and all the timeless music you create.🤘

[@cynthia425]

One of my favs...Yela!!!

[@larryshepherd5380]

This feels like he not a fan of vlad.

[@Bojackson.34]

dJ Vlad wit da heat🔥🔥

[@wtf_cowboy1028]

The way Vladimir says okay after each response irritates me to no end

[@PaulB_864]

It's just a verbal fade/transition

[@TinaMillan-do8ds]

Same!

[@GavinWest-ru3em]

I've been listening to Yela since before radioactive came out,

[@done8140]

Going to meet Yela in Bristol VA tonight at 6 ! Can't wait to meet you bro 💯

[@amberrochelle325]

What the hell!!! I didn’t know he was in VA!!! I would’ve went 😢

[@colemurray7292]

Wolf is the man. Been listening to him since ‘04. Slumerican family Amazing to see the progression of his music and art. Keep it Dusty!

[@ghostofluck1811]

I love how real he is. I love how he is telling how he kept picking himself up and kept moving, kept pushing to get where he wanted. I like how he admits he was broke numerous times. A lot of artists stunt like they always had money and always was on. So it's refreshing to hear a real one speak and talk about the failures and the let downs, and still keep on the grind. Much love and respect to Yela and his team. 🫡

[@DawsonLee69]

Been listening to wolf for the longest. You should do music with upchurch🤘from cburg alabama

[@smokeyj4206]

Yelawolf in his own lane. I've been a fan for years. Dudes a beast

[@ChocolateDon929]

I wished he asked him about the Royce da 5’9 situation 🥲

[@HipHopfan_]

Nah

[@HavocsBells]

What exactly is there to know though?

[@ChocolateDon929]

@@HavocsBells was Royce accusation right how and where did he get that information from being called a racist is serious accusations

[@HavocsBells]

​@ChocolateDon929 I think he addressed it in a way. It wasn't him, if it was said, and he wasn't going to throw anyone under the bus either. I would have been interested to know the conversation that went down around it though.

[@ChocolateDon929]

@@HavocsBells exactly!!! 🎯

[@jasonmacdonald27]

As soon as I heard gadsden Alabama, he's been thru the REAL STRUGGLE too!!!! Been there, Done that!!!!! That's a FUCT UP PLACE!!!!!

[@user-bu4bv4gu4s]

What you know about Gadsden? Attalla is a funky up place...seems strange as I tap that out in silicon valley...I went to school in Gadsden born in ft. Payne. Lived all over north Alabama growing up.

[@haggardautomotive]

The most true artist of all time. And all time great.

[@claytontower9253]

So cool this man went fishing. Idk any other rappers that have done it

[@pathaha4870]

One of the best to ever do. Yela is a goat

[@Stephanie-bn1dh]

Mike. Wth was tou doing in Killeen Texas?

[@dragoti1122]

HE IS A LEGEND!!!!! Love this dude ❤️❤️❤️

[@jakehoerntlein7292]

Don’t make me pop the trunk 🤘

[@stayreal120]

TAKE CARE GOD BLESS🙏🙏🙏

[@willstrat01]

Love this Interview - would have loved a question about the Royce Da 5'9 Diss lines that came out a while ago.

[@Shortyb1986]

Yelawolf was pretty solid as a rapper💯‼️

[@slum4510]

Is*

[@craigsmith926]

This is dope

[@djpearce4534]

That Album Creek Water didn’t make it but what it did do was make my ears check back into rap lyrics. Creekwater gave me the same feeling I got after listening to Goodie Mob’s Still Standing Record. Just like this is the shit and you could feel the storm about to come.

[@ronmexico421]

of all the rappers ive worked with the 4 years i spent in nashville with yelawolf and slumerican were the most influential of my career , one of the last real rockstars , i hope yall give him his flowers while hes here , the stories i could tell you that i never will , this interview is great but there is alot more to his story than yall will ever know , salute to the goat

[@eternalrewind2190]

Not to take away anything from Yelawolf or anybody else but bone thugs did a really good country song with mo thugs back in 2000 I believe called ghetto cowboy. There's a video for it and everything they were definitely ahead of the curb

[@mattsk8s937]

Yelawolf has a ghetto cowboy song prob sampled the one you're talking about.

[@BEEZ-R]

Underated wolf !! 🔥

[@meghanferrari6501]

Yelawolf does little to no interviews so im interested in learning more and being able to hear his own thoughts.

[@naiianmachine8791]

Yela needs to do a track or an album with Nergal.

[@lauraserrapica84]

Thank you for telling your story 😊❤🫂🙏🏽💚

[@jokapsalis3910]

Love Yela!! I share a pretty similar story. Same age, never made it though. I'm more about rock, but i do rap also. Just finished rock/blues album 'Blue Stone'. Be *amazing* if Yela listened to my album. I record in a shed at end of my yard. Everything you hear, bar the live drum track, is myself - bass/vocals/guitar. Next a piano album. Still trying even though i know, at my age - esp being female, i stand no chance. Soon to be kicked out from my home too :( Yelawolf - pluck me up! lol This was a great interview, dude needs to write a book. Peace & Love! JoKa x

[@parsley7894]

YELA! ⚡️

[@creekbanks256]

Did he say he is the only person who could do country rap right ? Narcissistic much

[@mellomufasa]

Bro should remix country roads!!

[@michellelichauco9127]

Finn said, "Fuck 'em!" 😂🎉😊😊😊

[@blakeburnett8400]

@yelawolf I didn’t see the golf coming. That’s wild. Wakesurfing or racing something… btw I have a stock 2wd 77 k5 with your name on it. Holler

[@LauraBrenna-tt2wn]

❤❤❤ Thank you so much

[@BigSkip304]

@yelawolf is an icon in music and I love the interview it’s really inspiring and I salute him for fighting and grinding to accomplish what he did. The only thing I disagree with is Struggle being the king of country rap. It’s not for me to say who is but I can think of a few that is way more capable of holding that title. But I like Struggle and his music there’s definitely no hate but I’m just being real.

[@khunter8757]

Yes!!!!

[@i.m.suterr]

🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 wolf is a goat

[@billymcgee8622]

Wolf is a goat been a fan since day one I seen a lot of talent back in the day

[@gregv526]

Good for you and your success brother...you are who you are because where you came from! You are you!!! Respect here...

[@amberrochelle325]

I ❤ this man so much 🥰❤️🥰❤️

[@dial-tone609]

Yelawolf the goat

[@tylermulberry4577]

This dude doesnt give a shit about wolf, its like hes just letting him fill in the blanks of his fact timeline, to not even dig into the TMR era at all was insane and you can tell yela knows it smfh

[@Hustledadd]

Yela has been a bad ass artist and true to his style since day one. Much respect due to the dude. Now if I could get him to help me with The Beat of Life like Jelly Roll did…legendary status for that.

[@user-hf4xc7cw7f]

Have you ever skated pipes I skaked a lot barefoot camelback mountain Scottsdale Az were I grew up

[@damianmyers4542]

You can see the frustration when he is talking about the designs he made when allowing other people's ideas slide into his vision he could already see.... Yelawolf is a fkn legend 💪💪💪💯💯💯

[@SPVCEBOY86]

Yela 🔥

[@kevindagame]

ALRIGHT HERE WE GO, THE WHOLE INTERVIEW IS HERE, WELCOME TO VLADTV!!!! This is your first time here, so I wanna start in the very beginning. Yelawolf, always a pleasure, until next time.... PEACE!!!!

[@tapintv702]

💯

[@user-hf4xc7cw7f]

Very interesting

[@msully76]

This guys story is great...he never gave up until he made it big time..

[@sarahkathryngunn]

Listened to him when still living wrong on the streets in 2016; listened in prison 2018-2020; 6 years sober now, still listening. I love how Eminem and Yelawolf have evolved into sobriety during the same times I did. It helped to hear them talk about it and inspired me to keep going. In case you haven’t heard it, I highly suggest downloading the single ‘Best Friend’, by Em and Yelawolf…the personal growth shown on this record was refreshing during a dark time of life when I was seeking the light, and is my favorite song of his (as much as I love the older albums). I wish I had a fiddle playing in background now during this post… real Yelawolf fans will get the reference 😊❤Thank you or this one, Vlad!

[@khunter8757]

Yelawolf is definitely NOT sober!! Go watch his stories, he gets effed up every single night.

[@sarahkathryngunn]

@@khunter8757 at the time he was though which helped me when I first got sober.

[@tobiaspeake9966]

Not even close to sober

[@TerraAnn44]

Im not even half way through your story and understand why I feel so drawn to you. ❤💛

[@TerraAnn44]

Much love yela

[@Saveahorse82]

Interview Brandon Jamal. The guy who sings "Now your a single mom"

[@wastelandwarriorz665fanacc8]

Watched peanut butter falcon last night it's legit