Is he the South's answer to Eminem? This is the the question that surrounded Yelawolf's entry into the rap world, which was largely aided by his well received mixtape, Trunk Muzik. Almost a decade after his hyped debut, Yela's chaotic & urgent Radioactive is reissued (the og pressing going for some money on vinyl market places!).  The Alabama rapper's double-time, Alabama-rooted rhymes over beats produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Diplo, and Jim Jonsin are quite different than what we now process as "country rap," but nevertheless, the tracks go HARD. Two big ones from the album are "Throw It Up" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eminem as well as "Hard White" alongside Lil Jon, but also check out "Animal," "Slummerican Shitizen," and "Made In The U.S.A. ."

• yellow vinyl pressing
• music label: Shady Records 2011 / 2019

reviewed by singing in japanese 06/19