Radioactive

iTunes Review

Hailing from rural Alabama, Yelawolf has gone from perpetually struggling, under-underground emcee to critical darling with a major-label deal and huge budget in just a few short years. Radioactive is his first big release (he dropped Creek Water in 2005, and also has a bunch of mixtapes to his credit). This pairs him up with a gang of superstars, such as Kid Rock ("Let's Roll"), Lil Jon ("Hard White"), and Killer Mike ("Slumerican Shitizen"). Stylistically, he comes with an angsty, machine-gun flow strikingly similar to Eminem (who signed him to Shady Records and also appears on the excellent "Throw It Up"), with hard rock and country-flavored tracks backing lyrics about small-town living, trailer park poverty, dues paid, and a lifetime of struggle. With its ultra-slick production (from Will Power, Diplo, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and Jim Jonsin), and a co-sign from Mr. Shady himself, there's no doubt that Yelawolf could be very, very big. Don't miss "Good Girl," "Animal," and the autobiographical closer, "The Last Song."