Nov 17, 2016

It's 4 days away from the 5 year anniversary of Yelawolf's debut album and for some odd reason, Lupe releasing Made in the USA and Get Away coming on shuffle made me want to revisit the album, not knowing the anniversary until looking it up just now. The general consensus of this album when it came out was that it was mediocre, too pop and saw Yelawolf trying too hard to appeal to a wider demographic. Listening to it now, although I shared a similar sentiment when the album came out, I can say now that this was a decent album and had potential to be one of the best albums of 2011 if the sugary filler was cut out.

The introduction starts off with Yela just spittin that s--- over a haunting, skeletal beat. Get Away is a dope song with solid verses by everyone. The beat is amazing too and I remember it got me hip to Phonix Beats when I first heard it (now has No Role Modelz, Let Me Explain by Bryson, We Good by Fab, and many more production credits under his belt). Let's Roll is a dope ode to Bama and one of the rare successes Yela makes at shooting for the pop charts without sacrificing his artistic merit. Hard White is a cool club record. Growin Up in the Gutter is one of the best songs on the album. Everything from the alarming beat, the introspective lyrics, the Rittz feature, to the hook just makes this a great song about growing up facing adversity.

Throw It Up gets alot of unnecessary hate. All the verses were pretty good. The beat is just a---. And there are some vintage Em lines on this record too.
"They say I act like an a------
When I pull up at the White Castle
And I ask for an appli-cation
Throw it back in her face and
Tell the b---- I'm a rapper, then I wack her
In the head with a Whopper
That I bought from BK, you expect me to be proper
b---- you better pop in a CD of me immediately slut, ho
Skidda dee da da"

I chuckled a bit when I heard this


"Prada, not a chance
I was thinking about buying you some clothes
But Target's closed
So I decided to mosey on over to K-Mart but the doors
Was locked, what about some shoes I thought
Great I suppose
So I go to Payless but what'dya know
They didn't carry a size eight in hoes"
Classic Em extended metaphor


"Ohhh this is Ugly Boy Swag"



Although he didn't ruin the song, Em pretty much ruined the album with his advising on putting love songs on the record.
Good Girl is f---ing trash. The concept had potential but it couldn't save the song whatsoever. The Hardest Love Song In The World was a little better but it was still pretty corny. The beat was cool though. As for of the rest of the poppy tracks, Animal was pretty forgetable, Made in the USA is actually a great song similar to American You in concept, Radio was cool, and Write Your Name could've been a great song if the Neptunes didn't just sell Yela the demo for Aston Martin Music

Everything I Love The Most was decent. The album ends in a good way with Slumerican Shitizen (man Killer Mikes contribution was dope as s---), and the Last Song. I feel like if Animal, Good Girl, and The Hardest Love Song was replaced with Whip It, I See You, and No Hands (songs on the deluxe edition and loosies) then this album would've been talked about amongst the best albums of 2011 and would've kept the Shady 2.0 momentum going. Instead we got a decent debut with unreached potential from a great artist telling about the trials of the everyman. Mediocre to Decent in my eyes is like a 6/10 to a 7/10. So after 5 years, although I think it is better than I did before, this album still reminds me of how much Yela missed his mark shooting for radio spins

Best Songs: Growin Up In The Gutter, Made in the USA, Slumerican Shitizen, The Last Song
Worst Songs: Good Girl, Animal, THLSITW

What are your thoughts of Radioactive after nearly 5 years?

 

Nov 17, 2016

I actually forgot this existed, and i'm glad i did

 

Nov 18, 2016

Get Away is my favorite.

 

Nov 18, 2016

 

Nov 18, 2016

Radioactive has some radio hits which never get to be heard on the radio. It wasn't that good but enjoyable. I'mma be buying both Radioactive and Love Story if they weren't currenty outta stock here. Yelawolf worths supporting. His music is untouchable. So much better than current rappers. They all sound alike when Yela has a unique style.