Since his first photo shoot for us earlier this year followed by his star turn in our annual Summer Sensations campaign, Yelawolf‘s raw energy, lyrical prowess and rebellious fashion style has kept us captivated. Catfish Billy’s grind is undeniable, as is his determination to win over skeptical music fans at any cost (“That’s my life story, dog,” he said in refection during yesterday’s listening session for Trunk Muzik 0-60,  his upcoming EP. “It’s about winning people over—and keeping them.”)

Trunk Muzik 0-60 features six new tracks in addition to six fan favorites from Yela’s breakout mixtape. It’s a solid offering to whet our appetites till the March 2011 release of Radioactive, his official debut album. Born Michael Wayne Atha, Yela’s packed a lot of life into his 30 years and it shows in his music. There’s reflections on unrequited love (he moans “I got me, bitch” on “Love Is Not Enough”), memoirs of a crystal meth addict (the searing “Billy Crystal”) and defensive numbers like “I Wish,” where he exasperatedly explains his admiration for rappers like Beanie Siegel growing up—’cause Lynard Skynard didn’t sing about selling drugs, obviously.

Trunk Muzik 0-60 is as southern-fried as it gets. Hot new tracks like “That’s What We On Now”—crafted (like the majority of the album) by Atlanta-based producer SupaHotBeats—are definitive works where Yela rhapsodizes over a rattling bassline about needing a “country girl and a pick-up truck.” “Daddy’s Lambo” is a pulsating tale about dating an heiress: “I know you got an elevator in your house, but with me you appreciate the steps.” The surefire hit was written by the self-described “hillbilly in Beverly Hills” during a stay at the famous Le Montrose hotel in West Hollywood, after a night of hanging with Rob Dyrdek‘s cousin (and the track’s producer) Drama Beats.

Fresh off the successful Waken Baken tour with Wiz Khalifa, an experience he describes as life-changing, Yelawolf’s sincere in his quest to be one of hip-hop’s greats. “When I say I want to do stadium concerts and make classic music, I mean it. Not in an egotistical way. I just want to be one of the biggest stars in the world and I believe I will be.” His manager Courtney “Bear” Sills says, “One thing we realized during this tour is Yelawolf is still very new to a lot of people, but it doesn’t take long for him to win every critic over. We expect his new music to get a great reception and we’re only just getting started.”

Trunk Muzik 0-60 drops on November 22 through Ghet-O-Vision/Interscope Records.

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