One thing I love about music is that it transcends language, culture, place, status, etc. and that was evident on the 25th of July at Garage, in Bergen, Norway. A packed out basement venue, gritty, small stage, rock ceiling, traditionally home to punk rock and heavy metal, among others in the alternative music genre, this would seem like an unfitting place for a rapper from Gadsden, Alabama but it might as well have been home away from home. The small stage consisted of Yelawolf, his DJ and two bodyguards who stood against the back wall, which is a relief from the stereotypical rap show usually consisting of the artist and half his extended family, all on stage and all with plugged in microphones. From the moment he ran up on stage he was in command, it was a blitz of song after song, the crowd responded so well, a room full of blonde Scandinavians singing along to all most every word, having no idea what the hell a box chevy was, let alone what popping the trunk on someone may be.
After the show I was lucky enough to join Yelawolf and crew backstage. They were amazed that a fellow Alabamian was in of all places Bergen, Norway. We talked about missing home, his first time overseas, the European perception of his music, Yela says he was very happy with the welcome he got in England and Barcelona, he could tell there were a lot of new fans but the reaction he got was incredible. He recounted a story of being in the Bergen Fisketorget, a very tourist part of town, buying souvenirs, once they found out he was a rapper the peddlers began practically throwing stuff at him, he ended up walking out paying 22,000NOK or about 4000US. I've never really met any other rappers, but if I do I hope they're all as nice as Yelawolf, he's probably the most down to earth musician I've ever met.
