What Atlanta's Yodel Kid & YWA Group Say About The Music Industry (2024)

Donald Glover's FX series stands out as a cultural beacon in the realm of modern television, offering a unique and compelling portrayal of the music industry and its colorful characters like the Yodel Kid in Atlanta. The groundbreaking series delves into the complexities of Atlanta's rap scene, presenting a narrative that is as much about the city's vibrant music culture as it is about the personal journeys of its characters. Known for its innovative storytelling, sharp social commentary, and surrealistic elements, Atlanta blurs the lines between reality and fiction, creating a world that resonates with the challenges of aspiring artists.

In Atlanta season 4, the show delves into the enigmatic and often surreal world of the music industry with the death of a revered rapper, Blueblood. It's a clever narrative device that the show uses to explore themes of fame, mortality, and the often bizarre nature of celebrity culture. This storyline, while peculiar and whimsical in its execution, provides a profound commentary on how artists are remembered and celebrated, and how their legacies are intertwined with their public personas. This theme continues in season 4, episode 3, "Born 2 Die" with the introduction of Yodel Kid in Atlanta.

Yodel Kid Is A Troubled Young Rapper Al Manages In Atlanta

Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles, played by Brian Tyree Henry in the Atlanta cast, becomes entangled in a complex situation that challenges his views on the music industry. After impressing a man with his performance at a bar mitzvah, Alfred is propositioned to mentor the man's son, Benny, in exchange for $1 million. However, Benny's rejection of Al leads Alfred to a meeting with Bunk and the YWA (Young White Avatar) group, who propose collaborating with white artists to ensure relevance and success in the industry. Although skeptical, Alfred is swayed by their arguments about the challenges faced by Black artists.

That's when Alfred meets Yodel Kid, a distinct young white rapper who yodels with autotune over trap beats. However, while the yodeling is a great example of Atlanta's typically absurd Afro-surrealism, the character is a vessel to confront the harsh realities of the music industry. Yodel Kid's tragic fate, a drug overdose leading to his posthumous Grammy win, leaves Alfred contemplative and disillusioned. The episode closes with Alfred, Earn, and Darius reflecting on the events, painting a somber picture of the challenges and ephemeral nature of success in the music industry.

What Atlanta's YWA Group Says About The Music Industry

The introduction of the YWA Group adds a new dimension to the show's examination of the music industry. This group, encountered by Alfred, provides a bold commentary on the strategies Black artists might use to remain relevant and successful in an industry that often favors white artists. The YWA's proposition is simple yet provocative: collaborate with young white artists to leverage their appeal and maintain one's own standing in the music world. This narrative arc in Atlanta reflects a harsh reality within the industry, where Black artists frequently face challenges in achieving and sustaining success compared to their white counterparts.

The YWA approach is presented as a pragmatic solution to these challenges. Alfred's encounter with the group, following his rejection by Benny in favor of younger artists, underscores the ever-present generation gap and the changing tides of popularity in music. Drawing parallels to real-life phenomena like the rise of Justin Bieber, who frequently collaborates with seasoned Black artists, the YWA Group's story is a microcosm of the music industry at large. Atlanta uses the YWA Group to explore the idea that Black artists, like Alfred, might have to resort to "selling out" to navigate an industry that often marginalizes them.

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Atlanta

Music

Comedy

Drama

Atlanta is a TV series created by and starring Donald Glover as Earnest "Earn" Marks as he navigates life in the Georgia capital. From attempting to make amends with his former girlfriend Vanessa (Zazie Beetz) to helping his cousin Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) who is better known as the rapper "Paper Boi" and his friend Darius (LaKeith Stanfield), Earn does what he can. In later seasons, the Emmy-winning series leaned more into its trademark surrealism and offered anthology episodes.

Release Date

September 6, 2016

Cast

Brian Tyree Henry , Donald Glover , Zazie Beetz , LaKeith Stanfield

Seasons

4

Network

FX

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu , Disney+ , Netflix

Writers

Donald Glover

Directors

Donald Glover

Showrunner

Donald Glover