YELAWOLF ELIMINATED FROM UPN'S "THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT"

Rainbow City, Ala. Artist Is the Third To Be Asked to Leave the Tour

Yelawolf, a 24 year-old contract artist (mural painting) from Rainbow City, Ala., was the third performer eliminated from UPN�s new dramality series, THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT, reducing the pool from 11 participants to 10.

When the tour arrived in Missy's hometown of Norfolk, Va., the performers were surprised when challenged to utilize items found in a local junkyard to create an artistic tribute to what inspires them. When the tributes were completed, Missy and her dancers Holly, Eboni and Oth'than met with each of the participants, asking them to explain their inspiration. An emotional Yelawolf said that the red-painted tractor/tire display he built was dedicated to his grandfather, who told him stories while they road together on his lawnmower and "taught him to be a man."

Following the emotionally revealing day, the performers joined Missy at a local Chinese restaurant for dinner. During the meal, Yelawolf insulted Missy by mentioning he wasn't fond of the track she wrote for them, claiming he wanted "fly beats." Missy laughingly responded, "Why don't you cook up one then if you want fly beats? I didn't think your rap was all that hot�You better not mess up."

The next day, the competitors were asked to team up and perform some of Missy's biggest hits before one of the toughest crowds imaginable -- the students at Missy's former high school. While Yelawolf and Akil rapped "Gossip Folks" to the cheering students, it was Nic and Matthew's coordinated rendition of the same song that really got the girls hollering. While reviewing each team's performance, judges Mona Scott, Dallas Austin and Teena Marie agreed that Akil was one of the stars of the day, but Mona said, "I don't think Yelawolf ever stepped up to the plate and did his part."

Ultimately, the judges offered Yelawolf and Melissa, who had been almost booed from the stage after stumbling with the lyrics to "Get Ur Freak On," up to Missy for final elimination. As Yelawolf went in to plead his case, Missy said, "Your rhymes' feels are hot, but you don't stand out." Meanwhile, Missy questioned Melissa's inner strength, but she claimed, "This is my life, my passion and I'll do anything, even if I have to stand there while they boo me through the whole song."

So, with a green lollipop in hand, Missy admitted that while Yelawolf's "performance was actually great" and his "skills are crazy," it was Melissa who gave her "the unexpected" by not running from the stage and told Yelawolf he was off the tour.

On UPN'S THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT, 13 aspiring vocal performers travel coast-to-coast with Grammy Award-winning artist Missy Elliott, living together on the road in an austere tour bus and competing against each other for a record contract, a released single and $100,000. Missy leads the panel of music industry judges, including Grammy Award-nominated R&B artist Teena Marie, Grammy Award-winning producer Dallas Austin, and president of Violator Management Mona Scott.

THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT airs Wednesday (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN.

RATING: To Be Announced