R.O.T.D III has set the bar for collaborative albums in 2019. Recorded over 10 days at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, the album has one of the most unique origin stories of any collaborative project to date. Rappers were left to their own devices in a sea of producers and musicians scattered throughout the building, with the only direction being to make hits. A total of 35 artists, along with 27 producers, worked on what would become the final project, with at least 124 tracks not making the cut. That being said, what did make the cut was fantastic. This album is chock full of songs that will surely be everywhere this summer. Anthemic, instant-hits like Down Bad, Wells Fargo, and Middle Child are accompanied by more subdued boom-bap tracks like Swivel, Sleep Deprived, and Sunset, creating a colorful mixture of sounds and styles. The sheer amount of talent on this album is too much to name, but many, like EARTHGANG, JID, and Buddy, gave such noteworthy performances that this project will surely cement their spots as modern hip-hop mainstays. Albums like this don’t come around often; do yourself a favor and put aside an hour to listen to it.
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