By Trisha Cummings
Ask any human being with a pulse and they will confirm that Atlanta has the turn-up music scene on lock. Dabbin’ has taken over the country, your life can end in the blink of an eye if Metro Boomin doesn’t trust you and a surprise drop from Future can send the Internet into a frenzy.
But is it realistic to expect musicians to chase the party music lifestyle forever? What happens after the turn up?
Rome Fortune may not be a household name yet but his music is definitely embedded in Atlanta’s soundscape. With six projects under his belt and the seventh in the chamber fully mixed and mastered, something moved him to make a change. While on tour with Iamsu! earlier last year, Fortune performed a set full of his fans favorite turn-up records and riot starters night after night.
However, after the shows kids would come up to him wondering why he didn’t perform any of his more personal song—songs that kept them from dropping out of school or helped them get over the tragic death of a friend; songs that also happened to be his own favorites.
At that moment Rome Fortune realized the influence his artistry has over his fans and the impact he can make on people’s lives with his music. He felt it was his duty to be honest in his music and show that you can evolve past the restrictions of your environment. Fortune made one of the biggest decisions of his career to scrap his entire seventh EP and start fresh. He knew it would piss his team off but his responsibility to his new mission was much greater.
Less than a year later Fortune gathered an intimate group at the Tumblr office last night (February 22) in New York City for a first listen of his most respective offering to date, Jerome Raheem Fortune.
Backed by a massive projection of portraits, the blue-bearded rapper unleashed an eclectic collection of tracks that escape the bravado and superficial route most rappers take and opts for tales of his life experiences. Inspired by Brazilian break beats and African drums as well as trap beats and electronic sounds, Fortune and his go-to producer, Cubby, whipped up over 34 tracks for JRF, which they managed to narrow down for the project.
The LP digs deep on songs like “Past Future” and “Love,” a bass heavy melodic tribute to his two sons, Christian and Carter. But Rome doesn’t forget his roots with trap hits like his latest single “Blicka Blicka,” which debuted on Beats 1 Radio. Rome also taps Kaytranada for an infectious dance-track inspired by a broken-hearted trip to the club that ends in a random make-out session.
Rome Fortune has tapped into a space that few artists of his background dare to go. From his ratchet trap beginnings on The Air Mattress to his electronic EP Small VVorld, Fortune has always pushed himself to evolve sonically. Now for the first time in his musically journey he has found purpose lyrically and has chosen to explore the power of music. Jerome Raheem Fortune has a song for every moment of your life; it is a rollercoaster ride of relatable experiences that gives fans the reassurance of their own path to growth and evolution.
Pre-order Jerome Raheem Fortune now on iTunes or catch it when releases on February 26.