After a year-long sentence behind bars, Rot Ken arrived back home in late July and immediately hit the ground running.
In the less-than-two months since his release, the Georgia-bred star has been emerging from the underground even away from the mic. His #FreeRotKen movement bolstered his visibility ten-fold as Ken’s resumed ascent has mostly been thanks to his three brand new singles “Rollin,” “No Mind” and “Moshpit.” Along with their accompanying music videos, as well as three additional videos provided for songs from his May album Free Me, Ken is finally free to live — and create — the way he wants.
But, while his return was welcomed with exhilaration and increased opportunity, Ken had already been holding fans down in his absence. In the form of the aforementioned Free Me project, pre-released singles like “Heartbreak Kid” and “Beautiful” with SoFaygo, along with tracks like “Star” and “Worried Bout That,” coincidentally validated his hype.
Since erupting on the scene in March 2021 with his single “007,” Ken’s confident and diverse flows, impressive beat selection, volatile subject matter and continuously improving chemistry with producers like JetsonMade and Taz Taylor of Internet Money have continued to make his stock skyrocket.
In fact, Sept. 2’s “No Mind” saw Jetson and Taz come together, along with more help on production from the iconic OG Parker. With releases like these, it is becoming abundantly clear that Ken is not only seeking out admirable talent to work with, but is turning the heads of many of the industry’s most reputable names.
Continuing to pump out high-powered trap cuts, Rot Ken now has his sights set on another LP this year — which makes sense considering how expansive his vault of unreleased tracks is. With all the melodic skill he possesses and the elite crew that surrounds him, it’s no wonder the Augusta native had no issues making up for lost time.
Check out our conversation with Rot Ken below!
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
TG: You were locked up for around 9-10 months, did you ever think about using that as a break from music? How do you feel it impacted your come-up or momentum as you gained notoriety?
“No, I used it as a time for me to get better. I read the dictionary and I feel I’m more versatile now and I have a higher ceiling.”
TG: Taz Taylor said you have about 300 unreleased songs in the vault, how do you decide which of those you want to release?
“I usually pick a song off how it sounds so if I just dropped an aggressive drill song, I wanna drop a melodic song after that to switch it up.”
TG: We understand you are currently working on a project, do you have a title for it? Is there other information you can divulge?
“I wanna name my album ‘Yahweh Child’ which means ‘God’s child,’ and yeah this will separate me from a lot of the crowd.”
TG: Your first release after you got out of jail was “Rollin,” was that a song you had in the vault for a while or one you made afterwards? How good does it feel to be able to make music videos and hit the studio and move forward with your career? How often have you been making new music since you got out?
“I made ‘Rollin’ after I got released and it feels unreal. I was just locked up not being able to see none of my views or progress, now I’m watching it everyday. I make usually 18 songs a week.”
TG: Who are some artists you’ve been listening to and want to collaborate with?
“I’ve been listening to Lil Baby, Rod Wave, NBA Youngboy, Yung Sin, Lil Tony and a couple more underground ATL rappers. I don’t really know who I wanna collab with, I just go with the flow.”
TG: How has Internet Money made an impact on your career? Do you see yourself continuing to work with them as much in the future as you have so far?
“Internet Money put me with JetsonMade, TP and Spaceboy Productions and it changed my life. We like family.”
TG: How much did the #FreeRotKen movement help you stay positive during your situation in jail?
“The ‘Free Me’ album gave me hope and showed me how strong my fan base was. It kept my head up through the darkness.”
TG: You released your “Free Me” album in May, how long had you been holding onto some of those songs? How involved were you in the process of dropping the album, considering you were still locked up during that time?
“Everything on ‘Free Me’ was recorded before my arrest and was all most likely a year old when they dropped.”
TG: How do you think you’ve grown as a person and as an artist since you blew up with “007?”
“I’ve grown a lot since “007,” I feel I got the potential to be the best in the future.”
TG: What can fans expect from your upcoming music?
“My fans can expect me to be dropping music for every sound in every genre. I wanna be the best in every category.”
