When I first found out about Rot Ken probably over a year ago at this point, I knew he was destined for greatness, I just wasn’t sure how quickly he would get there. His style is one-of-a-kind, something that no one could imitate no matter how hard they tried, and while he has a voice that some may compare to Lil Baby, I just feel like there is this authenticity factor that comes to play in his music that sets him apart from the crowd and lets listeners know that no one is doing it like Ken.
I think that this is apparent in the loud, shrewd notes he croons because while they may not be classically perfect, the genuine passion he exudes seems to make his sound so magnetizing. The Georgia hitmaker is no stranger to releasing projects, but I think his brand-new tape Yahweh Child really sets this effort apart from the rest of his incredible efforts in the past. I say this because it is handled almost entirely on his own with the exception of a Yung Sinn and a Jetsonmade feature, but the rest of the project gives him free rein to express himself however he pleases.
The half-hour-long endeavor highlights his diversity as he goes from a more emotive record to an outright anthem, and even though pretty much every track features the expected trap-inspired framework that he is familiar with, he never settles for what others might expect, innovating his sound, delivery, and overall sonic aesthetic every chance he gets. Considering Ken is from Augusta, Georgia and not Atlanta like the bulk of other GA emcees, I think he has a unique perspective that isn’t completely far off from the state capital’s icons, but it allows him to distance himself from commonalities and create music the way he wants it to come to life.
Basically, he never has to live up to any of the expectations of his surrounding counterparts, and I think this is part of the reason he has been able to regularly stand out from the rest of the Southern music scene. It’s also the main reason why Yahweh Child and the rest of his discography is so charming, making this brand-new project something you need to add to your radar without any ifs, ands, or buts.