ATLANTA — A summer trip to Tokyo this year inspired Atlanta rap outfit Earthgang so much that it helped them finish a new album they’ve worked on for four years. The duo, composed of Olu and Doctur Dot, were motivated by the city’s style and culture.
“It kind of reminded us a little bit of Atlanta,” Olu said. “You come to Atlanta, and you see all types of Black people in Atlanta just like in Tokyo, you see all types of Japanese people. You see the Harajuku fashion. You might see somebody in a kimono or a regular outfit. You might see a dude in a suit and tie. But it’s still a very cool, eclectic like place, and it’s always fast-paced, which also reminds us of Atlanta. The whole vibe, visually, behind the project is Tokyo and Atlanta.”
That project, “Perfect Fantasy,” the pair’s fifth studio album, dropped Oct. 29. It’s the Dreamville act’s first independent release, marking a new a chapter for the Atlanta natives that they say was a long time coming. They noted “Dreamville is still the collective and family,” but now, they’re doing things on their own terms.
The 18-song LP features a collection of guests from all genres (T-Pain, Pharrell Williams, Little Dragon, Tommy Newport). In turn, the sound is just as expansive. “Deep Blue” is a jazz-inflected balm that takes listeners on a soothing ride to pure solace. Tracks like “In My Mind” and “Blacklight” showcase the group’s hypnotic sensibilities.
For Earthgang, “Perfect Fantasy” is all about the fans. It’s also the latest installment of their Earthgang vs. the Algorithm project, which finds them exploring the effects of AI and social media on the arts.
“Sometimes in the quest for total industry obliteration or validation, you kind of lose sight of the fans who put you where you’re at in the first place,” Doctur Dot said. “This is more like a tribute to them.”
The AJC talked to Earthgang about this new era of their career and learning to debunk industry standards. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
How does it feel to release your first independent album?
Doctur Dot: It’s really, honestly, a longtime dream for us. We kind of started our career with the basis of, as far as what we knew at that time, we were going to be independent. Then, a favorable label situation came that was organic with Dreamville. It wasn’t like we had to sign it. It was just an organic and favorable situation. That kind of changed our path from the independence, but it was good to go that way with the label. (Now,) it feels good to be the key figure to your own business. It’s really just where the (music) game is going. Nobody’s speaking to that old-school method of signing to a team to play ball. You just play ball.
I’m assuming that why’s the album was released on a Tuesday instead of Friday?
Doctur Dot: The whole point of this project was to not follow any industry formula whatsoever — even to the style of music, to the style of release, to the style of art, to the promotions that we’ve done along the way. Just have fun with it, you know. Why only put stuff out that day?
Olu: We have so much music and so many cool ideas, and it’s like we said, we’re wasting time trying to perfectly package something for some imaginary rule system that we think is going to happen. Why don’t we just create our fantastical world how we want it, and give it to our fan base?
On “Perfect Fantasy,” it feels like you all are experimenting with more genres than you have before. What was the motivation for that?
Olu: I wish I could give a more deliberate answer, but it’s kind of like driving to work and wanting to take a different route this day. It’s not like we wanted to create an album that’s totally different from what’s going on. I mean, naturally, we’re totally different from what’s going on, so let’s create music that we aren’t hearing right now, or let’s create music that sounds like stuff that we’re fans of. Making the stuff that we like really pushed us into that level. (The album) is kind of different from (our 2022 album) “Ghetto Gods,” which is more conceptual. It’s also a little different from a “Mirrorland,” which was our first project that people compare a lot of our stuff to. (“Perfect Fantasy”) was as simple as making the sounds we like.
Is there any track on the album that resonates with you all more than others?
Doctur Dot: “ Red Flag” is a big one. It was initially named “Britney Spears,” because it was made right after Britney Spears got free from her (conservatorship). I even shouted her out in the song. People probably won’t notice it, but on the second part of my verse, I say, “Hit me baby one more time.” I’m saying in tribute to the things she’s been through. That song just really spoke to me in a lot of ways because making it was very cathartic. I made it after a crazy relationship flop.
Olu: I think that song is just all about the questions that people are having these days about relationships and what’s the purpose of these relationships and how they work. How are they making your lives better? How are they making you better?
It’s been five years since your major-label debut “Mirrorland.” What have you all learned in this journey as musicians?
Olu: I think to keep enjoying the hell out this and continuing to evolve. We’re not just musicians. We have so many talents that create value for the world. We’ve seen it in so many ways. Even with Michael Jackson being in “The Wiz,” we just see people continue to evolve as artists, and people continue to evolve as creative beings, which I feel like we all are.
