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…