At the top of this year, J. Cole and his Dreamville Records label signed Atlanta, Georgia MC J.I.D. Quickly after, The Never Story followed, an Interscope-distributed debut LP from the Spillage Village member, which has garnered strong praise, including from Ambrosia For Heads. That album also debuted in Top 200.

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Cole and Dreamville have now added J.I.D. close affiliate EARTHGANG. The Atlanta duo of Doctur Dot and Johnny Venus has been together for approximately a decade. Last year, the Dungeon Family-influenced pair toured with Bas. Now, the Spillage Village-backed EP Rags, EARTHGANG joins the company of Bas, Cozz, Ari Lennox, Omen, and others.

J.I.D. appears in the stylish, symbolism-driven video to lead Rags track “Meditate”:

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Earlier this week, Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) praised J.I.D. during an Ebro In The Morning interview. Speaking about the quantity of music releasing to digital platforms, the Black Star MC said, “How are people even supposed to focus on your sh*t when it’s eleventy million ni**as that got new sh*t out every day? I can’t listen to all these ni**as. I got sh*t to do. I’m not sitting here… I’m not listening to all these ni**as. Why? I could just listen to already made ni**as, the sh*t that gets better with time, and if some new ni**as come through, like my man J.I.D from Dreamville. Fire.”

Their upcoming Dreamville LP is expected to be titled Mirror Land.