In the most cosmic sense of the word, Rome Fortune is Atlanta’s newest star. Green-bearded and crop-topped, 6’5” in cowboy boots, he takes the stage like an eclipse and flips straighforward bars into lunar poetry. But even with such otherworldly swagger, Rome’s music connects with fans because of how powerfully (and sometimes painfully) human it really is. Jerome Raheem Fortune (out 2/26 on Fool’s Gold) is the true story of this man who fell to earth. Rome’s Beautiful Pimp mixtapes (“rap as motivational speaking, generous and all-inclusive” - Pitchfork) and collaborations with everyone from turn-up trailblazers OG Maco and ILoveMakonnen to Four Tet and Toro Y Moi were merely the prelude to JRF’s nakedly honest storytelling.