Rittz - Top of the Line (Deluxe Edition) (2016)

Hailing from north of the Atlanta, in the suburbs of Gwinnett County, Georgia, comes Southern rapper and Strange Music signee Jonathan McCollum, aka Rittz. With a quick, sharp tongue and dexterous rhymes, McCollum had a few close calls in the music industry, winning a battle contest on Hot 107.9, and nearly following in the career path of Eminem, but unfortunately, he was unable to lock down a record deal due to disputes in management and contract deals. Soured by the experience, and just on the verge of giving up rap entirely, Rittz was recruited by Yelawolf to guest on "Box Chevy" from the 2010 album Trunk Musik 0-60. More collaborations followed, and so did two mixtapes, 2011's White Jesus and 2012's White Jesus: Revival. Strange Music signed the rapper late that year, and released Rittz's studio debut, The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant, in 2013. His 2014 sophomore LP, Next to Nothing, featured a couple guest shots from Mike Posner, plus appearances by Yelawolf, Twista, and B.o.B.. Posner returned for the 2016 album Top of the Line, while veteran MCs like MJG, Devin the Dude, and E-40 filled the rest of the guest list. ~ Jason Lymangrover.