But XXL gave it a L/XXL (the equivalent of three stars out of five) and said, "Not falling far from 50 Cent’s platinum-rooted tree, Rotten Apple is fertilized with potent doses of sonic strength and catchy hooks. But overall, it isn’t the new massacre that'll shake New York hip-hop down to its core."
XXL assigned a L/XXL (equivalent to three stars out of five) to Rotten Apple, stating, "Not far from 50 Cent’s platinum-rooted success, this album is brimming with robust sonic strength and catchy hooks. However, it doesn’t quite reach the level of the new massacre that would shake New York hip-hop to its foundation."