Albums : A$AP Rocky : LongLiveA$AP
Listen To A$AP Rocky : LongLiveA$AP
Ascending To The Throne
It has taken remarkably little time for A$AP Rocky to ascend to the throne. Tuesday (Jan. 15) -- the release date of "Long.Live.A$AP" (Polo Ground Music/RCA Records) -- finds him onstage taping "Late Show With David Letterman," sitting on a golden throne with a mic stand to the side. This week finds him sitting atop the Billboard 200, "Long.Live.A$AP" is offically a No. 1 debut, selling 139,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan. .
But back in August 2011, Rocky was just another unknown rapper uploading a video to YouTube. That's when he posted the eye-catching, retro-rap-inspired clip for "Peso." A year and some change later, after a whirlwind of highlights-more than 17 million YouTube views for "Peso," an unexpected invitation to tour with Drake, headlining New York radio station WQHT's Summer Jam, a firm feel of Rihanna's backside at MTV's Video Music Awards (VMAs) -- Rocky is a summation of everything in current hip-hop. At 24, he mixes New York swagger with a Southern inflection as easily as he mixes streetwear with fresh-off-the-runway European designs.
Not since Drake released his heavily anticipated "Thank Me Later" in 2010 has there been a new rap act that's been as praised (for his artsy visuals, retro image and versatile sound) and prodded (for his fast track to stardom, unorthodox fashion and dismissal of New York's traditional sound) as Rocky. His meteoric rise is certainly eyebrow-raising: Days before he'd even released his first proper mixtape, the acclaimed "LOVE.LIVE.A$AP," on Oct. 31, 2011, he signed a $3 million recording contract off the strength of his then mostly online buzz.
"All of this was fast, I can't front," Rocky says. "It really got crazy [when] I dropped 'Peso.' I did that video and that's when Drake called me, the bidding war started. All via the Internet. Tumblr. We got lucky. We were blessed."
It's been a nonstop push for Rocky ever since. He estimates that in the past year-and-a-half he's performed anywhere from 200 to 300 dates. Those stops include an assortment of one-offs (headlining Coachella, rowdy gigs at CMJ Music Marathon and South by Southwest), a European summer run, opening for Drake on his Club Paradise tour last winter and headlining a domestic tour with his crew, the A$AP Mob. He performed lead single "Goldie" with the Roots on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" in August, and then hit the stage at the VMAs the following month with Rihanna to spit his verse for her remix of "Cockiness (Love It)."
That song was the highlight of a collaboration-heavy 2012 for Rocky. He appeared in Lana Del Rey's Camelot-themed "National Anthem" video, where he played JFK to the singer's Jackie Kennedy. He also guested on standout cuts by T.I. ("Wildside"); Fat Joe, French Montana and Lil Wayne ("Yellow Tape"); Big Boi and electronica duo Phantogram ("Lines"); and labelmate Usher ("Hot Thing").
"A$AP represents a new breed of young, dope, hungry MCs," T.I. says. "That's why it was a no-brainer when the time came to decide whether or not to rock with him. His potential is limitless. He's definitely one of the special ones."
LongLiveA$AP Review
No matter what folks think of A$AP Rocky—not grimy enough for New York, not Southern enough for the South, too focused on weird fashion—the 24-year-old has music fans talking. After dropping the well-received mixtape LiveLoveA$AP in 2011, Rocky’s proper studio album debut LongLiveA$AP finally arrives (via leak to some) after a handful of delays.
The heavy and lumbering intro/title track serves as the tone-setter for this project—both in terms of sound and subject matter. Raps Rocky over booming bass and distant alien horns: “I thought I’d prolly die in prison, expensive taste in women / Ain’t have no pot to piss in, now my kitchen full of dishes / Nose bloody from that sniffin’, your heroin addiction / Trigger finger itchin’ fuck parental supervision … / Purple sippin’, finger twistin’, teeth glisten like it’s Memphis / A bunch of hypocritic Christians, the land of no religion.”
“Goldie” has been burning up the airwaves since the Spring, and the record still knocks. “PMW” is a toast to the finer things (read: the base desires of a young male), and is complemented nicely by ScHoolboy Q over production that can only be described as what a Drake record might sound like if Aubrey had some edge. Speaking of, Drizzy plus 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar come along for the ride on “Fuckin’ Problems,” which somehow succeeds despite a truly awful hook by 2 Chainz. It’s one of the album’s weaker tracks, for sure, but when 2 Chainz doesn’t ruin an entire track, chalk it up as a win.
“1 Train” is truly a must-listen as Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, and Big K.R.I.T. perfectly execute the cypher-style posse cut that’s largely been missing since the ‘90s. Each emcee comes correct, so don’t be surprised if you and your friends will all have different favorite verses. The cut is also a perfect example of Rocky’s refusal to be regional, as K.R.I.T.’s Southern drawl hits home just as well as Bronson’s gritty NYC flavor. “Fashion Killa” is a rare misstep as Rocky’s ambitions become a little too plastic and glossy, but LongLiveA$AP gets nicely grounded on “Phoenix,” with subdued production courtesy of Danger Mouse.
One spin of LongLiveA$AP, and it’s clear why A$AP Rocky didn’t break a sweat when the album leaked. Debuts this good just don’t come along very often, and it all comes down to the precocious Harlem rookie’s vision. He’s all over the place with the subject matter, but the topics are tied together by Rocky’s personality, which informs his genuine interest in waxing about them. The closest approximation in this respect is probably Dipset in its glory days. So the man born Rakim Mayers might not be the deft lyricist that his namesake is, but he’s more than adequate in that respect. Combine that with the fact that he might have the best ear for beats the game has seen since Game (who would have thought Hit-Boy, Skrillex, and Danger Mouse could coexist on an album?), and LongLiveA$AP will have fans clamoring for the sophomore set.
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