Fighter: A$AP Rocky
Trainer (Gym): Chance Johnson, Bryan Leach, A$AP Yams, Geno Sims (A$AP Worldwide, Polo Grounds, RCA Records)
Cut Men: 40, Amanda Ghost, A$AP Ty Beats, Birdy Nam Nam, C. Papi, Clams Casino, Danger Mouse, Emile Haynie, Finatik & Zac, Frank Romano, Friendzone, Hector Delgado, Hit-Boy, Jim Jonsin, Joey Fatts, Jonathan “MP” Williams, Lord Flacko, Nikhil Seetharam, Rico Love, Skrillex, Soufien3000, T-Minus, V Don
Weight Class: Rap New Jack
Notable Fire: 1 Train (Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T.), Long Live A$AP, LVL
Notable Trash: Pain (Feat. OverDoz)
Tale of the Tape: For years, rap heads have attempted to breakdown the varying sounds within the genre by region, and for awhile, hip-hop cooperated by generally sticking with this concept.
Recently though, the lines have been blurred by some artists seeking to shift this paradigm and embark on discovering a new template for hip-hop in their part of the country, if not redefining the sound altogether.
When you listen to A$AP Rocky’s debut album Long.Live.A$AP, not to be confused with his mixtape Live.Love.A$AP., you definitely don’t think “New York hip-hop”. But then you realize he’s a Harlem native and suddenly, your brow furrows and you’re left wondering where the hell he got this sound from.
Then you see a picture of him. Then you think “there’s no way THIS DUDE is from Harlem!”
No Tims. No bandanas. No shiny suits.
And after only one mixtape, Pretty Flacko found himself on the precipice of having one of the most highly anticipated albums heading into the new year (despite facing charges of grand larceny and the passing of his father).
Sidebar: A$AP Rocky has maintained that his interest in high-fashion is something that many cannot understand (he even made a whole diddy-bop song about it). Though not a high-fashion expert myself, I have a sister that is. When asked about Rocky’s style, she called him “metro-sexual” and went on to say that he, “is the Elton John of hip-hop. He’s very eclectic and follows an individualistic trend that’s going on amongst rappers, but everybody want’s to ‘stand out’ nowadays. Given the fact that fashion has always been a representation of the music, [she] wonders where rap is going and how other rappers feel about this representation of hip-hop.”
So there’s that.
Right away, the unique sound of Long.Live.A$AP. takes hold of the listener and the trademark flow that made Rocky an impact player in the rap game, returns with a more polished sound than was heard on his 2011 mixtape. The intro title track boasts charismatic production that is almost cartoonish in nature, yet is still extremely fresh and equally meaningful, as it successfully sets the tone for the rest of the project. Rocky also shows off his versatility on this song by singing on the hook over a guitar melody, with this break providing a proper balance and maturity to the track.
Again and again, the production on Rocky’s album allows it to separate itself from the pack when compared to his contemporaries, particularly, the other rookies in the game. Sure, there are other records with hot instrumentals, but Rocky’s approach is one-of-a-kind, especially when one considers its lack of a traditional “New York sound”. We hear this again on “LVL“, where Lord Flacko himself says, “This is boom/bap, mixed with new raps/Look at all the niggas that I blew past, Hood By Air to the du-rag/Nigga, make way for the new jacks”.
The crowning jewel of this album from a pure hip-hop standpoint is undoubtedly “1 Train”, a “90s posse cut” as Rocky described it, that featured many of hip-hop’s brightest young lyricists. Though the artists involved all come from different parts of the country, the track was reminiscent of posse cuts from yesteryear, brought to us by Harlem legend Big L.
Sidebar: See “8 Iz Enuff“, featuring a very young Cameron Giles and “Da Graveyard“, featuring a very unrefined Shawn Corey Carter.
In addition to the “1 Train” crew, Rocky was still able to effectively use features from other artists such as Santigold on “Hell”, as well as Drake and 2 Chainz on the decent, yet far from amazing single “Fuckin Problems”.
A$AP Rocky’s debut is a creative blend of sounds and songs that would lead you to believe the 24-year-old MC hails from somewhere down south, rather than NYC. However, pushing the limits of what rap is supposed to sound and feel like, especially within a given region, often opens the door up for criticism. In this case, for all the creativity and originality brought on by the production, Long.Live.A$AP. falls tragically short on the lyrical scale.
For starters, Rocky frequently uses his chopped and screwed voice (yet another southern phenomena that apparently found its way to Harlem), on practically every song. In some instances, he spits entire verses in this voice, which after hearing it for repeatedly throughout the album, becomes a chore to sit though.
Beyond this, it’s Rocky’s extra average wordplay that is rather alarming. The flow is clearly there, but seldom does he ever use this gift to wow listeners with any memorable lyrics. Never once does Rocky force you to reach for the rewind button, even when it seems like he’s really ripping the mic (his sped up flow in the middle of “LVL” comes to mind; Rocky raps faster, but doesn’t say anything interesting).
This is troubling, to say the least. If A$AP Rocky really is just an okay rapper, what does it say for the longevity of Flacko’s career?
His vanilla lyrically performance certainly held him back on this album, and once the novelty of his new sound wears off, will he (and the rest of A$AP Mob, seeing as how he is the team captain) survive? It’s a similar dynamic to the Miami Dolphins wildcat offense from a few years back. Once teams got some film on it and understood how to stop it finally, the Dolphins winning ways soon faded away.
The question remains: Does Flacko have the capacity and star-power to turn this fad into something that is as NY as a hike to Brooklyn for cheesecake? Or are we just dealing with Wildcat Rocky?
This is his greatest test.
Fight Night: Winner By Majority Decision
Right now, A$AP Rocky’s career is similar to 50 Cent’s circa early 2003. While his impact on hip-hop, or music for that matter, isn’t nearly on the same level, Rocky is bringing some relevancy back to New York with a sound all his own, like 50 did. But 50 was never a lyricist, no matter how much he wanted us to believe he was. Once the novelty wore off, it eventually caught up with him— Rocky may be in the same boat.
You listen to “1 Train” and it ain’t hard to tell that Rocky is getting outclassed by Kendrick, Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson and Big K.R.I.T. (he even admitted that K.R.I.T. had the hardest verse on the song). And if A$AP Ferg’s verses on “Ghetto Symphony” is any indication of the caliber of talent possessed by the rest of A$AP Mob, this crew had better enjoy their 15 minutes.
For now though, the music has been good, by and large (although “Ridin‘” or “I Come Apart” should have made the final project). A$AP Mob possesses some in-house produces (including “LORD FLACKO” himself— this is Rocky’s actual producer credit) and their knack for selecting beats and creating instantly appealing records is evident. A$AP Rocky also has a historical appreciation for hip-hop and a stage presence that was on display on David Letterman, where he put on one of the best late night TV performances in recent memory.
Could another MC do better with the same production? Perhaps. But there have been plenty of hotter rappers with long and successful careers who have worse bars that A$AP Rocky. And if any artist had a career arch resembling 50 Cent’s, they’d die a happy rapper.
It’s unclear what the future for A$AP Rocky will look like, but his mission on his first album was to introduce himself, and his style, to the world and to put the spotlight back on Harlem for a moment. Thus, Long.Live.A$AP. was a success.
Phase two: Getting the wordplay to match the flow— as $oon as possible.