LONG.LIVE.A$AP is the debut album from Harlem rapper, A$AP Rocky. One of my favorite rappers, who is arguably one of the most underrated rappers in the game, it’s been six years since he’s released an album, with 2018’s TESTING. He’s got a very unique sound of cloud rap, which has a hazy trap sound, and that sound began on his 2011 mixtape, LIVE.LOVE.A$AP. I grew up listening to his music when I was in middle school and high school, and this album left a huge impression on me. However, how does it hold up 11 years later, and do I feel the same about it now as I did in the past?
We open up the album with the title track, which opens up with thunder sounds and an atmospheric synth before we get the main beat. Right when the Jim Jonsin produced beat starts, Rocky shows off his technical skills. He raps about how he never envisioned himself becoming a successful rapper, thinking that he’d die in prison and how his drive to succeed and get out of the ghetto, as he says, “My Santa Claus was missing, catch you slippin’ then it’s Christmas. Motherfuck a wishlist, my ghetto was ambition.” Rocky illustrates the rough neighborhood he grew up in, while flaunting his tastes in expensive fashion and cars.
Following that, we have the first single off the album, “Goldie.” I love the Hit Boy production on this track, with that catchy flute instrumental loop, and hard hitting old school hip-hop drum beat. The production on this album really plays to A$AP Rocky’s strengths, as it shows his versatility on different sounding instrumentals. I really like his rhyme schemes, as he’s able to stick with the same rhyme pattern, without it sounding tiresome. The lines that impressed me the most were, “Life’s a mothafucka, ain’t it? These other rappers ain’t us. So tell me what your name is, I’ma tell it to my stainless. You aim it ‘fore you bang it let that banger leave you brainless. It’s just me, myself, and I and mothafuckas that I came with.” The hook on this track is also very catchy, and I like the variety of rhymes that are him either flexing his wealth, threatening his opposition, or talking about the high-flying party lifestyle that comes with being famous. One of my favorites still, all these years later.
“PMW (All I Really Need),” featuring ScHoolboy Q, has a hazy trap sound with a great beat produced by T-Minus and Nikhil Seetharam. The drugged out and sexual lyrics of this track are incredibly visual, and Rocky’s rhyme patterns on this track are engaging and varied. Q’s verse is also great on this track, as him and A$AP Rocky always make bangers when they collaborate, take “Hands on the Wheel,” for example. The sex bars on this track are humorous, especially from Q, but you can tell both of them really live the lifestyle that they’re rapping about. I like that Kendrick Lamar shoutout from Q as well. Another favorite. “LVL,” with an absolutely trippy beat produced by frequent collaborator Clams Casino. The producers that Rocky assembled for this album still impresses me all these years later. Clams Casino produced quite a few tracks on Rocky’s mixtape. I like the minimalism with the drums, and how Rocky doesn’t know what to do with all his newfound success. I love his flow at the end of his second verse, and I wish that we got more Clams Casino produced tracks on this album, but that’s a minor complaint. A great addition is that the band members of the indie rock trio, Haim, sing the outro.
After that, is the track, “Hell,” featuring electronic singer-songwriter, Santigold. Another Clams Casino produced track, where Rocky talks about how he went from rags to riches, and avoided “My partner made bad moves, he might end up in the news. Or end up in the tombs or living in the boondocks.” He’s got multiple memorable lines, one of my favorites being, “White on white wagon, call that motherfucker Socrates.” Santigold’s hook fits well with the themes of the song, as well as with the great Clams Casino beat. “Pain,” featuring LA hip hop group, Overdoz is probably my least favorite track on the album, if I had to pick, mainly because the “lights, camera, action,” chorus kind of goes on too long. I like the minimalist beat produced by Soufien 3000, as well as Rocky’s melodic refrain, I also enjoyed his verses, but they were way too short in my opinion. Seriously, the chorus are literally longer than his verses which is ridiculous to me. “I never lie, never tell a lie, I would testify. Set aside dreams, I’m a king, ask Coretta Scott,” is a highly clever bar. Kent Jamz and Tube’s verses are also a strong point.
After that, is a major single, and another favorite track of mine, “Fuckin’ Problems,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and 2 Chainz. I gotta say it’s weird hearing Kendrick and Drake on a track together, given their nasty recent beef, but I digress. Nothing beats a hip hop posse track, and all these years later this one is one of my favorite rap posse cuts of all time. 2 Chainz does a solid job on the hook, talking about how he loves bad bitches, Drake’s verse is solid, but Rocky and Kendrick clearly are the stars of the show on this track. Rocky’s verse is tight and concise with clever lines such as, “But the chrome to your dome make you sweat like Keith,” and that one n-word bar, where he used a very clever double-entendre. Kendrick probably has the best verse on this track, but that’s to be expected, because he steals the show whenever he’s a featured artist, kinda like Eminem does. Truly the best verse for last. I also like the beat produced by Noah “40” Shebib, with the heavy synth bass in the chorus, glistening synth keys, and heavy sample of Aaliyah’s song, “Quit Hatin’,”
“Wild for the Night,” featuring Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam, is a truly wild track, as it sounds vastly different than the rest of the album, with its heavy dubstep sound. It’s a track that’s not for everyone, because dubstep is a genre that you either love or hate. I personally like the rave vibe of the track, but I have no clue who Birdy Nam Nam is, because this is legit the only track that I’ve ever heard him on. It’s a party anthem that I personally enjoy heavily, and I admire A$AP Rocky for taking a massive risk in featuring the dubstep artist Skrillex on his album. After that, we get another great posse cut that’s got a massive amount of artists, in “1Train,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, and Big K.R.I.T. I love the instrumental, produced by Hit-Boy once again, and all rappers put in admirable performances. My personal favorite verses come from Rocky, Kendrick, and Big K.R.I.T. It’s a pure hip-hop track, with an old school hip-hop drum rhythm, and cinematic violins. “That banana clip, straight from the rip. I’ll make that shirt say R.I.P., I’m on some shit,” is one of many great bars on this track. It’s a pure hip-hop track, with every rapper competing with each other with smooth bars and clever double-entendres.
“Fashion Killa,” another single off the album, has a sick beat centered around a sample of “Mr. Yeah,” by The-Dream, and Rocky demonstrates that he’s not only a talented rapper, but a fashion icon. It shows a different side of him, as through much of the album, he shows a darker side, talking about gang violence, or a more carnal and drug-influenced side. However, here, you can tell he’s genuinely into fashion, and while, sure, it’s materialistic, he wants a girl who is into fashion as much as he is, and it’s a sweet track, as a result. He wants his wife and kids to be as fly as him, and every time I hear this track it brings a smile to my face. It’s a cute love song, and hearing him shout out various luxury fashion brands such as Versace and Dolce and Gabbana is endearing. The second to last track, “Phoenix,” is an amazing track, where Rocky gets introspective, talking about how his career is affecting him mentally and emotionally. At one point in his life, he felt suicidal, and as a result, it’s incredibly emotional, raw, and relatable. His flows are absolutely insane on this track as well. “Bloody ink on my pad spelled suicide. Michael Jackson even passed cause you scrutinized. Fuck Illuminati lies, say I’m lucified.” I really like the re-introduction of religious themes, and the track’s title being a symbol of rebirth from the ashes. He touches on how life is hard, no matter how successful you get, because people will do anything they can to tear you down. Danger Mouse did a phenomenal job with the production. Another favorite of mine.
Finally, we close off the album with the track, “Suddenly.” Another personal track where he discusses his quick rise to fame, who inspired him to pick up the mic, and his childhood. He’s vulnerable about his past, talking about how he lived in so much poverty, that there were roaches in his house. He also reflects on the good parts of his childhood such as cookouts and dirtbikes, and bad parts such as gang violence and shootouts. He paints a vivid picture of his world, and has an incredibly positive message. I love the chorus. “I only got one vision, that’s for kids in every color, religion. That listen, we gotta beat the system, stay the fuck out the prisons." What’s also interesting is how the drums don’t come in until his second verse. It’s a song that promotes unity and understanding, and it ends the album off on a strong note.
Overall, LONG.LIVE.A$AP is one of the strongest hip hop records of the 2010s, as well as one of the most under appreciated. I will say that lyrically a lot of the subject matter can sound similar, but what makes it sound fresh, is the variety of different sounds whether it’s Rocky’s creative rhyme schemes, or the diverse production incorporated on the album. While he’ll rap about drugs, sex, and hedonism a lot, he also isn’t afraid to talk about the cold world that surrounds him, whether it be about violence, suicidal ideation, poverty, or racism, he’s an incredibly fascinating individual. The religious undertones throughout the album, and rhymes filled with bravado, are many of the numerous highlights of this album. The sound of this album has aged incredibly well, and the production from a variety of different producers makes this album consistently engaging. There is never a boring moment on this album. He’s reflective, boastful, emotional, tough, and resilient, but he’s human like the rest of us. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and I recommend it to anyone who calls themselves a fan of hip-hop. While I don’t review deluxe editions of albums, I still highly recommend listening to the deluxe version of this album.
Overall Score: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: “Goldie,” “PMW (All I Really Need),” “Fuckin’ Problems,” “1Train,” “Phoenix,” “Suddenly”
Least Favorite Tracks: “Pain”
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8XhuFs5ZXs
Genres: Psychedelic Hip-Hop/Trap/Cloud Rap