Music Monday: A$ΔP Rocky.

As you may have read in my earlier posts, I have recently become a big fan of A$AP Rocky. He originally caught my attention a few months ago when I heard that he had just inked a $3 million record deal with RCA. While I hadn't heard any of his music yet, I was extremely skeptical and quick to rip dude for spewing, what at the time seemed to be nonsense, about this supposed $3 million record deal, when I had yet to hear a song or even see a video of him. If the fabled record deal was a publicity stunt, man did it work on me. I quickly YouTube'd Mr. Rocky to see if he had the talent to backup his claim. I believe the first song I heard by A$AP Rocky was "Peso". While I wasn't necessarily crazy about his flow, the beat, along with his laid back "I don't have to try, Imma just let my swag carry me over the beat" persona eventually won me over. Shortly after the news of Rocky's new record deal blew up the interwebz, he conveniently dropped a new mixtape titled "LiveLoveA$AP". After downloading the mixtape, I took my test, and eventually earned my license to become the official driver of the A$AP Rocky bandwagon. To me, A$AP Rocky represents the culmination of just about every major rap era in hip-hop. The first thing most people notice is the use of the heavy based, chopped and screwed beats, and sizzurp laced rhymes that would make even the trillest southerner think dude is from Houston. But after a close listen, if you don't hear it in his voice, you'll definitely hear it in his lyrics, Rocky is a straight up Harlemite through and through. It's almost like someone threw UGK, Cam'ron, Wu-Tang, and Bone Thugs, and a Thrasher magazine in a blender and out came A$AP Rocky. The best part about Rocky's music is the fact that it's genuine. You can tell that there's no gimmick. He makes music that represents his life. Get money, fuck bitches, do drugs, watch out for the fam, dress fresh, have fun, and fuck you if you're not with the movement. I can't knock that. 

This is my favorite stage of an artist's career. It's the point that they are just finding out who they are, what will be their essence. The point right before the industry puts a collar on them and makes them market those assets like a pimp dressing one of his hoes. 

"Wassup" was probably my 3rd favorite song on the mixtape so I was extra excited when I saw that the video for it was released today (or yesterday technically). 

I loved everything about this video. The cocaine pentagram, the pit bull in from of the Ferrari, the all black posse scene, the money in the tub. So raw. So pure.

Sidebar: This video can be interpreted a lot of different ways. If you want to know my interpretation, hit me on Twitter or Facebook and I'll let you know what I think.

If history has taught me anything, it's that everyone eventually sells out. And honestly, who am I to blame them? If I knew that I could make millions of dollars by making dumbed down, repetitive music that people will continue to spend money on, I can't say without a doubt that I would turn that down. So until that point, I will live in the moment and enjoy every A$AP Rocky song that comes out.

Always $trive Δnd Prosper.