Album Review: ASAP Rocky- Long.Live.ASAP.
Who exactly is ASAP Rocky (aka Lord Flacko aka Pretty Flacko aka That Pretty Motherf***er)? Brooklyn crusader, gold-grilled gangster, hip-hop's new Edgar Allen Poe? Even the meaning of his ASAP monicker is debatable (although he leans towards "Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose"). That in itself is a testament to the cloudiness of Rocky's identity. Long.Live.ASAP., the NYC native's debut album, is an intriguing blend of vibrant beats that respectively accompany slices of ASAP's equally compelling personality. But exactly how deep does Rocky go? It's hard to say. Flip on "Wild for the Night" to hear what is more or less an energetic whim off of a Skrillex remix--Rocky must have been really banking on this one for it to have surpassed mix tape status. "Long Live ASAP", on the other hand, is far from an impulsive attempt at anthem status. Rocky paints an intricate yet bleak portrait of his own come-up over dreary guitar flanked by a bass-heavy, bone-chilling beat. While many dismiss Rocky as a straight up, I-don't-give-a-fuck kind of guy, he is not shy to confront his personal demons through a humble and somewhat dismal delivery. Raps Rocky on the title track, "I wonder if they miss me, as long as I make history/ Now my soul is feeling empty, tell the Reaper come and get me." Listeners should not be entirely apprehensive when comparing Rocky's despondency to that of a certain godfather of East Coast rap. But let's not get too carried away...
The young gun strikes with subtle and swift rhyme schemes that keep Long.Live.ASAP. afloat in when the intensity wanes, and the rapper in the conversation with other up-and-coming street poets like Kendrick Lamar. Take "LVL" for example; over a drugged up Clams Casino beat, ASAP lays down a 73 syllable barrage arranged in a 4/3/4 pattern in the span of 14 seconds, while consistently rhyming each grouping with the last. This isn't the Rocky you'll hear on the regular, but it is pleasantly apparent on the album that he is moving away from his codeine-infused droning and is starting to tap into his actual lyrical aptitude. "Fuckin' Problems" may be the most heralded track on the album, but it's certainly not worth the hype in terms of actual significance, as it isn't hard to see that Drake and Kendrick are the ones who carry most of the weight. Perhaps that just goes to show that Rocky's confidence does not lay in his ability to produce hits for the masses. Don't sleep on Flacko though. If anything, Long.Live.ASAP. showcases his desire to explore new avenues of hip-hop music and make a name for himself and his image. While the album is rough around the edges in terms of unadulterated street substance, Rocky's true talent is very much embedded within. In the world of hip-hop, ambition always wins out, and if Rocky continues to build off the framework that is Long.Live.ASAP., expect a polished prodigy to take the reigns of rap in the near future.
The young gun strikes with subtle and swift rhyme schemes that keep Long.Live.ASAP. afloat in when the intensity wanes, and the rapper in the conversation with other up-and-coming street poets like Kendrick Lamar. Take "LVL" for example; over a drugged up Clams Casino beat, ASAP lays down a 73 syllable barrage arranged in a 4/3/4 pattern in the span of 14 seconds, while consistently rhyming each grouping with the last. This isn't the Rocky you'll hear on the regular, but it is pleasantly apparent on the album that he is moving away from his codeine-infused droning and is starting to tap into his actual lyrical aptitude. "Fuckin' Problems" may be the most heralded track on the album, but it's certainly not worth the hype in terms of actual significance, as it isn't hard to see that Drake and Kendrick are the ones who carry most of the weight. Perhaps that just goes to show that Rocky's confidence does not lay in his ability to produce hits for the masses. Don't sleep on Flacko though. If anything, Long.Live.ASAP. showcases his desire to explore new avenues of hip-hop music and make a name for himself and his image. While the album is rough around the edges in terms of unadulterated street substance, Rocky's true talent is very much embedded within. In the world of hip-hop, ambition always wins out, and if Rocky continues to build off the framework that is Long.Live.ASAP., expect a polished prodigy to take the reigns of rap in the near future.
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