His name is A$AP Rocky. Just glancing at the name A$AP Rocky leads one to assume that it is the title of a rapper, and it is. Rakim Meyers is his real name, but since 2007, he has been going by this clever acronym, which apparently means “Always Strive and Prosper,” “Assassinating Snitches and Police,” or his favorite, “Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose.”
Like every other rap artist in history, A$AP Rocky began his career by recording mix tapes. He grew up in New York City and rapped for his own enjoyment to get his mind off of his devastating childhood. Not long after, A$AP Rocky became interested in making his passion into a career. He released a mix tape in 2011 and eventually got signed to a 2 year $3 million dollar deal with Sony, RCA Records, and Polo Grounds music. He was not very famous until the beginning of 2011, when he was asked to open the Club Paradise Tour with Kendrick Lamar for well known rapper, Drake. He spent the year of 2012 producing his album that would later be released on January 11, 2013.
His album, LongLiveA$AP debuted number one on iTunes and on the Top 200 Billboard Charts. His album features artists like Schoolboy Q, Santigold, Overdoz, Drake, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, Birdy Nam Nam, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Big K.R.I.T. Gunplay, a$AP Welch, and Florence Welch. Although the album features a few artists who may not be as widely known as the others, it certainly helps to have featured artists for diversity. The song “Long Live A.S.A.P” starts off the album successfully with his cocky, yet motivational lyrics: “Whoever said you can’t live forever lied. Of course I’m living forever.”
Also, on this album, A$AP Rocky proves he can create a solid and addicting track about his past or his present. The second track on the album, “Goldie,” consists of him rapping at an Eminem speed with a Lil Wayne sound. The slow, hypnotizing sound in “Pain” can bring a listener to another world. “Wild For The Night” featuring Skrillex & Birdy Nam Nam can be danced to, rather than just rapped to. With the amount of people on “1Train,” the song is sure to be a radio hit. With its creepy sound, the song seems as if the producers took the background sound from the movie “One Missed Call.” With its combination of jazz, hip hop, and even a church sound, A$AP Rocky’s debut album is a journey into the darkness
