LONG.LIVE.A$AP — A Review
Reviewing A$AP Rocky’s debut studio album
This album was the pinnacle of my middle school experience. It was around this time that I truly became indoctrinated into the rap atmosphere and its nuances. A$AP Rocky had the one of the most addicting flows of any rapper out in that era — a sort of nonchalant, “jiggy” type of rap that would prove to be popular for a short time. LONG.LIVE.A$AP was the height of this type of music for Rocky and why it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Harlem Renaissance
This album is essential when talking about the evolution of east coast rap over the past decade. I believe it led into the looser style exhibited by modern rappers — apparent in the style Young Thug introduced in the same time frame. This album took braggadocio and the lifestyle to another level. High quality lyricism is beyond prevalent in this album, but the somewhat odd features/choruses may throw some off. Songs like “Hell’ and “Pain” aren’t exactly the best on the album but aren’t bad per-say because in their case, Rocky’s lyricism saves the songs.
There are so many elite songs on this album that it’s hard to pinpoint just a few to breakdown. However, segmenting the track list makes it a bit easier.
