A$AP Rocky
Long Live ASAP
Polo Grounds/RCA
Producer: Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Skillrex, Danger Mouse, Clams Casino and others
Score: 8 out of 10
While an onslaught of producers and guest performers—Drake, Kendrick Lamar, YelaWolf, and Santigold among them—guests with A$AP Rocky, he cannot be overshadowed. As the swaggering overlord who boasts “I thought I’d prolly die in prison,” Rocky rules the roost of sparkling synths and sleek beats. Bridging bravado and humor (“But our roaches ain’t respect us,” he remembers about his childhood in “Suddenly,”) economic aspirations are defined by “Goldie,” and the wardrobe name check in “.” The hypnotic “Hell” featuring Santigold is the standout with layered, dispassionate female vocals injecting harmonious counterpoint to the martial snare and Rocky’s facile lyricism.
By Dan Kimpel
