A$AP Rocky Essentials

With an omnivorous sound that reflects influences from all over the map, A$AP Rocky first emerged as a photogenic symbol of rap’s extended cultural reach in the 2010s. He broke out from Harlem’s A$AP Mob crew with his instantly catchy 2011 debut single “Peso”, casually rapping about being “that pretty motherfucker” while showing off his unique sense of style. Its success certainly wasn’t a fluke, and the next year he was holding court with Drake, Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz for the tongue-in-cheek horniness of “F**kin’ Problems”, a track that went multiplatinum in multiple countries. The genius of A$AP Rocky is how he can pull together disparate elements and make them feel perfectly natural together, like how 2015’s “Everyday” recruits celebrity producer Mark Ronson and R&B star Miguel on a low-slung banger that samples vintage Rod Stewart. In the years since, he has recontextualised everything from Moby’s floaty ambience (2018’s “A$AP Forever”) to indie folk singer Jessica Pratt’s creaky croon (2024’s “HIGHJACK”) in the same fashion that he might mix and match wildly different items from his wardrobe. No matter which direction he might cast his savvy eye, Rocky’s sly charm and rock-solid confidence shine through in every bar he delivers.