Line #103 Music/AsapRocky


1	[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_mhtg7bngpg1qig1kfo1_500.jpg]]
2
3	->''"I be that pretty motherfucker,\
4	Harlem's what I'm reppin'"''
5	-->-- "'''Peso'''"
6
7	Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), better known as A$AP Rocky, is a popular American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, model, actor, and music video director.
8
9	Born in Harlem, UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, he has spent most of his life in New York (though he spent his teenage years in Harrisburg, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}). He is the best-known member of the collective A$AP Mob, and has been a major fixture in SwagRap since he began achieving mainstream exposure in 2011.
10
11	A$AP Rocky is known for his laid-back and smooth delivery, atmospheric beat choices, and [[RealMenWearPink unique fashion sense]]. His music is considered a fusion of Dirty South rap such as Music/{{UGK}} and Music/ThreeSixMafia and native New York-based artists like Dipset and Music/WuTangClan, and has also been characterized by the sounds of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_rap cloud rap]], with his collaborations with producer Clams Casino (credited as a pioneer of the genre) being hailed as instrumental in [[GenrePopularizer bringing the genre to the mainstream]].
12
13	To date, he has released one major mixtape (''LIVE.LOVE.A$AP'', 2011) and three major label albums (''LONG.LIVE.A$AP'', 2013; ''AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP'', 2015; and ''Testing'', 2018), with the first two especially being critically acclaimed and commercially successful. He is in a long-term relationship with Music/{{Rihanna}}, with whom he has two sons (born in June 2022 and August 2023).
14
15	[[JustForFun/IReadThatAs Not to be confused]] with alt-rapper Music/AesopRock. And yes -- [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A29xjvbYk4U&ab_channel=RosenbergRadio they have met]].
16	----
17	!!Discography
18	!!!Mixtape
19	* ''LIVE.LOVE.A$AP'' (2011)
20
21	!!!Studio albums
22	* ''LONG.LIVE.A$AP'' (2013)
23	* ''AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP'' (2015)
24	* ''Testing'' (2018)
25
26	!!!With A$AP Mob
27	* '''Lord$ Never Worry'' (2011)
28	* ''Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends'' (2016)
29	* ''Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy'' (2017)
30
31	!!!Notable songs by A$AP Rocky include:
32	* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuZ2QZKYj7c Purple Swag]]"
33	* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob3ktDxAjWI Peso]]"
34	* "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liZm1im2erU Fuckin' Problems]](feat. Music/{{Drake}}, Music/KendrickLamar, and Music/TwoChainz)
35	----
36	!!Filmography (not including music videos)
37	!!!Films
38	* ''Film/{{Dope}}'' (2015) as Dom
39	* ''Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer'' (2015) {{as himself}} (documentary)
40	* ''Film/Zoolander2'' (2016) as himself
41	* ''Film/PopstarNeverStopNeverStopping'' (2016) as himself
42	* ''Film/{{Monster\|2018}}'' (2018) as William King
43	* ''Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics'' (2020) as himself (documentary)
44	* ''Stockholm Syndrome'' (2020) as himself (documentary)
45	* ''A Man Named Scott'' (2021) as himself (documentary)
46
47	!!!Television
48	* ''Series/ComedyBangBang'' (2015) as himself (episode: "A$AP Rocky Wears a Black Button Up Jacket and Black Sneakers")
49	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animals\|2016}}'' (2016) as Bodega Cat 2 (voice; episode: "Flies.")
50	* ''Series/TheEricAndreShow'' as himself (episode: "Stacey Dash; Creator/JackMcBrayer")
51
52	!!!Video games
53	* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAcademy'' (2016) as [[Characters/CaptainAmericaHeroes Falcon]]
54	* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound'' (2022) as himself
55	----
56	!!Tropes present in his life and work:
57
58	* AlternativeHipHop: Continues to make experimental music even after achieving mainstream success.
59	* BoastfulRap: Most of his early music revolves around this, though his subject matter has broadened considerably as his career has progressed.
60	* TheCasanova: Rocky paints himself as such in "Jukebox Joints"
61	-->''She's the type to seek love and make it everlasting\
62	I'm the type to wake up and say it never happened\
63	I mean I fucked the girl with hella passion\
64	But it's cold how we smashed, and left her sleeping on a separate mattress''
65	* TheCharmer: A common theme in his music is his ability to effortlessly attract women.
66	* [[ComingOfAgeStory Coming-of-Age Song]]: "Suddenly."
67	* ConsciousHipHop: "Pharsyde" leans heavily into this territory. To a lesser extent, "Gunz n Butter."
68	* DarkerAndEdgier: AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP is WAY more somber than his previous two projects, probably influenced by A$AP Yams death.
69	* TheDissTrack: In spite of being a high profile rapper, these are largely absent from his catalog, with the notable exception of "Angels," which contains shots at former collaborator Spaceghostpurrp.
70	* {{Homage}}:
71	** The music video for "L$D" is based on the film ''Film/EnterTheVoid''.
72	** Similarly, the music video for "Babushka Boi" is based on ''Film/DickTracy''.
73	** The opening verse of "Changes" pays tribute to [[Music/OutKast André 3000's]] verse in "Int'l Player's Anthem."
74	* IHaveManyNames: Also goes by "Pretty Flacko" and "Lord Pretty Flacko", periodically.
75	* TheFashionista: Rocky has been name dropping designers and brands since his first single, and released "Fashion Killa" as the lead single for ''LONG.LIVE.A$AP''
76	* TheLancer: A$AP Ferg, the next most successful member of the A$AP Mob.
77	* LoveIsADrug: Both inverted and played straight in "L$D."
78	* MotorMouth: Capable of pulling this off on several tracks, including "Lvl" and "Suddenly" from ''LONG.LIVE.A$AP'', and then transitioning back to a laid-back drawling delivery.
79	* NamedAfterSomeoneFamous: His birth name, Rakim, was inspired by [[Music/EricBAndRakim the rapper of the same name]].
80	* NewSoundAlbum: Moderate example in ''Testing''. While it's not completely new territory, it's far more experimental than his previous work.
81	* OddFriendship: He and Music/TylerTheCreator have become very close since they toured together. His friendships with Music/LanaDelRey and UK rapper Music/{{Skepta}} may also count.
82	* OfCorpseHesAlive: Downplayed as he isn't technically dead, but in the video for “Shitin' Me” he becomes overwhelmed with stress and passes out, in which three friends find him and start controlling his body like a marionette. They live out his career doing this from waving to fans, chilling at parties, to making music videos with his body.
83	* PerishingAltRockVoice: Rare non-rock example in "L$D".
84	* RagsToRiches: Was homeless at one point during his teenage years.
85	-->''I remember I was poor and\
86	When I was young and living homeless\
87	Now I rock the Ricky Owens''[[note]]An expensive luxury clothing line[[/note]]
88	-->--"Fukk Sleep"
89	* RealMenWearPink: A$AP Rocky is deeply interested in fashion.
90	* ReligionRantSong: "Holy Ghost" is Type III.
91	* {{Sampling}}: As with several hip hop artists, sampling is abundant, but is perhaps most notable in "Everyday" and "A$AP Forever," sampling Music/RodStewart and Music/{{Moby}} respectively. He also sampled Music/TameImpala in "Sundress"
92	** Moby actually re-recorded his own vocals from "Porcelain" for the latter, as well as Rod Stewart rerecording his vocals from his feature on "In A Broken Dream" for the former.
93	* SeamlessScenery: Most of the "A$AP Forever" video is a ''vertical'' OrbitalShot; the camera looping over each vignette before panning through the ground and [[TheOner into the next]].
94	* ShoutOut: The last verse of "Long Live A$AP" shouts out [[Music/{{UGK}} Pimp C]], Lil Flip, and Music/ThreeSixMafia.
95	* SinisterMinister: Rocky criticizes religious leaders who take money from congregations to live lavish lifestyles in "Holy Ghost".
96	* SongStyleShift: The middle section of "Changes" switches to a different beat in a different time signature.
97	* SopranoAndGravel: His three songs with Music/LanaDelRey.
98	* TheStoner: ''LIVE.LOVE.A$AP'' makes this abundantly clear, with multiple tracks about marijuana("Roll One Up", "Leaf") and codeine("Kissin' Pink"). It's been seriously suggested that the mixtape is meant to be listened to in an altered state of mind.
99	** He has openly stated that he sometimes records under the influence, such as when he revealed that both he and Skepta were on Acid while recording "Praise The Lord da Shine".
100	* SurprisinglyGentleSong: "L$D," a psychedelic R&B ballad dedicated to, you guessed it, LSD.
101	* SurrealMusicVideo: "Long Live A$AP," "L$D," "Yamborghini High," "A$AP Forever," and several others.
102	* SwagRap: One of the most commercially-successful practitioners.
103	* TakeThat: On "D.M.B." [[note]] "Dat's My Bitch" [[/note]] there's the line, "I don't hit my bitch, I need my bitch." With the song being a tribute to his current partner, Music/{{Rihanna}}, many took it as an obvious diss to Chris Brown, Rihanna's ex, who had previously assaulted her in an infamous case of domestic violence back in 2009.

Context Music / AsapRocky