A$AP Rocky - Long Live A$AP [Album Review]

What's up? It's the black nerd and today, we have the Purple Swagged out rapper who got famous overnight after a video with a sexy white girl wearing gold grills. You already know who it is, and I have something to tell you guys. I haven't said this to anyone yet, but one of my guilty pleasures is A$AP Rocky (no homo). I know, there's nothing to be guilty for, but since he's obviously has never been the most lyrical or genius or anything (and sometimes sounds like he's featured on his own song), and I'm supposed to represent the epitome of a black nerd, why would a black nerd love a guy like A$AP Rocky? (it's not because he's black..) hmmm.. Maybe I can give you a valid explanation after the review of his album.

Long Live A$AP [Prod. by Jim Jonson, Rico Love, Finatik N Zac, Frank Romano, & Lord Flacko] -Ahhh the title track. This was definitely a single released before the album came off. That guitar sample and (later on in the song) chorus are so dazed, yet so scintillating. When Rocky starts rapping, it's so hardcore, but the sudden transition isn't bad. Usually transitions just throw me off in a bad way, but for once, this did not happen. It's crazy to believe that's actually Rocky singing. It sounds too good to be him, but you know it's not autotune, nawm saying?
"Ain’t had no pot to piss in, now my kitchen full of dishes "
4/5

Goldie [Prod. by Hit-Boy] - This is another one of the singles that was released wayyyyyyyyyyy before the album. I wasn't feeling it at first, but after a few listens, that chorus is just so easing. It always throws me off a bit for some reason, but it sounds good. The beat is so fresh and new. One thing I notice while listen to this is that every two lines are always about two different things. This dude cannot stay on topic for shit, but I guess I can't really count that against him. We all know that's not what we listen to Rocky for. That's not his lane, but now that I notice it, it's subtly annoying me.
3.5/5

PMW (All I Really Need.) (ft. Schoolboy Q) [Prod. by T-Minus & Nikhil Seetharam] - Ahh shit, that beat sounds like something DJ Khaled passed on! (When I read that T-Minus produced it, I realized that it probably was!) I like it though. I have noticed that just in the title of this song, Rakim here gives us three of the main themes spoken of throughout the album. There's nothing wrong with that (yet). This song is still hot. Schoolboy Q's verse was just ridiculous. His flow is wild. I definitely must've heard this before the album drop. These two make a great duo in my opinion.
4.4/5

LVL [Prod. by Clams Casino] - AHH YEAH. CLAMS CASINO IS FINALLY ON THE ALBUM. Clams Casino and A$AP is just a great combination. His chill beats are just perfect someone as trill as Rocky. Casino is a new J. Dilla in my opinion. There's so much soul. He's an alien, I swear. This beat sounds like an Imogen Heap sample (I haven't checked yet though). Flacko's simply complex (this probably makes no sense.) flow throughout some of this song is definitely one of the reasons I like him.
"All this talk about Illuminati. Y'all ain't got no clue about me."
4.2/5

Hell (ft. Santigold) [Prod. by Clams Casino] - As this song starts, I'm not feeling it so much. The chorus is just.. ugh. The bridge and everything. It's just not the right vibe for me. That Project Pat reference caught my attention though!
"Hell need a villain like Heaven need a newer idol"
2.7/5

Pain (ft. OverDoz) [Prod. by Soulfien3000] - First of all, who is OverDoz? Soulfien3000 made a ridiculous beat. This song has that Southside Chop-n-Screw feet. A$AP sounded like Childish Gambino for a second. Whoever OverDoz is, his verse is great. He spit one of my favorite lines I've heard so far. "Everybody's hot. Everybody's an artist." I know that's not ridiculously complicated or anything, but it's an observance that just makes me feel a bit introspective.
"The future will be televised"
3/5

Fuckin Problem (ft. 2Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar) [Prod. by 40 & C. Papi] - Rocky's verse is nice to start with, but to be honest, it does sound a bit like  a feature compared to everyone else (besides 2Chainz). It's just his typical shit. Drake's verse is just funny. This nigga's talking about paying for breast enlargement, but on his album, he telling bitches they can do better, and in older songs, he trying to respect them and shit. Drake, you fuckin' up, son. hhahahhaa. During the middle of his verse where he's like "and juuuuuuuu---," I bet he was reading the lyrics off his Blackberry and messed up when scrolling and just kept going and told 40 to keep it. lol. I see he stuck in a line about his dick -coughcoughwayne.-  And the fact that this nigga coproduces the shit and actually goes by the name "Champagne Papi." Come on 40? Are you this guy's ho' now? lol. Noah, what the fuck were you thinking even letting this nigga get credit for putting in a kick and hihat? lol. Kendrick just went Kendrick. Everything about this guy is above standard. I like the reference to his own song. lol. Okay, I think a month ago, I did a review of Eske's version of this song. Not going to lie, I sorta like that version better than the original.
3.7/5

Wild For The Night (ft. and prod. by Skrillex & Birdy Nam Nam) - One thing I've noticed is that Rocky collabs with the randomest people. I think that's cool. Every artist always says they want to collab with this and that artist from another artist, but Rocky is really doing it. I wasn't feeling this joint at first, but I got into it eventually. This beat is so Skrillex though. lol. You know what I mean if you listen to a bit of Skrillex.
4/5

1 Train (ft. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, YelaWolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T.) [Prod. by Hit-Boy]  - That looks like a nice lineup, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. A song's not a classic just because it has a nice lineup, sorta like a basketball team isn't great because it has a lot of stars. The problem with so many stars is that everyone tries to stand out instead of work together to make someone great. I would usually critique everyone's verse separately usually, but nahh. This whole song sounds like they're outside of the studio doing a cellphone cypher. Verse-wise, surprisingly, Kendrick's verse isn't anything special to me. (That's weird because ususally, I'm raging about how he kills everything!) Danny Brown's verse is a bit disgusting. The ones that really stand out to me are K.R.I.T.'s, YelaWolf's and Action Bronson's. (Seriously. peep the explanations of Bronson's verse on RapGenius.) I love K.R.I.T.'s verse. I mean, I feel like it's the hottest because he's the last and he has to be the hottest. Hit-Boy made an okay beat. The whole song is nothing special to me honestly, but I ain't mad. This shit sounds like something a rap group on YouTube would do. lol.
3.7/5

Fashion Killa [Prod. by Friendzone, Hector Delgado & Lord Flacko] - Friendzone coproduced this!! ahhhh I love that dude. The beat is chill, but you can hear that Rocky only put this joint on the album for the bitches. I feel like this was meant to be one of the album singles. Watch him drop a music video to this and make maaaaaaaaaaad dough off of the single. Everything about this just feels bitchmade. lol. C'mon Rocky! We don't love these hoes!
3/5

Phoenix [Prod. by Danger Mouse] - This beat is proof that Rocky is king of choosing the great beats. It's also proof that Danger Mouse (the other half of Gnarls Barkley that isn't Cee Lo Green) is honestly one of the greatest modern producers I've heard. Lyric-wise, this is one of the more lyrical songs from Rocky I've heard on the album. He's spitting stuff like "Jesus Christ never lied, still was crucified." It's all too ill.
"Life's a bitch, but that bitch in love with other niggas."
4.8/5

Suddenly [Prod. by Lord Flacko, Hector Delgado & A$AP Ty Beats] - This beat is on some different shit. It's like a mix of Kanye West and Clams Casino. It reminds me of a producer I know of named Jules Watts. Nothing much to say about this, but it's nice and chill. It's a great way to end the album if you were too cheap for the Deluxe version (or too lame to download Spotify).
--
OH SHIT. I was about to skip this shit until around 2:32, some drums hopped in and Rocky got back on that Rocky flow. ahhh yeah. I see you Rocky.
"Aye, y'all niggas ugly. You don't get no YouTube views! You don't get no hoes on Tumblah!"
3.9/5

Jodye [Prod. by Joey Fatts & Lord Flacko] - Oh shit! Is this supposed to be horrorcore or some shit? It's hard as fuck though. The beat sounds like some shit The Holy Karon would rap on. I like how Rocky takes the chorus from Tammy's Song, but gives it a completely different meaning. It's just as reckless though.The A$AP niggas are a fuckin' gang. lol
3/5

Ghetto Symphony (ft. Gunplay & A$AP Ferg) [Prod. by V Don, Lord Flacko & Jonathan "MP" Williams] - FROU FROU! You hear that Psychobabble, son? After that sample chorus intro thing, Rocky just goes hard. He's not really saying stuff that's so important, but that beat is keeping him sound hard as shit. He's like the lead vocalist to the GSO (Ghetto Symphony Orchestra). My nigga, Gunplay!!!! I've loved this nigga since Cartoons & Cereal. I wish he would stop fuckin' up and stay out of jail. This dude killed his verse though. He talked a lot about being arrested/in court in this verse. Gunplay's no Kanye, but he's way more than a Rick Ross. haha. A$AP Ferg just went the fuck in. I like how his first line was a response to Rocky's first line. Rocky is 3000 and Ferg is Big Boi... well not really, but you get what they're getting at!
4.9/5

Angels [Prod. by Amsterdam] - Oooooh another Imogen Heap sample. I don't know who Amsterdam is, but I'm messing with it. Lord Flacko here did kept changing up his verse. I fucks with this! I feel bad for sayign this song is pretty typical A$AP Rocky, but it's still dope as fuck.
4.6/5

I Come Apart (ft. Florence Welch) [Prod. by Emile Haynie & Amanda Ghost] - This song is just so feel good. Emile produced this? Ayye, it's got that 2007 Cudi feel. Florence Welch's voice is just beautiful. You know what I said earlier about Rocky collabing with anyone he wants? He did that again here. This woman is amazing. A$AP Rocky's verse was a nice touch too. It feels like it wasn't his song, but I don't really care. The track sounds so nice. This should go to the radios and get popular. This may be my favorite track on the album.
5/5

Overall, this album was exactly what I expected from A$AP Rocky. That's not a bad thing, but I always want a little more than what I expect when I listen to someone's album. I still really liked this album. I still don't know why I like about the guy fully. Whatever he does, he does it right. This Harlem boy with some Southern swag mixed in makes for a guy who just makes really catchy, feel good, in the mood songs. Rocky's beat selections are PERFECT. I know I don't like them all, but they're all just perfectly crafted for him. Rocky is also really bold with features with some very random people, such as Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam. That's not what I'm expecting from a rap album, but somehow, I end up liking it. The only thing that really holds Rocky back at some point is his lyrics. That switch topics every two lines. I know we don't listen to him for lyricism because that's not him, but lyrics still count for something, don't they? All I'm saying is that there wasn't a lot of stuff worthy of quoting. At the end of the day, Sir Flacko is still somewhat of a great songwriter. Everything is a hit, even if it's not exactly meant to be a hit. He's just one of those guys that I can hear changing mainstream music and radio standards. A$AP Rocky is so different and out of all of the rappers I hear on the daily, Rocky has a lot more potential than most. I can clearly hear that he will go far. I honestly would say that he is our generation's Jay-Z. I don't mean that in the sense of lyrical, but like a complete changer. Rocky has "longevity" written (or should I say tatted) all over him. It sucks that Rocky doesn't have many topics to rap about yet, but as he evolves, he'll only get greater. Rocky gets props for collaborating with a lot of lesser known people and producers. This was a reeally good first album and I'm really hoping for better with the next one.
78%+3% Extra Credit (just for being that nigga and starting the music year off right)= 81%
B-

Buy A$AP Rocky's Album
or Download Spotify like the rest of us broke niggas.

and peep this review of Rocky's albu. I think it's a really nice perspective.

Well, this was another review brought to you by Waverly Spades, and now I'm off to look at some new phones. I'm due for an upgrade. Why don't they make smartphones with keyboards anymore? ugggh