A$AP Rocky has become a new man, to say the least. As a newfound father to Rihanna’s first child, the New York rapper has come a long way since his 2019 arrest in Stockholm for allegedly punching a fan in the face. That aside, the New York rapper has always been respected in the music business and has made exceptional music alongside incredible artists such as Skepta and Tyler, The Creator.
Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers) was born and raised in the Harlem neighbourhood of New York and first emerged with his crew, the A$AP Mobb, in 2011. Before the infamous “mumble rap” era, A$AP Mobb rose to fame at a similar time to the likes of Odd Future, Taylor Gang and Sad Boys in the early 2010s and was part of what some dubbed the “Harlem Renaissance”.
Along with artists such as Teyana Taylor, Azealia Banks, and Princess Nokia, the early 2010s saw an influx of young black and Latino creatives rise out of Harlem, making the best alternative hip-hop.
Like their Harlem counterparts, A$AP Mobb was extremely popular nationwide. However, it seemed as if Rocky, in particular, was always preparing for a solo career as he would simultaneously put out his own solo material while other crew members did not.
Rocky has released a lot of quality music over the years. From his debut mixtape Live. Love. ASAP. to the rapper’s second studio album, At. Long. Last. ASAP. However, since the arrival of Travis Scott, many have been making comparisons between the two MCs, with fans saying the Astroworld artist ascended by stealing Rocky’s style.
In an interview with Noreaga and DJ EFN on the renowned Drink Champs podcast, the hosts asked Mayers whether he entertains the idea, to which the artist responded, “Nah, you can’t feed into petty sh*t like that. At this point, that sh*t trash at this point. I saw similarities for sure, I saw that he was inspired and sh*t like that, but that’s what we’re here for.”
He continued, “That’s good sportsmanship. I’ll put it to you like this if n*ggas wasn’t biting off me…imitation is the best form of flattery. If people not tryna imitate you, then you doing something wrong.”
You can watch A$AP Rocky’s full Drink Champs interview below.
