The one thing A$AP Rocky is insecure about
There are so many rappers that can contend for the greatest rapper ever. From Biggie to Kendrick, is there even a point in declaring just one? Shift the ‘greatest’ to the ‘coolest’, however, and opinion is more streamlined. Data is easier to crunch. It is – not definitively, but almost definitely – A$AP Rocky.
Like, come on. He’s a major fashion icon, and routinely considered one of the best dressed men not just in hip-hop, but in the music industry at large, a consistent presence at Fashion Weeks and Met Galas alike. He radiates charisma, with even candid videos of him in public going viral for his brilliant balance of suave and goofy. Even his music itself is cool, with its East Coast trappings elevated with experimental divisions, and collaborations with artists such as Skrillex, Moby, and Florence & The Machine. Outside of fashion and music, his projects include acting appearances, whether it’s a Lana Del Rey music video or the upcoming Spike Lee film Highest 2 Lowest.
And, well, this part goes without saying. What makes A$AP Rocky the coolest rapper? His partner, and mother of his children, is Rihanna.
If there’s anyone on the planet one would assume to not be insecure, it would be A$AP. But celebrities: they’re just like us! In an interview with Pitchfork magazine back in 2013, the Grammy Award nominated rapper discussed if there was anything he was “insecure or self-conscious” about, to verbatim quote the interviewer.
“Of course: my art,” A$AP replied. “I don’t want it to be put out the wrong way. I don’t want it to be taken the wrong way. I want people to get it, but at the same time, I love it when people are at the point where they’re like, “What the fuck am I looking at? What’s going on right now?””
“But sometimes I have a complex about it, because I’m like, “What if it’s too much?” I’m really capable of making great records, but don’t you notice that people love dumb shit that’s watered down? They want silly shit like “Purple Swag”,” A$AP continued.
“Purple Swag” fans, don’t be alarmed just yet. The interviewer asked, “are you saying that you think “Purple Swag” is basic, in retrospect?”
“Of course. That’s not my best,” A$AP elaborated. “That’s my coolest. It’s appealing, it’s melodic, it’s psychedelic, it’s ambient. But is it my best? No.”
With around 37 digital single units sold across the UK, two number one charting studio albums, and multiple top ten hits under his belt, A$AP’s best record, in his opinion, could any anything within his arsenal. Or perhaps, it is yet to come. Easily one of the most influential figures of this century’s hip-hop scene, the former founding member of Harlem’s A$AP Mob is notable for his artistic range.
Unconventional, charming, with a timeless aesthetic across all his mediums of expression that range from old school dapper to gender-playing futuristic, A$AP Rocky is more than just a cool rapper. He’s a representation of his generation of multi-disciplinary artists. Absolutely nothing to be insecure or self-conscious about, if you ask us.