A$AP ROCKY - AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP

That is, until January 18th, 2015, when Rocky’s best friend, mentor and manager, A$AP Yams, was found dead at 26. Accidental overdose. From that day forth, everything became very unorthodox for Rocky. His promotional run at Sundance for Dope was a challenge, his mood had visibly darkened, and early reports of A.L.L.A. indicated that psychedelic, and dark overtones would be present. Where he might ordinarily rap, he, or someone, would be crooning. He’d begun studying those off the deep end bands, like The Mysterians, The Doors, and more. At.Long.Last.A$AP is a representation of Rocky’s willingness to take the road less traveled, and in the absence of his overt, radio-ready anthems, we have a more introspective, deliberate Rocky, intent on painting a picture bigger than Harlem and SoHo.

The rock presence is clear, but Rocky’s raps are still where he triumphs. His delivery is more polished than it was on his last two projects—he’s found that happy medium where the drawling, chopped-and-screwed Rocky can get jiggy with his quicker tempo self, and not completely halt the album’s momentum. The first track, “Holy Ghost,” a Danger Mouse and DJ Khalil-produced slow-burner finds Rocky questioning his surroundings, from the sacred to the secular, an appropriate introduction to an album on which he’s expected to be searching for answers, as opposed to providing them. He’ll continue to rap, rather impressively might we add, on “Canal St,” “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2,” and “Back Home,” but this album is made on two songs: “L$D,” and “Jukebox Joint, where he sings an entire song and raps without a drum pattern respectively, but comes away with the W both times.

Those looking for a new set of songs to turn up to this summer should steer clear of this LP. While “LPFJ2” and “M’$,” provide the perfect soundscape for a summer party, the essence of this album is found in the dark crevices between the pop efforts, where Rocky explores everything from his own mortality to reverends’ ulterior motives. Where he takes shots at pop artists and draws risky parallels to rape victims. The road less traveled. – Khari Nixon