A$AP Rocky started his career in 2011 with a really solid mixtape, which not only got him mainstream attention, but also made him a figurehead for the burgeoning 'cloud-rap' scene, a style that has since become a pretty prominent production choice in mainstream hip-hop, next to Trap. He even followed this mixtape up with a pretty solid debut album, which not only proved he could still produce worthwhile music, but even play in styles more akin to what was popular on the charts without losing his legitimacy.
However, it's been a while since we've heard a full length project from Rocky. This has a lot to do with the fact that he's been doing a lot of features, helping fellow A$AP Mob cohorts start their careers, and the untimely death of friend and mentor A$AP Yams, who he seems to be paying tribute to him with the album cover of his latest album, AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP.
The title seems to promise two things, one, that Rocky has finally become the MC that everyone knew he could be, and he even indulges in some straight narcissism, asserting that he has become a kind of rap god, kind of like Kanye. Unfortunately, he and Kanye not only share a knack for being pretty into themselves, but also releasing sub-par albums that show just how delusional these proclamations of godhood are.
The album starts off pretty well, I really like the track "Holy Ghost" and how it addresses the hypocrisy of certain religious figures who preach living within one's means, but wear expensive clothes and jewels. And the beat on this track and the following "Canal St." are pretty classy as well. But the album really gets stuck in a rut after this point, with the track "Fine Whine" sounding so muddy and unappealing, and don't get me started on the horrendous MIA verse on this track. After that we get the single "L$D" which is just an excuse for Rocky to sing over a vaguely psychedelic beat, which all sounds pretty bad when all is said and done.
While I enjoy tracks like "Excuse Me" and even kind of dig "Lord Pretty Flacko Joyde 2", tracks like "Electric Body" come in, and I'm back to shaking my head in disgust. The only other tracks that give me any kind of enjoyment are the tracks "Wavybone" for being the most consistent verse wise, "Jukebox Joints" for a pretty funny Kanye verse, and the closer, "Back Home" which has a pretty decent beat.
Overall, this album is too inconsistent for me to really be down with it. I find some tracks to be pretty good, while others are easily some of Rocky's worst yet. I'll look for more features, and especially other projects from guys like Ferg, but for now, I'll just have to chalk this album up as a disappointment that I hope Rocky can rebound from.
6.3/10
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