A$AP Rocky “Celebration”
I didn’t cover the A$AP Rocky mixtape LiveLoveA$AP at first because it seemed unimpressive and overhyped. But after return visits to the album, I’ve been won over. While the mixtape falls prey to many a rapper’s Achilles Heel (being centered around lazy rhymes that show little more than a young guy being a misogynistic asshole, specifically), the overall product is a winning deal. Especially on the first two tracks of the record (the Clams Casino produced “Palace” and the minor hit “Peso”), I find songs that are texture-rich, in part due to Rocky’s smoky vocals. Continuing his give-it-away mentality, A$AP is back with a new free track called “Celebration,” which is a jubilant and heavy follow-up to LiveLoveA$AP. Peep the lush synths, the shotgun snares, and the surprisingly nimble vocal take by Rocky, who last year signed a multi-million-dollar major label deal. There’s a good chance he’ll blow up and join the likes of Lil’ Wayne as the next big rapper to rise up from the underground, so enjoy his music now while it’s free and still at least partially unadulterated of a major label’ numbing influence and interference.
—Josh
Writer / co-founder
Indeed, “Celebration” is a winner. Talkin’ loud and sayin’ nothing….but as enjoyable as the drugs they rock.