Long Live A$AP by A$AP

I rarely listen to and even less often review rap music but today am making an exception. In the last couple of weeks I have heard quite a bit about this rapper. Rolling Stone seems especially to have been very excited about his talent.

I must confess that, to me, for the most part much of this music sounds the same and I am certainly not a fan of the bitches and ho's attitude of much of it. That said I do recognize that some of these fellows have a talent at it. I think Eminem is talented, I think Wiz Khalifa is good at what he does even if I do not like it. I also think it is important to listen to new things, I am constantly trying to tell my kids that they need to expose themselves to all kinds of music, even if it is just listening to the non radio cuts on an album they like. Of course rarely do kids even by the album these days, I keep having to tell myself the world is changing.

On his first album A$AP certainly does seem good at what he does. I cannot pretend to tell you any message or theme. I do not understand some of what they say, and the constant UHH is a bit much but the first single called nicely F@*kin Bitches is a winner. I cannot help but feel like I am writing that sarcastically but it actually is a neat song as far as beats and rhymes, and a reference to The Beatles never hurts. I listened to the clean version so I am sure that made it a bit more acceptable for me.

Wild for the Night on which some of his backup track is provided by the very hot Skrillex ( another fellow who is a bit beyond my taste) seems to me sure to be a winner. How can I tell, I try to see if I can picture this being played at ten in my middle son's room. On 1train the back track is even better with a slower beat, joined by Kendrick Lamar for a verse this song is also strong. If I'm not the hottest then hell must have froze over is a pretty good line, and on this song A$AP reminds me of Kanye West. Again not sure if that is a compliment or not but I think in this case it is.

My favorite song on the album is surely Phoenix. Starting with a slow beat, and references to God, Mary J Blige, Kurt Cobain, Jesus Christ, A$AP has something to say on this song. Talking about judgement and scrutinizing making us all less than we could be there actually is a message here even I can understand.

So tonight I get to ask my middle son if he has listened to this new rapper yet, if he has I guarantee you it is only to the single. It is good to be ahead of the curve, something my wife says I am very good at. Even if you have to listen to a fellow with a dollar sign in his name.

Check it out, I assure you your kids will be listening to it.