Though there are many who found A$AP Rocky’s latest studio album Testing to be rather challenging, in hindsight, it’s easy to understand how his style reached that point. With rumblings that his upcoming ALL $MILES project might drop at some point this year, it feels appropriate to circle back to the early days of Flacko, where the seeds of his adventurous approach were initially planted.
For many, Live. Love. A$AP marked an introduction to the Harlem rapper, who appeared to find a kindred creative spirit in Clams Casino. Though Clams contributed a variety of tracks to the breakout tape, one of the biggest highlights arrives by way of “Bass.” Flacko switches his style in Jekyll/Hyde fashion, shifting between pitched-down vocals and his more familiar cadence while the beat follows suit. Though many have called Testing a major departure from “older Rocky,” it actually feels like a logical conclusion to his work with Clams, “Bass” included.
With ALL $MILES on the way, be sure to revisit one of Rocky’s early fan-favorites in “Bass,” a track that set the table for one of hip-hop’s most experimental emcees.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
These other ni*gas so-so, they open off my mojo
Spanish Sophie with a half a kilo by her cho-cho
Blow it out your culo, who got dough on the smoke though
My partner had cinco now we blowin’ on that ocho