A$AP Rocky

Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky projects an effortless tough-guy presence as he embodies cloud rap and trap aesthetics, weaves in witch house and dubstep textures, or pivots from confronting inner turmoil to overpowering adversaries. Drake’s early endorsement, arriving before any complete project surfaced, elevated the self-described neighborhood outsider into one of the 2010s’ most prominent breakout acts. Long.Live.A$AP (2013) and At.Long.Last.A$AP (2015) both reached the summit of the Billboard 200, while Testing (2018) secured a Top Ten placement. These sets were fronted by era-defining singles, led by the Grammy-nominated Top Ten pop smash “Fuckin’ Problems,” plus seven further tracks that attained platinum or multi-platinum status. Bolstered by the A$AP Mob and a roster of collaborators that stretched from Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz to Skepta and Skrillex, Rocky lent his voice to chart successes fronted by Selena Gomez (“Good for You”), G-Eazy (“No Limit”), and Famous Dex (“Pick It Up”). A cluster of singles issued near the decade’s turn, joined by several multifaceted releases across 2023 and 2024, set the stage for his fourth album, Don’t Be Dumb.

Born Rakim Athelaston Mayers in Harlem and also known as Lord Flacko, Rocky began rapping after relocating to Elmwood Park, New Jersey. Once he obtained his GED, he had already built underground recognition through cuts such as “Peso” and “Trilla,” which drew from the swagger of Harlem’s Diplomats and the laid-back bravado of Houston’s UGK. In 2011 he unveiled his debut street album, Live.Love.A$AP. Following a sizable RCA contract that simultaneously allowed him to launch the A$AP Worldwide imprint alongside A$AP Mob associate A$AP Yams, the project received an official re-release in February 2012. Still awaiting his proper studio debut, he closed the year with a BBC Sound of 2012 nomination, portrayed Lana Del Rey’s spouse in the “National Anthem” video, and appeared in a commercial for FIFA Soccer 13. He also joined a remix of Rihanna’s “Cockiness (I Love It)” and contributed to numerous other recordings, among them ScHoolboy Q’s gold-certified “Hands on the Wheel.”

All of this momentum culminated in the January 2013 arrival of Long.Live.A$AP, which topped the Billboard 200. Its lead single, “Fuckin’ Problems” featuring Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and 2 Chainz, climbed to number eight on the Hot 100, earned multi-platinum certification, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. The follow-up, “Wild for the Night” with Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam, likewise achieved multi-platinum standing. Executive-produced by Danger Mouse and Juicy J, At.Long.Last.A$AP emerged in May 2015 as Rocky’s second number-one album, propelled by three platinum singles: “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2),” “Everyday” featuring Rod Stewart, Miguel, and Mark Ronson, and “LSD,” whose video earned a Grammy nomination.

Throughout the subsequent two years Rocky remained a sought-after guest artist. He appeared on Selena Gomez’s “Good for You” and G-Eazy’s “No Limit,” both Top Ten pop hits, as well as Black Eyed Peas’ “Where Is the Love?,” Mura Masa’s “Love Sick,” and Famous Dex’s “Pick It Up.” After contributing to the Uncle Drew soundtrack, he returned in May 2018 with Testing, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. “A$AP Forever” featuring Moby and “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” featuring Skepta became his seventh and eighth platinum-certified lead singles. He wrapped the decade with additional featured spots and solo releases, including the charting track “Babushka Boi.”

Though largely absent in 2020, Rocky resurfaced the next year via the slowthai collaboration “MAZZA” and a solo cut for the Judas and the Black Messiah soundtrack. Further joint efforts arrived in 2022—the same year he and Rihanna welcomed their first child—including “Doja” with $NOT and “Lost and Found Freestyle 2019” alongside Tyler, The Creator and Nigo. “Shittin’ Me” appeared as part of the Need for Speed Unbound soundtrack. In 2023 he issued “Same Problems?” and “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)” featuring Pharrell Williams as early indicators of Don’t Be Dumb. Activity intensified in 2024 as “Highjack” featuring Jessica Pratt, “Tailor Swif,” and “Ruby Rosary” with J. Cole all entered the Hot 100 ahead of the album’s arrival.