Whaddup folks. Welcome to another not so frequent edition of
hiphopmade album reviews, where your boy jellz, aka the personification of
hiphop itself 100% accurately reviews and gives FACTS (not opinions) on new
popular hiphop releases. My last review was Aubrey’s non-free load of fuckery
mixtape, but luckily since then the hiphop gods have forgiven us of our sins
and sent their only begotten Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye to save hiphop. So with
out further adieu, At Long Last A$AP…
1.
Holy Ghost (feat. Joe Fox)
This was a perfect start to the album. I love the fuckin
sample at the start reminded me of Jay Z’s What More Can I Say, track off the
Black Album with the sample from Gladiator, shit was fuckin EPIC and really set
the tone for how seriously Flacko took this entire project. We get a rare
serious track here, with the topic focusing on his struggles with religion and
God, shit we can all relate too, because lets face it… we a bunch of fucckinnn
heavy sinners my nigga, we ain’t lookin too good out here. Good track though
Rocky. I’ll address the Joe Fox feature later on in this review because this
motherfucker is EVERYYWHERE on this album.
2.
Canal Street (feat. Bones)
The production on this shit was jiggy as fuck! Has this
clean bounce to it and some DJ Premier level scratches, I feel like I’m in a
fuckin Ma$e video minus the corniness with this one. Rocky’s flow on this is
flawless too, my word. I really like the general airy feel of the track
especially on the chorus. It sounds like they recorded that hook in a cathedral
or something love the effects they utilized on Bones’ voice. Rocky always got
the weirdest but freshest hooks bro. Great track!
3.
Fine Wine (ft. MIA & Future)
I gotta come clean… I don’t all the way fuck with this
record. Rocky was fuckin fresh as usual, using that deeper voice like the one
on the Goldie hook from Long Love A$AP, but I ain’t really dig the way they
constructed MIA’s hook, like something was off. Then FUTURE came in
UUGGGGHHHHH… let’s be clear, not referring to this track, but Future is Top 5
worst recording artist of our generation, all genres included. This Dinosaur
lookin flat faced fucker is TERRRIIBBLLLLEEE I don’t get his appeal. That being
said he dropped a fuckin 4/10 verse on this as usual, but like that’s his best
g. This is one of the best Future verses you gonna hear, period so appreciate
how not so mediocre son came here. Overall it’s an OKAY track… like I wouldn’t
skip it, but it’s probably the weakest track on the album.
4.
L$D
First of all this song has one of the best music videos I’ve
ever seen in my life. This video is trippy as fuck and so well put together.
All the lights and colours and the little story that you have to follow to
understand the track… fuckin artistic and original shit. Now the track is even
better bro! This is easily my favorite song on the album. Rocky is not even
rapping on the record, he’s fuckin singin(and not very well might I add) but
son does puts it together so fuckin tastefully. The production is stellar, and
song feels like drugs, this is the most drug influenced track you gonna hear in
a while. In many ways this track symbolizes the undertone of this album, it’s
almost like a title track. I would say if you need a song to identify the feel
of this record, L$D does it perfectly. Fuckin phenomenal track from Flacko!
5.
Excuse Me
This the Rocky we all know and love. Braggadocios, cocky
(pause) and confident flowing all over all the beats changes and dip on this
record. Son has like four flow changes g, it’s beautiful to listen too. Plus he
sings the hook. This track was one of my most anticipated records because it
came out as a cameo midway into the L$D video. Rocky lyrics is funny and
clever, ideally everything you will expect from a Rocky track. Great song!
6.
JD
THISSS NIGGA’S FLOOOWWWWW BRRRUUUUHHHHHHH. I’m not sure how
much more I can stress this, we 6 tracks in and I’ve been blown away with a
new, fresh n unique flow like 4 times. This beat on this track BANGS. That bass
fuckin sped up my heart rate to be honest with you. You can do CPR with this
beat, I’m sure of it. The sample on the opening, I’m not too sure where it came
from actually, I want to believe it’s from the new movie he’s starring in
called “DOPE” (how fitting of a title) but I’m not sure. It could just be a
staged conversation in the studio. This track was more of an interlude where
just by the content of the lyrics, and the use of his alias “Lord Pretty Flacko
Jodye” numerous times during the song, you already know what track he was
setting up for this to flow into…
7.
Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye II
“WHO DA JIGGY NIGGA WIT DA GOLD LINKS?!?!?” Yo… if somebody
tells me they don’t like this song, well I automatically don’t like you. This
track is so much fuckin flames, I sometime sweat if my speaker volume is too
loud. This track is sooo fuckin fresh and exudes so much confidence you start
to look more appealing to women after you listen to it fellas (n girls too,
shouts out my lesbian real quick). But yooo, I all the way fuck with this, like
the record has all the elements of a banger and replay value is damn near
infinite. This song came out monthsss before we even got an album date, I’ve
played this at least 100 times before I got this album, I fuckin kid you not
and I was STILLL excited to hear it when I was listenin to this record. Perfect
track from Rocky.
8 .
Electric Body (ft. Schoolboy Q)
These two have only made great songs. Their chemistry is
like Wu Tang level synchronized. They feed off of each other’s energy soooo
well yo, like it’s a joy to listen to. First and foremost the beat is jiggy as
fuck. The bounce and that sorta clap effect on the hook got me ready to just
make it rain on some hoes bro. This should be the new strippers anthem. The
hook was kina not all that great but still I get why it is what it is. I’m
gonna hazard a guess and say this is the next single off this album with the
most fuckin rachet and stripper laden video one can imagine (watch out Tyga!)
Let’s take a moment of silence for Rocky’s flow on the first 30 seconds of this
record (cry face emoji) I really think son is out doing himself at this
point…
Also Q said “I can fuck your bitch off hype!” LMMMMAAAAOOOOOO
9.
Juxebox Joints ( ft. Kanye West)
First and foremost I love the underlying concept of this
record. The title of the track is the driving force behind the sound and the
beat change ups throughout the song. Basically it’s all traditional juxebox
sounding songs as the beats and as one finishes it transitions into the other
in a similar manner as a juxebox would. Rocky came in with some of his more memorable
lines here “she the type that seek love and make it everlasting, I’m the type
to wake up and say it never happened, I mean I fucked the bitch with hella
passion, but it’s cold how we smashed and left her sleepin on a separate
matress” lmaaoo like if that’s the first 4 lines of your song, I’m already
loving this. Not to mention Mr. West is in the building with a hilarious verse.
At the point the “juxebox” is coming to an end and the beat slows down
drastically so we’re getting a oddly slow sounding verse from yeezus, but I
fcuk with it super hard yo, it made a lot of sense, despite being funny. It
gets better with each listen, like it’s difficult at first to grasp the pace of
the raps. This was overall another stellar track.
10. Max B (ft. Joe Fox)
The song structure of this song is so unique and fresh. Joe
Fox did his thing hook and writing wise. First lets start with the hook, it
sounds like a sample but to my understanding it’s actually that crafty Joe Fox
singing in this light raspy but high pitched and distorted voice, wondering to
himself “did I fuck it up”. It’s such an interesting sounding hook. Not to
mention the actual distortion sound that buzzes before the hook comes in. Rocky
really sound energetic and bold on the verses despite the somber mood of the
hook and overall track. The beat has this sort of dragging horn I believe, it
kina sounds very Indian influence like some sort Indian instrument. I love at
the end of the song how Joe Fox strums the guitar and sings then it flows into
his normal voice without the distortion, as he speeds up the percussions of the
guitar strums, only to realize YO this guy is British! LOL who knew. FUN FACT
ABOUT JOE FOX: Rocky saw him on the street on his way back to the hotel from
grabbing a bite to eat at 4am in London. Fox tried to give him a demo CD, Rocky
refused but asked him to play something with his guitar as he had one on him (he
was a street performer). Rocky was so impressed he fuckin took him with him to
help him record the rest of the album we have now, hence why he is on all these
tracks. And basically he is part of Rocky’s camp. How fuckin cool is A$AP
Rocky?!?!? The COOLEST OF ALL TIME, that’s how much.
11. Pharsyde
(ft. Joe Fox)
Beginning to believe Joe Fox is a human 70’s RnB/Blues
Sample… why the fuck his hooks so classic sounding?! I love the topic on this
track to , Rocky kina is rapping about this place he goes when times get hard
or things seem rough, and his regrets about those times and paints these vivid
pictures of trials he faced growing up in Harlem and still faces now.
Apparently this place he goes to is when he sleeps, so it seems as though it’s
imaginary or prolly drug infused, who the fuck really knows?! I love the change
of pace on this track as well as it’s very somber but not druggy, so it feel
very serious… it’s always interesting to see characters like A$AP Rocky be
vulnerable from time to time, it was super refreshing. Of course we get another
excellent display of rapping and one of the best lyrical displays on the album
so far. The beat is really slow paced but still very thematic… well put
together track.
12. Wavybone (ft. UGK $ Juicy J)
This track is that staple ode to southern classic hiphop
that Rocky has on every single project he’s put out so far. Fuckin Bun B is
like this niggaz hero according to him. For a New York rapper that ballsy as
fuck but being this smooth silky, jiggy muhfucka that he is… those southern
legends embrace Rocky’s homage whole heartedly and show up here to prove it.
How the fuck do you get the entire rachet ass hood as UGK group on one track as
a FEATURE in 2015, that’s not a Bun B track bro?!?!? Who the fuck are you, the
King of the South?! Rocky got some fresh fucking quotables too, “I went to
France and almost got deported, the fans were screaming when I hit the border,
I visit Nice like it’s my sister’s daughter!” Then the southern legends came in
and blessed us with wise words of how to be the best fuckin southern hood nigga
one can be followed by a decent verse from one third of satan’s own rap group 3
six mafia, Juicy J. This was a really fun record about makin money and being a
nigga, who doesn’t love this sorta stuff g?!
13. Westside Highway (ft. James Fauntelroy)
This song was really laid back and subtle, but a very
different sound for Rocky. A lot more mainstream if you ask me. Nevertheless he
executes it well and James Fauntelroy delivered a clean hook. I always found
his voice sounded a little computerized, it’s weird, but fresh as fuck at the
same time. This ain’t one of the best songs on the fuckin album, but it’s
aiiiittteee, ya dig.
14. Better
Things
Classic deep voice effect at the beginning of the track,
A$AP really delivered here. After the first 20 seconds, which were super slow
and eerie sounding, the beat switches and ohh fuckk was that shit amazing. It’s
some kina futuristic trap meets new york meets cloud rap. Shit is like New York
in 2050. Sound like fuckin Daft Punk’s attempt at hiphop it’s fresh beyond
explanation. Lyrics-wise we can’t forget the 4-6 bars fuckin up Rita Ora,
apparently he busted in her mouth she spit it out and he kicked her out… I know
what you mean fam, I’ve been there, can’t be fuckin mistreatin niggaz kids n
whatnot.
15. M’s
(ft. Lil Wayne)
Bruh, that track SLAPPPSSS like the beat is audible
hardness, pause. The beat had me in awe at first listen. Not to mention the
fuckin lyrics… A$AP has this unique ability to sound and rap and flow exactly
like the aura he exudes and the way he acts. If you’ve never seen an A$AP Rocky
interview or documentary, and you’ve hear his music, look no further. This
nigga lyrics is the fuckin coolest shit ever bro… “me n yams made a plan, then
I paid myself n I gave myself advance…. Way before I became myself, I’d like to
thank myself because I made myself the man”
who else BUT Rocky gonna glide so effortlessly over such a hard be
spewing gems like that.
BUT THE REALLLLL MVP LIL TUNECHI AKA BIRDMANS EX HUSBAND…
WEEZY F BABY. Let me just give you a brief history as to why lil wayne always
got a special place in my heart (pause) despite the recent FUCKERY he been
putting out. The first album I ever bought with my own fucking money, Tha
Carter I. In 2005 after hearing Tha Carter II for the first time I played that
album for like 2 years straight, I put it in my Top 5 favourite hiphop albums period.
Upgrade U freestyle is like fuckin punchline gold, noooobbboooddyy ever
escalated to them punchline heights since. Wayne is that nigga and he returned
to form on this feature. Thanks God, I really need this!
16. Dreams
Interlude
It’s an interlude… fuck you want from me here?!
17. Everyday
(ft. Miguel, Mark Ronson & Rod Stewart)
First of all, Mark Ronson might be Top 3 song writers and
constructors in music right now, PERIOD. He gets wayyyyyyyy too little credit.
WHY THE FUCK BRUNO MARS GETTING ALL THE PRAISE FOR UPTOWN FUNK?!?!?
Fuckouttahere wit that, but back to the topic at hand, excellent hook writing
skills from Mark here. Rocky fuckin floated ever so gracefully over the beat here,
and when that beat SWITCH UP BRO, we got some kina super saiyan double time god
flow from Rocky, shit was majestic. Miguel was superrrbbbbbbb as per usual, and
my nigga… Rod Stewart, on an A$AP Rocky track… HOW THE FUCK?!?! Yo this kid is
special to have this legend bless him with a handshake, much less a goddamn
feature. This lowkey probably the best song on the album, if we being un-biased
towards niggerdom, but that’s a damn near impossible way to approach it, so I
put it right after L$D.
18. Going
Home (feat. YASIIN BEY & Acyde)
A single tear streamed down my cheek in the most manly way
possible, when I heard Yasiin Bey aka Pretty Flacko Senior fka Mos Def, the
fuckin GAWD emcee. Yo I truthfully think I love that dude (again, pause) He
rose from the ashes like a fuckin Pheonix and soared it to place the crown
Jewel on the end of this album. Truthfully the verse was just decent, and a
little too short… but bro… Mos FUCKIN Def is on a track, in 2015. We as a human
race need to start praising and thanking God more for moments like this in
history, shit is like a fuckin meteor shower. Anyways, such a fuckin classic
sample at the start of the track, and the beat matched it perfectly not to
mention that subtle hook which contrasted so perfectly with Rocky’s outstanding
verses. Yams audio at the end was fuckin classic Yamborghini… yo Earth gonna
miss that guy, for real. Great way to close the album Rocky.
CONCLUSION
Truly an outstanding and bar setting project from the lord,
that pretty muthafucka himself (yeah, pause again) A$AP Rocky. This man has
improved his lyrical ability tremendously and his flows have elevated beyond
everyone in rap today. ALLA was a much more refined and polished Live.Love.A$AP
where Rocky was young and a little un-focused back then, now he has mature and
perfected is craft and carved out a very entertaining and unique lane in hiphop
for years to come. Great fuckin way to set the pace for the remainder of 2015!
My Rating 9/10