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Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker. In August 2011, Rocky's single " Peso" was leaked online and within weeks began receiving radio airplay. Rocky released his debut mixtape '' Live. Love. A$AP'', later that year to widespread critical acclaim. The success of what is considered his breakout project led to a joint venture record deal with Polo Grounds Music and
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...
's
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
. His debut studio album '' Long. Live. A$AP'' (2013) debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was later certified double platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA). The album was preceded by Rocky's breakout single, " Fuckin' Problems" (featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar), which was nominated for Best Rap Song at the
2014 Grammy Awards The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid compe ...
. In 2015, Rocky released his second album, titled '' At. Long. Last. A$AP''. The album was Rocky's second consecutive album to debut at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and received mostly positive reviews from music critics. The album's single, "
L$D "LSD" (stylized "L$D"; abbreviation for Love, Sex, Dreams) is a song by ASAP Rocky, an American hip hop recording artist. It was released on May 21, 2015, as the third single from his second studio album, ''At. Long. Last. ASAP'' (2015). The s ...
", was nominated for
Best Music Video The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
at the 2016 Grammy Awards. In 2018, Rocky released his third album, '' Testing'', which peaked in the top five of several countries, including the ''Billboard'' 200. Rocky has won a BET Award, two
BET Hip Hop Awards The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, a ...
, an MTV Video Music Award Japan and an MTVU Woodie Award, as well as being nominated for two
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
s, six World Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards and two MTV Europe Music Awards. Rocky has also directed
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
s for himself, Danny Brown, and other A$AP Mob members. Furthermore, he produces records under the pseudonym Lord Flacko.


Early life

Rakim Athelaston Mayers was born on October 3, 1988, in the
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Harl ...
neighborhood of
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...
, a borough of New York City. His father is from
Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate ...
. He has an older brother (deceased) and an older sister, Erika. Both Rakim and Erica's names are taken from the Eric B. & Rakim duo. His cousin is fellow ASAP Mob member ASAP Nast. Mayers started rapping at age nine, when he moved to
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in P ...
. He learned how to rap from his older brother, who also wore the Cornrows hairdo that A$AP Rocky later adopted. When Mayers was 12 years old, his father went to jail in connection with selling drugs, and later died in 2012. When Mayers was 13, his brother was killed in Harlem. The death inspired Rocky to take rapping more seriously. Mayers grew up admiring Harlem-based rap group The Diplomats. He was also influenced by Mobb Deep, Three 6 Mafia, UGK, Run DMC,
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close a ...
, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. A$AP Rocky spent his teenage years moving around homeless shelters with his mother and sister. After living for a period in a shelter with his mother in New York City, he moved to Midtown Manhattan.


Career


2007–2011: Career beginnings

In 2007, A$AP Rocky joined the
A$AP Mob ASAP Mob (stylized as A$AP Mob, ASAP being an acronym for "Always Strive And Prosper") is an American hip hop collective formed in 2006 in Harlem, New York City, that consists of rappers (most of whom carry the "ASAP" moniker), record producers, ...
crew, a Harlem-based collective of rappers, producers, music video directors, fashion designers, and bikers who shared similar interests in music, fashion, style, and art. It had been formed by A$AP Yams, A$AP Bari and A$AP Illz. In July 2011, Rocky released his single "Purple Swag" which quickly became a street anthem in New York City. In August 2011, Rocky's single " Peso", was leaked online and within weeks received airplay on the high-profile Hot 97 New York radio station. After he released a
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
for his song "Purple Swag", he received attention from several record labels. In October, he released the mixtape '' Live. Love. A$AP'' to critical acclaim. Earlier that month, he signed a two-year, $3 million record deal with Bryan Leach's Polo Grounds Music, which at the time was distributed by Clive Davis'
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...
division of J Records. Upon his record deal, Rocky started a label, A$AP Worldwide, with A$AP Yams. However, Rocky's deal with J Records would be short-lived, when on October 7, RCA Music Group announced that it was merging J alongside
Arista Arista may refer to: Organizations *Arista Networks, a software defined networking company *Arista Records, an American record label, division of Sony Music **Arista Nashville, a record label specializing in country music *Arista (honor society) ...
and Jive Records into
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
. With the shutdown, Rocky (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release future material under the RCA brand. On December 5, he was nominated for BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.


2012–2014: Touring and ''Long. Live. A$AP''

In February 2012, Rocky joined Kendrick Lamar as the opening act for Drake's
Club Paradise Tour The Club Paradise Tour was the second headlining tour by Canadian recording artist Drake. The tour came following the release of Drake's second studio album, '' Take Care''. The tour's name spins off from the 2011 song "Club Paradise", a promotio ...
. In June, SpaceGhostPurrp, founder of Miami-based collective Raider Klan and Rocky's past collaborator, accused A$AP Twelvyy of jumping Raider Klan's Matt Stoops and subsequently disassociated himself from A$AP Mob and Rocky in a YouTube video. He and Raider Klan also accused ASAP Mob of copying their style, and Rocky of using lyrics from SpaceGhostPurrp's song "My Enemy" on "Goldie". Rocky responded in a July interview for MTV, saying that SpaceGhostPurrp is "try ngto build hype" and told him to "stick to makin' beats". In July 2012, Rocky performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival. He was scheduled to make his network television debut on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...
'' on July 20, but he was then arrested the night before, after an alleged involvement in a brawl, with 21-year-old artist iRome. The scuffle took place in downtown Manhattan and the performance was canceled. After it was rescheduled for August 21, Rocky performed "Goldie" on the show. On September 6, he also performed a guest rap on
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...
's "
Cockiness (Love It) "Cockiness (Love It)" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her sixth studio album '' Talk That Talk'' (2011). The song was written by Rihanna, Candice Pillay, D. Abernathy and Shondrae Crawford, with production helmed by Mr. Bangladesh. C ...
" at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Rocky recorded his debut studio album '' Long. Live. A$AP'', along with several producers, such as Clams Casino, Hit-Boy, Friendzone, A$AP Ty Beats, Soufein3000 and Joey Fat Beats. "Goldie" was released as the album's first single on April 27. On August 27, his crew A$AP Mob released the mixtape ''
Lords Never Worry ''Lords Never Worry'' (stylized as ''Lord$ Never Worry'') is the debut mixtape by hip hop collective ASAP Mob. It was released as a free music download, digital download on August 28, 2012, by ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds Music, and RCA Records. Th ...
'' as a free download. During September through November, Rocky promoted the album with the 40-date national
concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
, the Long Live ASAP Tour, with opening acts ScHoolboy Q, Danny Brown, and A$AP Mob. ''Long. Live. A$AP'' was released on January 15, 2013, to mostly positive reviews from critics. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, with first-week sales of 139,000 copies in the United States. , it has sold 284,000 copies. On March 16, 2015, ''Long. Live. A$AP'' was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA), for the shipment of 500,000 copies in the United States. On April 12, 2013, in an interview at
Wild 94.9 KYLD (94.9 FM) is a commercial radio station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and owned by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia. The station airs a top 40 format on its analog primary signal. The station has studios ...
radio station, Rocky revealed that he was working on an
instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instr ...
album, which he plans on releasing without notice. He even discussed his favorite music videos and talked about his desire to collaborate with veteran rapper André 3000. On June 21, Rocky told
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
that he had completed his debut instrumental album, which mostly consists of ambient oriented instrumental tracks, titled ''Beauty & The Beast: Slowed Down Sessions (Chapter 1)'' and was originally set to be released during the summer for free download. However, that album was delayed with no release date announced. Rocky previewed two snippets that would have made the ''Beauty & The Beast: Slowed Down Sessions (Chapter 1)'' compilation, titled "Riot Rave" and "Unicorn". The project has not been released as of 2022.


2015–2017: ''At. Long. Last. A$AP''

On March 16, 2014, Rocky announced that he was working on his second studio album, entitled ''A.L.L.A.'' (an acronym for '' At. Long. Last. A$AP'') which was a follow-up to his debut album, ''Long. Live. A$AP''. Upon the wake of a delay of the ASAP Mob album, ''L.O.R.D.'', Rocky subsequently collaborated with cohorts A$AP Ferg, Nast and Twelvyy on the album's third single, "Hella Hoes", which was released on June 6, 2014. Nonetheless, A$AP Mob leader A$AP Yams announced on his Tumblr account that the album had been shelved. On October 3, 2014, his 26th birthday, Rocky launched a short-lived music giveaway called Flacko Jodye Season, which first premiered with " Multiply", which featured additional vocals from Juicy J; later released on iTunes one week after its premiere. On New Year's Day 2015, Rocky released his second album's
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release ...
, " Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2)", a sequel to "Pretty Flacko". Then, on January 18, seventeen days after the single's release, Rocky's mentor and partner, Steven "A$AP Yams" Rodriguez, died at the age of 26. However, some reports later stated that Yams' cause was ruled acute mixed drug intoxication while Rocky and several A$AP Mob members and affiliates said that the late leader of the collective died due to his sleep apnea, which caused asphyxiation and
pulmonary aspiration Pulmonary aspiration is the entry of material such as pharyngeal secretions, food or drink, or stomach contents from the oropharynx or gastrointestinal tract, into the larynx (voice box) and lower respiratory tract, the portions of the res ...
. Weeks after Yams' death, Rocky revealed that ''At. Long. Last. A$AP'' was executive-produced by rapper Juicy J, producer
Danger Mouse Danger Mouse may refer (or appear in) to: * ''Danger Mouse'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 British animated television series * ''Danger Mouse'' (2015 TV series), a 2015 reboot of the British animated television series * Danger Mouse (musician) (born ...
, Rocky and Yams themselves. In 2015, Rocky appeared in a cameo role in the indie comedy-drama, '' Dope''. The film premiered at the
2015 Sundance Film Festival The 2015 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 22 to February 1, 2015. ''What Happened, Miss Simone?'', a biographical documentary film about American singer Nina Simone, opened the festival. Comedy-drama film ''Grandma'', directed by Pa ...
on January 21, 2015. It opened in all movie theaters on June 12. There at the event, Rocky explained his expressions and grief over the death of his own friend and partner; performed "Multiply" on-stage as a dedication to his loving memory, minutes before running backstage to calm down. In March 2015, Rocky said in an interview with
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
that he made songs such as "Wild For The Night" and "Fuckin' Problems" for mainstream commercial success, and that he now hated those songs. On April 8, 2015, the rapper released a song, titled " M'$", debuted during an interview with the Red Bull Music Academy, and was released on the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
two days later, however, it was announced that the song was not an official single from the album. The album, however, did include a remixed version of the track that replaced Rocky's second verse with a guest verse from Lil Wayne. On May 9, Rocky unveiled the album's
cover art Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper (tabloid), comic book, video game ( box art), music album ( album ...
on his official
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
page, with the caption "AT LONG LAST...." On the same day, he then released the album's alternative artwork and released the album's second single, titled " Everyday" featuring Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson (the latter of which also produced the track alongside Emile Haynie). Rocky also announced that the release date for ''A.L.L.A.'' was updated to June 2, 2015; however, on May 25, 2015, around 6:00 PM EDT, the album leaked online, approximately one week before its expected release. Subsequently, Rocky tweeted to announce that the album will be released at midnight (May 26), changing the date a week early. Upon its release, ''At. Long. Last. A$AP'' received generally positive to mixed reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. Overall, the album was supported by the release of three singles: " Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2)", "Everyday" and "
L$D "LSD" (stylized "L$D"; abbreviation for Love, Sex, Dreams) is a song by ASAP Rocky, an American hip hop recording artist. It was released on May 21, 2015, as the third single from his second studio album, ''At. Long. Last. ASAP'' (2015). The s ...
". ''At. Long. Last. A$AP'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 116,000 copies in the United States. In conclusion to this, it also gave Rocky his second consecutive number one album on the charts to date. In Canada, the album debuted at number one, with 11,000 copies sold. The album has spent two more weeks beyond the top ten of the ''Billboard'' 200. , the album has sold 215,000 copies in the United States. It has sold 60,662 copies in the United Kingdom, . However, despite being his second consecutive number-one album, ''At. Long. Last. ASAP'' began to decline in album-equivalent sales, becoming Rocky's lowest-selling album in his career. On June 11, 2015, Rocky was featured on '' The Tonight Show'', where he performed the song "L$D" with The Roots. In June, it was confirmed that he was featured on the single " Good for You" by Selena Gomez. In June 2015, he appeared on the "Carpool Karaoke" segment of ''
The Late Late Show ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...
'', riding with Rod Stewart and host
James Corden James Kimberley Corden (born 22 August 1978) is an English television host, actor, comedian, and singer. In the United Kingdom, he is best known for co-writing and starring in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom '' Gavin & Stacey''. In the ...
. Rocky is featured on " Blended Family (What You Do for Love)", a track written with Alicia Keys for her sixth studio album '' Here'' in 2016. He is also featured on two tracks from the 2017 album '' Lust for Life'' by
Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, Glamour (presentation), glamour, and melan ...
. The tracks are called "Summer Bummer", which also features Playboi Carti, and "Groupie Love". He also featured in " Pick It Up" by Famous Dex, released in October 2017.


2018–present: ''Testing'' and upcoming fourth studio album

On January 23, 2018, ASAP Rocky released "☆☆☆☆☆ 5ive $tar$" on SoundCloud, produced by Metro Boomin, Frans Mernick, Jordan Blackmon and Daniel Lynas and featuring uncredited vocals by DRAM. Over the following two days he shared "Above", produced by Mernick and "Money Bags Freestyle (
Dean Blunt Roy Nnawuchi, better known by his pseudonym Dean Blunt, is a British singer-songwriter, musician and contemporary artist. He is best known for his current solo work as well as his previous work as part of avant-garde duo Hype Williams (along ...
Meditation)", produced by Blunt and featuring uncredited vocals by Lil Yachty. The songs were captioned "TESTING COMING SOON" and "THIS IS JUST A TEST", leading to speculation that they were in promotion of an upcoming studio album entitled '' Testing''. On February 16, Rocky collaborated with Gucci Mane and 21 Savage for "Cocky", in promotion of the film '' Uncle Drew''. He released the single "Bad Company" on March 27. It features rapper BlocBoy JB, as well as further allusions to ''Testing'' in its marketing. On April 5, he released a second single: "ASAP Forever". The song samples record producer Moby's 2000 single "
Porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
", crediting him as a featured artist. It was premiered on '' The Tonight Show'' alongside new track "Distorted Records", and a music video was released the following day. A day later he was featured on the song "One Track Mind", from rock band
Thirty Seconds to Mars Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Leto (drums, p ...
' fifth studio album '' America''. On May 25, 2018, Rocky released ''Testing'' to generally positive reviews from critics. It debuted at number four on the US ''Billboard'' 200, becoming ASAP Rocky's third consecutive top-five album on the chart, but another low-seller. In its second week, the album dropped to number 15, with 26,000 album-equivalent units (1,000 copies). The following week, ''Testing'' dropped to number 22 on the chart. On July 23, 2018, Rocky and Tyler, The Creator announced a collaborative project, ''WANGSAP'', by releasing a music video of a remix of Monica's " Knock Knock" named "Potato Salad" on AWGE's "AWGE DVD (Vol. 3)". However, on January 23, 2019, Tyler, the Creator announced this album never existed. On August 28, 2019, ASAP Rocky released the music video for "
Babushka Boi "Babushka Boi" is a song by American rapper ASAP Rocky, released as a single through ASAP Rocky Recordings, Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records on August 28, 2019. The music video was released the same day. Background ASAP Rocky began wearing a b ...
". It was directed by Nadia Lee Cohen. In May 2019, Juicy J announced Rocky began working on his upcoming album, formerly titled ''All Smiles''. In October 2021, ASAP Rocky released his 2011 mixtape '' Live. Love. ASAP'' to all streaming platforms in celebration of its 10-year anniversary. Rocky appeared on two tracks from Nigo's album, ''I Know Nigo!'', released March 25, 2022, the opening track "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" with Tyler, the Creator, and the single, "Arya". Rocky supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their 2022 international stadium tour. After he arrived late for a performance at
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after We ...
, Manchester, he performed a shortened 20-minute set after the Chili Peppers. In May 2022, Rocky released the single, "D.M.B.", and followed up in December with "Shittin' Me".


Business ventures

In October 2011, Rocky signed a record deal with
Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...
worth $3 million ($1.7 million of which was earmarked for his solo work; $1.3 million earmarked to fund his company). Rocky said that he sought a "bigger platform" for him and his collective with the deal. His first studio album planned to be under the deal, but it allowed him to continue releasing mixtapes through Sony/RED. Fellow rapper and A$AP Mob member A$AP Ferg also signed a joint venture deal with RCA-distributed Polo Grounds Music, who released his single "Work", for retail on iTunes, and later announced an official remix featuring Rocky, French Montana, ScHoolboy Q and Trinidad James. In 2013, he released his A$AP merchandise brand, and went to collaborate with high-profile fashion designer and close friend Raf Simons. On October 2, 2014, A$AP Rocky announced he had officially signed a contract for worldwide representation with William Morris Endeavor. In February 2016, Guess released a collaboration with Rocky called GUE$$, which was inspired by Rocky's admiration for the brand's vintage '90s clothing that he wore while growing up.


Personal life

From 2011 to 2012, Rocky dated Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. He began dating model Chanel Iman in early 2013, and in April 2014, they were reported to be engaged, but broke up in June 2014. On May 19, 2021, Rocky revealed during an interview with '' GQ'' that he is currently in a relationship with Barbadian singer
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...
, describing her as "the love of my life". The two were first linked in 2013, after Rocky opened up for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour. On January 31, 2022, ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of proper ...
'' reported that the couple is expecting their first child. On May 19, 2022, it was confirmed that Rihanna had given birth to a boy, yet to be publicly named. Rocky was a pescetarian. In 2012, he transitioned to a vegetarian diet with the help of his vegan manager after learning the horrors of the poultry industry. On his 2019 single "Babushka Boi", Rocky stated he is now a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
. Rocky has said that while he was raised in a Christian household, he does not like going to an organized church, and instead has " isown relationship with God... I pray every day before I go to sleep." He addresses these views in the song "Holy Ghost" on his 2015 album ''
At. Long. Last. ASAP ''At. Long. Last. ASAP'' (stylized as ''AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP'') is the second studio album by American rapper ASAP Rocky. It was released on May 26, 2015, by ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds Music, and RCA Records. The record serves as a sequel from Rock ...
''. During Rocky's 2019 incarceration in Sweden, he prayed to keep himself occupied.


Legal issues

In 2006, A$AP Rocky served two weeks in
Rikers Island Rikers Island is a island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx that contains New York City's main jail complex. Named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of the island in 1664, the island was originally under in size, but has ...
for drug dealing, where he shared a cell with future rapper Casanova. On July 19, 2012, he was arrested after his alleged participation in a brawl that took place in downtown Manhattan involved a 21-year-old artist named iRome. In July 2012, he was sued for allegedly violently attacking an innocent man after being spotted doing illegal drugs in a clothing store in New York. He was later arrested for assaulting two amateur photographers who took photos of the incident. That incident ended with a plea bargain where he pled guilty to grand larceny for trying to take their cameras. On August 31, 2013, A$AP Rocky allegedly slapped a woman during the Budweiser Made in America Festival in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, Pennsylvania. He was charged "with misdemeanor simple assault, a class two misdemeanor". The case was dismissed after a witness failed to appear in court. The woman later filed a lawsuit in July 2014, asserting that she still suffered certain conditions as a consequence of the alleged assault. A$AP Rocky stated that he never touched the woman in question and that she "should have known that there could be trouble in place with so many people". The lawsuit was settled between the two in April 2015. In late-September 2015, Rocky was sued by his former manager, Geno Sims, for an alleged breach of agreement, prompting him to countersue. The lawsuit sought $300,000 in damages. Four years later, in 2019, Rocky and Sims reached a legal agreement, dropping both suits against one another.


Assault in Sweden

In July 2019, A$AP Rocky was arrested initially for aggravated, then for simple
assault An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in cri ...
in Stockholm, Sweden, after an altercation in the street against a man named Mustafa Jafari and another person that involved A$AP Rocky and three of his entourage on June 30. Jafari was beaten, kicked, and cut with broken bottles when down on the ground. He suffered several cuts, requiring stitches, and a fractured rib. A$AP Rocky uploaded two videos of the incident to
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
. In the first, he and his entourage repeatedly ask two young men, including Jafari, to stop following them as the latter complains about his headphones. In the other, created from footage of assorted events, Jafari's headphones break during a scuffle, and he is seen hitting A$AP Rocky's bodyguard with them. A woman is also seen in the video, accusing the two men of groping. Henrik Olsson Lilja, the defense attorney for A$AP Rocky, maintained that his client acted in self-defense after being attacked by Jafari. A$AP Rocky's bodyguard filed a counter-complaint against Jafari, and Jafari was initially suspected of harassment and minor assault or possibly attempted assault. The investigation against Jafari was dropped as prosecutors said he acted in self-defense, after being grabbed by the neck and pushed by the bodyguard. A$AP Rocky was arrested after being allowed to finish his gig at Stadion. As it was judged there was a risk that he may flee or tamper with evidence, he was kept in custody at Kronoberg Remand Prison until the trial, with two members of his entourage also under arrest. A$AP Rocky's ongoing tour was then put on hiatus due to the trial. He was visited by personnel from the US embassy shortly after his arrest. Several US artists called for a boycott of Sweden due to the incident. A petition to release him was started. The family asked
Al Sharpton Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, talk show host and politician. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democrat ...
for help. US President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...
tweeted his support for Rocky, and it was later revealed by justice minister Morgan Johansson that Trump had threatened trade restrictions against Sweden if Rocky was not released. Former US ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski suggested that the government should intervene and speculated that racism may have been the cause of the brawl. Foreign minister Margot Wallström said the government is not allowed to interfere citing Chapter 11 §3 of the Swedish constitutional Instrument of Government which explicitly forbids the interference of politicians, or unrelated government offices, in the work of the courts of law. A$AP Rocky was convicted of assault, given a
suspended prison sentence A suspended sentence is a sentence on conviction for a criminal offence, the serving of which the court orders to be deferred in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation. If the defendant does not break the law during that ...
and asked to pay 12,500 kr ($1,270) in
damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised a ...
to the victim. The court could not decide who used the bottle, but said it was not a case of self-defense. As A$AP Rocky had already served over a month in jail for the incident before the sentence was handed out, it was determined that he did not need to serve any additional time. The conviction does not bar him from returning to Sweden.


Alleged assault in Hollywood

On April 20, 2022, A$AP Rocky was arrested by LAPD officers upon arriving to the
Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
after a vacation with partner, Rihanna. He was arrested for a potential assault with a deadly weapon in a Hollywood shooting on November 6, 2021. Bail was set at $550,000 and he was released shortly after. After his arrest, detectives received a warrant to search his home for potential evidence. LAPD investigators broke into his home using a pry bar to force the gate open. Detectives took several boxes from his home to use as evidence. On August 15, 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office filed charges against Rocky.


Discography

*'' Long. Live. ASAP'' (2013) *''
At. Long. Last. ASAP ''At. Long. Last. ASAP'' (stylized as ''AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP'') is the second studio album by American rapper ASAP Rocky. It was released on May 26, 2015, by ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds Music, and RCA Records. The record serves as a sequel from Rock ...
'' (2015) *'' Testing'' (2018)


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


Music videos


Accomplishments

His accomplishments include three BET Awards, two MTV
awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An aw ...
, and nominations for two Grammy Awards and six World Music Awards, for a total of five wins and 37 nominations overall.


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rocky, ASAP 1988 births Living people 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American rappers African-American male rappers African-American record producers American hip hop record producers American music video directors American people convicted of assault American people of Barbadian descent ASAP Mob members East Coast hip hop musicians Gangsta rappers People from Elmwood Park, New Jersey People from Harlem People from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Rappers from Manhattan RCA Records artists Record producers from New York (state)