Unearthed: A$AP Rocky

​There's a lot of talk about "weirdness" in hip-hop these days. Artists who are going against the grain of what a "traditional rapper" is supposed to be/look/sound like. In some cases, these young acts embody actual good lyricism--but fall short to "real" hip-hop standards when stemming these lyrics from strange behavior and villainous interests (Odd Future). Others use their false bravado and eccentric swag techniques to make up for their lack of lyrical creativity (Lil B). Either way, old heads will tell you the same thing: that this new form of rap is all bullshit and is is not "real" hip-hop…whatever that means. But in all seriousness, when hasn't an older generation reacted negatively to things changing?

Meet ASAP Rocky, the latest weirdo-swag rapper to emerge out of the scene and the next to be on the most hated list by "real" hip-hop enthusiasts grandpas. Repping the streets of Harlem, this casual, cool, and confident teenager (our sources say 18) has been billed New York's strongest up-and-coming act for a while now, but is just now gaining some steam outside his uptown region. And although ASAP's music catalog doesn't boast much material just yet, it's the consistency he shows that's got people/us buzzing.

Yeah, when you listen to ASAP's music you will hear him yelling "SWAG" a bunch and occasionally calling himself a "pretty nigga", but that's where the similarities to his predecessors stop. The youngster's flow is distinctively smoother than Lil B, Tyler the Creator, or any other artists within his realm. Instead of rapping about unanimous objects or satanic thoughts, ASAP stays true to himself and things within his grasp. On the track "Wassup", the rapper states: "I ain't talkin 'bout no money I ain't talkin 'bout no cars, I ain't talkin 'bout no diamonds 'cause that shit is so facade." It's clear to see that ASAP is out to get authenticity, if not anything else.

When ASAP's flow shines brightest, it's when producer Clams Casino is behind it. The synthed-out, ambient beats from hip-hop's most tranquilizing producer fit seamlessly into the rappers silky flow, each synth-line mildly provoking the rappers eager flow but never over encompassing it. The paring is as perfect as it gets, and if continued upon, we could see the two going a long way together.

Offered below is basically everything ASAP Rocky has done to date. You will find individual streams of our favorite tracks, a download link to his debut EP Deep Purple, and the ridiculously awesome music video for the song "Purple Swag". Happy listening friends, and remember--keep it weird.

DOWNLOAD: ASAP Rocky- Deep Purple EP