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A$AP Rocky
Rocky performing at Coachella, 2012
Background information
Birth name	Rakim Mayers
Born	(1988-10-03) October 3, 1988 (age 36)
Origin	New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, music video director
Years active	2007–present
Labels	A$AP Worldwide, Polo Grounds, RCA, Sony
Website	asapmob.com

Rakim Mayers (born October 3, 1988), better known by his stage name ASAP Rocky (stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper and music video director. Born and raised in the New York City neighborhood Harlem, he is a member of the hip hop collective A$AP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker.

Rocky released his debut mixtape LiveLoveA$AP in 2011 to critical acclaim. He will release his debut album LongLiveASAP in 2013.

Early life

Born in 1988, Mayers was named after the hip hop legend Rakim, one half of the Eric B. & Rakim duo. When he was 12 years old, his father went to jail in connection with selling drugs. A year later his older brother was killed near his apartment, which inspired him to take rapping seriously. Mayers, who had started rapping at age eight, grew up admiring Harlem-based rap group The Diplomats, and also lists among his influences Three 6 Mafia, Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang Clan, UGK, Run DMC and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. After living in a shelter with his mother, and elsewhere around Manhattan, Mayers moved to Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

Career

2007–11: Beginnings and mixtape

In 2007, Rocky assembled the hip hop crew A$AP Mob, a collective of rappers, producers, and music video directors. He adopted its A$AP moniker, which has multiple meanings, including "Always Strive and Prosper", "Assassinating Snitches and Police", and Rocky's favorite, "Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose".

On July 8, 2011, an unofficial compilation titled Deep Purple was released, which according to Rocky, was a compilation of his YouTube hits compiled by a fan in Paris. In August, his first single "Peso" was leaked onto the internet and within weeks received airplay on the high-profile Hot 97 New York radio station. Music videos for "Peso" and "Purple Swag", the latter from Deep Purple, generated further buzz and resulted in ASAP Rocky signing a reported two year $3 million record deal with Sony, RCA Records and Polo Grounds Music. ASAP Rocky released the mixtape LiveLoveA$AP, featuring both songs, in October to critical acclaim. On December 5, he was nominated for BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.

2012–present: Touring and debut album

Beginning in February 2012, Rocky joined Kendrick Lamar as the opening act for Drake's Club Paradise Tour. In June, SpaceGhostPurrp, founder of Miami-based collective Raider Klan and Rocky's past collaborator, accused A$AP Twelvyy of jumping Raider Klan's Matt Stoops and subsequently diassociated himself from A$AP Mob and Rocky in a YouTube video. He and Raider Klan also accused A$AP 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 to build hype" and told him to "stick to makin' beats".

In July, Rocky performed at Pitchfork Music Festival. He was scheduled to make his network television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 20, but was arrested the night before after an alleged involvement in a brawl with 21 year old artist iRome, in downtown Manhattan and the performance was cancelled. After it was rescheduled for August 21, Rocky performed "Goldie" on the show. On September 6, he performed a guest rap on Rihanna's "Cockiness (Love It)" at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.

Rocky's debut studio album LongLiveA$AP will be released in 2013. He produced the album with Clams Casino, Hit-Boy, A$AP Ty Beats, Soufein3000, and Joey Fat Beats. "Goldie" was released as its lead single on April 27. He also worked on Lords Never Worry, an A$AP Mob mixtape released as a free download on August 27. During September through November, Rocky will promote his debut album with a 40-date national tour, the LongLiveA$AP Tour, with opening acts Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown, and A$AP Mob. Rocky and Schoolboy Q had collaborated on LiveLoveA$AP and the latter's 2012 song "Hands on the Wheel".

Discography

• LiveLoveA$AP (2011)
• LongLiveA$AP (2013)

Awards and nominations

See also

• ASAP Rocky discography

References

1. ^ Caramanica, Jon (October 12, 2011). "Thinking Globally, Rapping Locally". The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. Battan, Carrie (October 28, 2011). "A$AP Rocky Talks $3 Million Record Deal, Mainstream Acceptance". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
3. Zeichner, Naomi (October 14, 2011). "Gen F: ASAP Rocky". The Fader. Retrieved November 15, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
4. Markman, Rob (October 20, 2011). "Drake Has 'Good Taste,' A$AP Rocky Says After Co-Sign". MTV. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
5. Murphy, K. (November 2, 2011). "A$AP Rocky Talks Debut Album, Musical Influences, and Accepting Gay Fans". Vibe. Retrieved November 15, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
6. Lymangrover, Jason. "ASAP Rocky - Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
7. ^ Adaso, Henry. "A$AP Rocky Biography". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
8. ^ "Music". ASAP Mob. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
9. Roos, Brandon E. (November 29, 2011). "ASAP Rocky Says Deluxe Version Of "LiveLoveA$AP" Is Coming, Reveals Identity Of "Purple Swag" Video Girl". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
10. Greenwald, David (April 16, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Premieres 'Goldie' Single: Listen". Billboard. Los Angeles: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
11. Weiss, Jeff (November 10, 2011). "Album Reviews: A$AP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
12. Barshad, Amos (November 6, 2011). "Veggie-Friendly Weirdo Rap". New York. Retrieved November 15, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
13. Madden, Mike (November 7, 2011). "Album Review: ASAP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
14. Markman, Rob (November 7, 2011). "A$AP Rocky Having A 'Good Time' On Debut Mixtape". MTV. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
15. ^ "Sound of - 2012 - ASAP Rocky". BBC. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
16. Vena, Jocelyn (December 13, 2011). "Drake Announces 2012 Club Paradise Tour Dates". MTV News. MTV. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
17. ^ Markman, Rob (July 3, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Suggests SpaceGhostPurrp 'Stick To Makin' Beats'". MTV. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
18. "Who Is SpaceGhostPurrp?". Complex. Complex Media. July 6, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
19. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (July 14, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Talks 'LongLiveA$AP' Album, Discovers The Dirty Projectors". Billboard. Chicago: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
20. "A$AP Rocky arrested after brawl in New York". NME. IPC Media. July 20, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
21. Lynch, Sean (July 20, 2012). "A$AP Rocky's Jimmy Fallon Performance Cancelled". The Source. The NorthStar Group. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
22. Meara, Paul (August 22, 2012). "Video: A$AP Rocky Performs "Goldie" Live On Jimmy Fallon". Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
23. Alexis, Nadeska (September 6, 2012). "Rihanna And A$AP Rocky Perform 'Cockiness (Remix)' At MTV VMAs". MTV News. MTV. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
24. Horowitz, Steven (October 28, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Delays "LongLiveA$AP" To 2013". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
25. Fitzmaurice, Larry (August 27, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Delays Album Release Date". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
26. "Goldie - Single". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
27. Pelly, Jenn (August 27, 2012). "Download the New Mixtape Lords Never Worry From A$AP Rocky's A$AP Mob". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
28. McDermott, Tyler K. (July 25, 2012). "A$AP Rocky Announces 'LONGLIVEA$AP Tour'". Billboard. New York: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
29. "ScHoolboy Q - Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
30. "A$AP Rocky - Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
31. "106 & Park: A$AP Rocky – Best New Artist Nomination". BET. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
32. "Best Editing 2012 MTV Video Music Awards". MTV. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
33. "US Artist About To Go Global MTV Europe Music Awards". MTV. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
34. "2012 MTV EMA: Live Update!". MTV. Viacom. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.

External links

• ASAP Rocky on Twitter
• ASAP Rocky Website
• ASAP Rocky "Peso"

Template:Persondata

• 1988 births
• African-American rappers
• Living people
• People from Elmwood Park, New Jersey
• People from Harlem, New York
• East Coast hip hop musicians
• Pseudonymous rappers
• People from New York
• Rappers from New York City
• American music video directors
• People self-identifying as substance abusers
• Homeless people