The Goa Spotlight News Portal
Known for his unique style and innovative mix of urban genres, A$AP Rocky has become one of the most influential artists in music today. Now, he and Rihanna are preparing to welcome their second child together.
HIGHLIGHTS
- “At the age of 13, I was selling weed and at 14-15, I was selling crack,” this was the harsh childhood of A$AP Rocky, Rihanna’s boyfriend, according to what he confessed to Interview Magazine.
- “All my commercial, musical, and artistic endeavors… They happen naturally,” he said in an interview with The Gentleman’s Journal.
- The rapper presented at the beginning of the year and by surprise the single “Same Problems?”, which is the first from his next album.
He has 15.6 million followers on Instagram, music with an identity stamp that has made him one of the rappers of the moment, and he is the boyfriend of Rihanna herself: A$AP Rocky is on the crest of the wave preparing his next album and, in the recent Super Bowl, it has become official that he is going to be a father again.
MUSIC IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was born in Harlem, New York on October 3, 1988. He was named after legendary rapper and member of the band Eric B. & Rakim.
His childhood was not easy, as he grew up in an unstable home and was exposed to violence and crime. And it is that, when Rakim was twelve years old, his father went to jail for drug trafficking and, just a year later, at the age of 13, he lost his older brother in a murder.
“Those were very difficult times for my family,” Rocky said in an interview with Interview Magazine. “I started selling weed at the age of 13. At 14 or 15, I was already selling crack in the Bronx,” he confessed.
His vocation was early. Rakim began writing poetry at the age of nine and soon became interested in rap, since music was a way of escape, especially during his adolescence.
In the mid-2000s, A$AP Rocky began recording and sharing his own songs. In 2007 he joined the group A$AP Mob. In 2011 he released his first solo mixtape, “Live.Love.A$AP”, which was a huge success.
The mix of urban beats, hard-hitting lyrics, and flashy fashion style caught the attention of the music industry. A$AP Rocky became an artist on the rise and was signed by Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records.
ART FROM NATURALITY
His first album carried the same name as his mixtape and he released it in 2013. Since then, he has released three more studio albums: “At. Long. Last. ASAP” (2015), “Testing” (2018) and “All Smiles” (2019).
The artist has been praised for his ability to combine elements from different musical genres and create his own sound. Along the way, he’s collaborated with some of music’s most influential artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Drake, and Tyler, The Creator.
“All my commercial, musical, and artistic endeavors… Everyone, everything, comes naturally,” he said in an interview with The Gentleman’s Journal, claiming the authenticity of his music and personality.
Because, in addition to his sound, A$AP Rocky has been recognized for his fashion and personal style. He has collaborated with fashion brands such as Dior, Alexander Wang, Guess, Martin Magiela, Raf Simons, and Under Armour, and has been photographed for publications such as GQ and Vogue.
“I have liked fashion almost since I was born. I was a neighborhood kid, and everyone in the neighborhood wants to compensate for their poverty, so they want to look good,” he explained to Interview Magazine.
Regarding his personal life, he has been romantically linked to several celebrities: Teyana Taylor (2004-2006), Iggy Azalea (2011-2012), Chanel Iman (2013-2014), Tahiry Jose (2014), Kendall Jenner (2016 )… But without a doubt the most famous is his relationship with the singer Rihanna, which was publicly confirmed in 2021.
LOVE AND PATERNITY
In January 2022, it was announced that the couple were expecting their first child together, who was born in May and was recently featured in a shoot alongside Rihanna for Vogue.
In addition, A$AP Rocky opened up about his fatherhood in an interview published in Complex: “Everything is now focused on my new love of being a father,” he said late last year.
Recently, after various rumors, it has been confirmed that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are expecting a second child. The news was revealed during the last Super Bowl, when the singer performed with a prominent belly.
Even the Barbadian’s father noticed when he saw her during the performance: “Oh my God, my girl looks pregnant!” He said in statements published by TMZ.
But fatherhood isn’t Rocky’s only project. After years of musical hiatus, the rapper presented “Same Problems?” last January, the first single from his next album, for which he will have the participation of Morrissey and Rihanna.
“Right now I am pure art,” said the rapper in his interview published in Complex, “I am in a place where I want to give my all to this: all I have is my trade, my art and my family”.
Now, with an album and a child on the way, A$AP Rocky seems to be living one of the best moments of his life and career. Although I’m sure he still has a long way to go to bring happiness through his music.
Source: EFE
