A$AP Rocky has never won a major award for his music videos. In 2013, the lively visual for "F**kin' Problems" lost the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video to Macklemore's "Can't Hold Us." In 2016, the woozy "L$D" lost the Grammy for Best Music Video to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood."
That seems to be a theme throughout the Harlem renaissance man's career: making strikingly innovative art that gets overlooked in favor of projects more palatable to the mainstream.
Okay, so maybe "F**kin' Problems" wasn't "strikingly innovative." But it set the stage for Rocky as a smooth talker and fly dresser with a penchant for playing with lights, colors and angles to engage his audience like few in his generation.
The artist, born Rakim Mayers, turns 36 today. In his career, he's released three studio albums, partnered with elite brands like Puma and Formula 1 and had his first runway show with AWGE at Paris Fashion Week. Not to mention he's a family man and has two sons with the one and only Rihanna.
While Rocky might not be considered the greatest lyricist ever — his 2018 album "Testing" is one of the most debated projects of the decade — his artful videos, which often draw reference from his passion for film, have kept him in the conversation of music greatness.
Ahead of the fall release of his "Don't Be Dumb" album, here's a tour of A$AP Rocky's best music videos:
"Goldie" — 2012
Directed by: A$AP Rocky
While flaunting luxury goods is nothing new for a rap video, A$AP Rocky put his own twist on the concept and put the industry on notice with the self-directed "Goldie." There's monochromatic moments that allow the gold to pop and Rocky shows he's a fashion innovator by equally celebrating his red-bottom Louboutin loafers and his BAPE hoodie. Watching the video a decade later, the scenes where Rocky is driving through Paris with his late mentor, A$AP Yams, riding shotgun create all the feels.
"Phoenix" — 2013
Directed by: Francesco Carrozzini
A$AP Rocky has a penchant for drama. He captivated fans with the music video for "Phoenix," which starred the late great Michael K. Williams aka Omar from "The Wire." The colors of this video are dark and moody and the cinema evokes Old Hollywood. The pacing between the gentle waft of smoke from Williams' cigar and his co-star, model Joan Smalls, frantically smashing glass vases, is extraordinary.
"L$D" — 2015
Directed by: Dexter Navy
"L$D" let the world know A$AP Rocky is more than a rapper. He is an artist. The trippy visual by the incredibly gifted Dexter Navy perfectly matched the wooziness of the song. The transitions were flawless and the contrast of colors and lights transports the audience. Is that a chandelier or a glass of champagne? And Rocky looks dapper throughout. It's a shame the Grammys didn't appreciate it. But we do and so does 189 million fans who've watched it on YouTube.
"Everyday" — 2015
Directed by: Emmanuel Cossu and Fleur & Manu
A$AP Rocky is a master at storytelling. The "Everyday" video is a "Hip-Hop Hollywood Story" and depicts the rap star at the end of his life clinging to the fleeting thrills of fame and fortune. It then backpedals to show Rocky's ascent in the music industry. His collaborators on the song, Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson, all make appearances in the quirky visual, which pays homage to the 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard."
"Yamborghini High" — 2016
Directed by: Shomi Patwary
You don't even need to be on drugs to get an escape while watching the ultra-trippy "Yamborghini High" video. The members of A$AP Mob bounce around in the middle of the forest wearing neon camo while Lamborghinis vroom by. The transitions and splashes of color are impeccable. No, your computer's not glitching. It's just a delightful tribute to the Mob's late leader.
"Money Man/Put That On My Set" — 2016
Directed by: Dexter Navy and A$AP Rocky
Dexter Navy teamed up with A$AP Rocky for another storytelling masterclass. In the monochromatic "Money Man / Put That On My Set" video, the performance shots, which feature A$AP Nast and Skepta, are secondary. Instead, it's an alluring narrative about a ghetto where the unique drug of choice has promised escape, but destroyed the community. The narrator, Rina, explains how her family has been affected. Her older brother, Said, continues to rule with an iron fist while she's in love with his right hand man, Moneyman Flacko. It's a heartbreaking tale symbolized by the battle between beautiful butterflies and venomous scorpions.
"A$AP Forever" — 2018
Directed by: Dexter Navy
A$AP Rocky's experimental "Testing" album had everyone talking. And the visuals were a key element of the conversation. The topsy-turvy music video for "A$AP Forever" will go down as one of the best of the generation. The camera angles and transitions make the viewer feel like they're spinning amidst a love letter to New York. You don't even need to buy a ticket to Disneyland. Just press play on this... another Dexter Navy masterpiece.
"Praise The Lord (Da Shine)" — 2018
Directed by: Dexter Navy
Yet another Dexter Navy gem! A$AP Rocky and Skepta are an indomitable duo and the video for their infectious "Praise The Lord (Da Shine)" track does them justice. The visual shows the parallel worlds of New York City and London as both rappers flex their fashion and get hyped with the homies. The concept is simple enough, but the details like the bouncing building while Skepta spits, "It's time to shine, to shine, to shine, to shine" make this a next level visual.
"Highjack" — 2024
Directed by: Thibaut Grevet and AWGE
Him Burton at your service. A$AP Rocky, who gave himself the nickname as a tribute to Tim Burton, has been inspired by the "Nightmare Before Christmas" creator and German Expressionism lately. The video for his effortless single "Highjack" channels film noir. The shadowy world blurs the line between reality and nightmare with the rapper's signature playfulness. The video showcases looks from his American Sabotage clothing collection, which makes a political statement. It promises that Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye hasn't lost a creative step and that his "Don't Be Dumb" album will be another tour de force from his wonderfully wacky mind.
Commenti