Since the beginning of the decade, the reigning rap syndicate of New York City has been Harlem's A$AP Mob, founded in 2007 by the late A$AP Yams and comprised of A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, A$AP Twelvyy, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant, and a host of others. Though the collective has produced just two projects -- 2012's compilation mixtape Lord$ Don't Worry and 2016 "rap-punk meets alternative-underground" album Cozy Tapes, Vol. 1: Friends- -- it has positioned itself as a key influencer positioned at the intersection of fashion and hip hop.
Click through the gallery to listen to 10 of the best tracks by A$AP Mob.
"Trilla"
While Rocky broke into the game with songs like "Purple Swag" and "Peso," "Trilla" is maybe the most enduring song on his paradigm-shifting debut LIVE.LOVE.A$AP for its introduction of the most influential rap flow of the last five years this side of the "'Versace' flow."
Nast & Twelvyy guest-star.
"Full Metal Jacket"
Despite its name, "Full Metal Jacket" actually samples a piece from the "Knight Rider" soundtrack. They went deep on this one. Rocky, Ferg, Ant, Da$h, Nast, & Twelvyy co-star.
"Bath Salt"
A collaboration with the Flatbush Zombies, "Bath Salt" represented the high-water mark of a powerful Mob-Zombies inter-borough alliance. The question is not what this alliance will do next. It is when...
"Trillmatic"
"Trillmatic" was supposed to be the lead single from A$AP Mob's debut album L.O.R.D., until the album got scrapped. Nast takes the spotlight, swaggering through the subterranean lime incandescence of Harlem project hallways. As in the case of "Nasty's World," he shines when pushed front and center. As in the case of Twelvyy, we are still wondering when the hell he is going to drop a solo mixtape.
"Hella Hoes"
Another L.O.R.D. single. The music video is highly NSFW and you can watch it here.
"Yammy Gang"
Produced by Scandinavian savants Lido and Cashmere Cat, "Yammy Gang" has become one of the most popular songs from Ferg's Always Strive and Prosper, in no small part because of the music video, which illustrates the Mob's friendship somewhere in Joshua Tree.
"Telephone Calls"
Though Playboi Carti has inherited the mantle of unofficial Mob member from Da$h, we're glad Rocky is still making room for his bro-for-life Tyler, The Creator.
"Crazy Brazy"
Key! was one of the pleasant surprises of Cozy Tapes for his pugnacious contribution to the hook on "Crazy Brazy."
"Money Man"
A$AP Mob debuted "Money Man" by way of a stylish 12-minute short film, a reminder that Rocky's greatest strength is his taste, or at least, the taste of his advisors at AWGE.
"Yamborghini High"
The man behind the fried graphics card/"datamosh" look of the "Yamborghini High" video is Unkleluc. He is also responsible for the music videos for Future's "Codeine Crazy" and Kodak Black's "Skrt." He explained the genesis of his style in an interview with Frank:
"Growing up, all I did was watch television. I was glued to the TV. Back when shit was by antenna, those things always stuck with me—like not having pay-per-view and trying to watch Wrestlemania and the shit is all distorted and I’m trying to make out what’s going on. Watching movies on Starz and HBO, trying to look at the distortion to make out the details. That’s the type of stuff that is always on my mind, and when I first started getting into designing and doing videos."
