A$AP Rocky and the rest of the A$AP Mob always pay tribute to A$AP Yams on the anniversary of his passing, which is known as Yams Day. He passed away 11 years ago at the age of 26, and Rocky took a break from his Don't Be Dumb rollout to pay tribute to his mentor, friend, and collaborator on Twitter.
"I LOVE U STEVE , U STILL CHANGING MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER A WHOLE DECADE LATER , HAPPY YAMS DAY! #LONGLIVEYAMS," he wrote today (Sunday, January 18). Also, the Harlem creative announced a special livestream to celebrate Yams Day, accessible via Twitch, Amazon Music, and Amazon Prime at 9PM EST today.
Rocky's social media activity also included reposts from his AWGE brand, other social media pages, and close colleagues. It's bittersweet to see folks share the pain of Yams' passing while also celebrating the indelible legacy he left behind.
It also comes at a busy time for A$AP Rocky, who just dropped his new album Don't Be Dumb after nearly eight years of teasing it since his last project, 2018's TESTING. But there is always time to honor those who are no longer by your side.
How Did A$AP Rocky & A$AP Yams Meet?
For those unaware, A$AP Rocky and A$AP Yams met through mutual friends around 2008 in Harlem, back when the former was starting to take rapping a little more seriously. Yams' guidance, hip-hop knowledge, direction, and industry experience as a Diplomat Records intern helped shape the early phase of Rocky's career. Eventually, he and the rest of the A$AP Mob blew up, and the rest was history.
Sadly, A$AP Yams passed away in 2015 due to complications from an accidental overdose. In the years following, the A$AP Mob came together to celebrate his life via several "Yams Day" events and concerts.
Even with the success surrounding Don't Be Dumb right now and everything else the A$AP Mob members have going on, it must be a difficult time for them, and especially for Yams' family. While things are no longer the same, his spirit and presence continues to resonate today and yield bountiful results for his close circle of loved ones, and even those like fans who never met him.
