There was a time when A$AP Rocky was as gutter as Harlem with a strong Houston-influence to the music he was making. While for a long time, the South has dominated and influenced hip hop in every region of the United States and further, A$AP Rocky's groundbreaking "Purple Swag" was the beginning of a new era of New York hip hop.
At the time, while many weren't as familiar with the Harlem-native, Rocky was a stand-out figure in the underground. With the sense of fashion of SoHo, the double-time flow of Bone Thugs and the Houston-influenced production, "Purple Swag" put people on notice.
Among most day one A$AP fans, this song was new ground for hip hop. It helped launch A$AP's career and the video itself introduced Rocky as not only a great artist but as well as a video director. The song was later followed by the Live.Love.A$AP single "Peso" which really helped launch the rapper's career.
"Purple Swag" is one of Rocky's best and most underrated songs of all time. This was where he showed the world that he was ready to take over with his fresh take on hip hop, not only on a sonic level but as well in his aesthetic.
With gold grillz, styrofoam cups, weed smoke and old-school production, this is an OG A$AP joint that helped launch his career to where he is today.
Quotable Lyrics
That big booty, juicy fruity
Yellow bone, I wanna bone,
I'm gettin' dome,
I took her out,
Dick in her mouth,
She gettin' known
