Testing x A$AP Rocky
Atmospheric, Avante-Garde, Archetypical
A$AP Rocky resurged in his 4th officially released project, Testing. His courage to blend musical genres and experiment in modeling, styling, and videography have cemented Rocky as one of the most prolific hip-hop artists of the 21st century.
(Photography by Mr. Iozo) Released May 25, 2018, Testing is an album about experimentation. The 15-track LP is adorned by fresh features and familiar motifs from the LLA saga. Many A$AP Rocky fans feared the title, as it deviated from the nostalgia of his previous work. Despite Rocky’s evolution, Testing ages gracefully.
Atlanta rapper, actor, and record executive, T.I. paints an articulate, classy coat on the 2nd track, ASAP Forever REMiX, a song about Rocky’s artistic triumphs through the years. Rocky’s first 3 albums Live.Love.A$AP, Long.Live.A$AP, and At.Long.Last.A$AP, earned him critical acclaim, worldwide tours, and reverence for his creative vision.
Along his journey, Flacko became renowned for bringing the best out of other creatives, ushering a new wave of posse cuts with Fine Whine, F**kin Problems, 1Train, and more.
Within Testing, Rocky takes a more precise approach to features. Snoop Dogg and Frank Ocean lay unexpected background vocals alongside French Montana to make Brotha Man more dynamic and mature.
Fukk Sleep encapsulates Testing’s distance from his previous work through collaborating with FKA Twigs, a premier Art Pop icon. This atmospheric banger merges familiar, A$AP Rocky subject matter with an unconventional instrumental in a dashing display of versatility.
Unfamiliarity breeds Critique
For our favorite artists, comparing new albums to old ones is difficult. As musicians improve, they broaden their creative ranges, thus deviating from the roots of past projects. Testing was easy to miss if you aren’t a die-hard Rocky fan or if you are only a fan of his first and second albums. Nonetheless, this NYC rap veteran has found a way to change his sound, $trive, and prosper, without abandoning his original fanbase.
