Rakim Mayers, better known by his stage name ASAP Rocky, is a rapper and songwriter from the United States. After joining the hip-hop group ‘A$AP Mob,’ he took the stage name ASAP Rocky. Rakim is one half of the Eric B. & Rakim hip-hop combo, and he is named after him. Rocky has gone a long way from being a poor kid growing up in a crime-ridden neighborhood to being a renowned rapper. He had a difficult upbringing, spending much of it in camps with his mother and sister. His elder brother’s tragic death led him to focus on his music and ultimately gain notice for his rapping abilities. His first track, ‘Peso,’ was pirated online and received airplay on New York’s Hot 97 radio station. ‘At. Long. Last. A$AP’ was his second album, and it debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Rocky is also recognized for his distinct sense of style, brawls, and rumored relationships with a number of well-known female celebrities.
Childhood and Adolescence
Rakim Mayers was born in Harlem, New York City, on October 3, 1988. His father is from Barbados, and his mother is from the United States. Erika B. Mayers, his older sister, is his only sibling.
Rocky began rapping at the age of nine years old. He used to rap with his older brother, who wore his hair in French braids at the time, which Rocky eventually adopted.
Rocky’s father was arrested for dealing narcotics when he was 12 years old. In 2012, his father passed away. Ricky, his older brother, was murdered by a competing drug dealer when he was 13 years old. Rocky was inspired to concentrate harder on his music as a result of this tragic experience.
To sustain his family as they walked around homeless shelters, he turned to drug pedaling. In 2004, he was caught for narcotics trafficking and sentenced to two weeks in prison. He first met future rapper ‘Casanova’ while incarcerated.
Career of ASAP Rocky
ASAP Rocky has been rapping since he was a toddler, thanks to his older brother’s influence. He joined the Harlem-based group ‘ASAP Mob’ in 2007, after which he adopted the alias ‘ASAP.’
In July 2011, his first single, ‘Purple Swag,’ was released, and it quickly became a rap sensation in New York City.
His tune ‘Peso,’ which was leaked online in August 2011 and quickly became a hit on the high-profile Hot 97 New York radio station, made a name for itself. The massive popularity of ‘Purple Swag,’ on the other hand, had already gotten him noticed by record labels. ‘Live. Love.’ was his debut mixtape. Before striking a $3 million agreement with RCA Records and Polo Grounds Music, A$AP’ had a deal with RCA Records and Polo Grounds Music. He also formed the label ‘A$AP Worldwide’ as part of the arrangement.
ASAP In July 2012, Rocky played at the Pitchfork Music Festival. At the MTV Video Music Awards later that year, he performed a guest rap on Rihanna’s ‘Cockiness (Love It)’.
In January 2013, he launched his solo album, ‘Long Live Asap,’ which not only sold 3 million copies in the United States but also charted at number eight on the Billboard 100. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, 2 Chainz, Florence Welch, A$AP Ferg, and Santigold were among the artists featured on the album.
In 2013, Rocky debuted his own clothing line, A$AP, and teamed with designer Raf Simons. In 2014, he signed an official contract with William Morris Endeavor for worldwide representation.
In 2014, he made a brief appearance in the comedic drama ‘Dope.’ The following year, the picture was shown at the Sundance Film Festival before being released in theaters on June 12th.
ASAP On the eve of his 26th birthday, Rocky released the short album ‘Flacko Jodye Season.’ Rapper Juicy J contributed extra vocals to the record.
‘At.Long.Last.A$AP’, his second album, was released in May 2015. The album was meant to be released a few weeks before the actual date, but Rocky had to move the release date up a week owing to an online leak. He collaborated with Kanye West, Mark Ronson, MIA, and Future this time. On the tune ‘Everyday,’ he collaborated with legendary rocker ‘Rod Stewart.’ ‘At long last, at long last, at long last, at long last, at long last, at long Despite receiving poor reviews, A$AP Rocky’s album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. His second consecutive successful record, the album sold 116,000 copies in the United States and 11,000 copies in Canada.
Rocky teamed up with Guess in 2016 to recreate the brand’s ’90s clothes, which he wore as a kid, and dubbed it GUE$$.
Later same year, he contributed to Alicia Keys’ album ‘Here,’ on the track ‘Blended Family (What You Do for Love)’.
The following year, he appeared on Lana Del Rey‘s album ‘Lust For Life,’ on the tracks ‘Summer Bummer’ and ‘Groupie Love.’
Rocky launched his album ‘Testing’ in May 2018, which earned positive reviews from reviewers and fans alike. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 in the United States in its first week, before finally falling off the charts.
Personal History and Legacy
Rocky was dating fellow rapper Iggy Azalea at the time. Iggy announced their relationship in January 2012, after they met through a mutual acquaintance. She then disclosed that she had Rocky’s mixtape title, ‘Live.Love.A$AP,’ tattooed on her fingers. After the couple split up in July 2012, Iggy revealed that she had removed the word ‘A$AP’ from her tattoo and kept only the words ‘Live.Love.’
Following that, Rocky dated a number of female celebrities, including Rihanna, Rita Ora, Madison Skylar, Chanel Iman, Rosee Divinem, Tahiry Jose, and Kylie Jenner. ‘Always Strive and Prosper,’ ‘Assassinating Snitches and Police,’ and ‘Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose,’ are just few of the interpretations of the acronym ASAP.
Estimated Net Worth
Trivia
He’s a record producer that goes by the moniker ‘Lord Flacko.’ He is a carnivore.