4/5 Pitchforks
"Always Strive And Prosper" is a motto the members of the Harlem, N.Y., rap collective A$AP Mob do not take lightly. "Long.Live.A$AP," the debut album of A$AP Mob front-man, A$AP Rocky, was highly praised by critics and appeared No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 200 chart upon its January 2012 release. Rocky's success set the bar pretty high for his A$AP Mob brethren to follow. A$AP Ferg, the second member of A$AP Mob to release an album, set out to make the same mark on hip-hop as Rocky with his debut album, "Trap Lord."
"Trap Lord's" opening track, "Let It Go" sets the tone of the album with Ferg's high-energy lyrical delivery and repetitive hooks. The beat manages to grab the attention of hip-hop fans and gamers alike with a close resemblance to the theme music of the "Mortal Kombat II" stage, "Living Forest." Three minutes and forty-three seconds into "Let It Go," fellow mob member, A$AP Yams, delivers a monologue explaining how "Trap Lord" will add on to their rapidly growing A$AP legacy.
"So it's like, 'F-ckin' Problems,' platinum/'Long.Live.A$AP,' number one album in the country/Sold out tours/What's next?/Trap Lord."
Content-wise "Trap Lord" is very diverse. In "Don't Wanna Do That" Ferg makes a social statement by discouraging listeners from living the "street life" that is often promoted by other rappers. Other tracks like "Fergivicious" are more of an personal account of Ferg's inner turmoil. Sex and drugs are the hot topics of songs like "Dump Dump" and "Cocaine Castle." Although, "Cocaine Castle" takes a more conscious approach on the subject, warning listeners of the consequences of drug use.
Five out of the thirteen tracks on "Trap Lord" have guest features. Ferg chose to work with a wide variety of artists, from French Montana and Schoolboy Q to hip-hop veterans like Onyx and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. He also managed to outshine the majority of Trap Lord's featured guests with his sharp lyric delivery - but was evenly matched by Waka Flaka Flame's energy on the chorus of "Murda Something." Every artists featured on the album brought something different to the table, boosting its lyrical diversity.
Some tracks on the album are not as appealing as others, but overall "Trap Lord" is a well-rounded album that appeals to all types of hip-hop fans. "Trap Lord" can be respected by both mainstream and underground audiences and is definitely worth listening to.
Reach the reporter at cmgaray@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ghost1effect
