After dropping their first collaborative mixtape, Lord$ Never Worry, Harlem-based collective A$AP Mob have been on a tear, with each member showcasing their own unique personas and flows outside of Rocky. With their impending collaborative effort the L.O.R.D. EP, on the way, the group want to ensure that they don't succumb to the pressures of the music industry and put out the record before it's ready.
"We're taking that time with it now," A$AP Ferg tells Exclaim! of L.O.R.D. "We're just out to make history. We don't want to put out quantity over quality, know what I'm saying? We have to put out some dope shit because that's what we're here to do at the end of the day."
According to Ferg, quality is what gave birth to the signature '90s boom-bap sounds of the A$AP Nast and Method Man featured lead single, "Trillmatic."
"Honestly, it's just a perfect marriage between New York, Nast and the A$AP Mob period," he says. "We just felt it was one of those songs that are needed now, because everyone is coming at New York and [Nast] was the best candidate to represent it."
As one of the few leaders of the new school pushing the envelope of New York sounds, Ferg explains that it's been an uphill battle with the industry to maintain their creativity.
"I still enjoy rapping and touring," A$AP Ferg says. "But there are some aspects about it that bring back down to earth and shows you that the industry is full of politics sometimes.
"Sometimes, the label will tell you to do this or something else, but if it doesn't make sense then I'm not going to do it. As artists we're supposed to be [true to ourselves]. Nowadays, nobody has a mind for themselves. Everyone wants to be in front of a car with motherfucking 'bling bling' and all of this bullshit, but at the end of the day, what are you really saying? Your lyrics have to be relatable because people need something to gravitate to and I feel like we're the preachers."
For the A$AP Mob, it's important that the music they make remains grounded in reality.
"There have been a bunch of Milli Vanillis in the game for years and I feel like we need a moment of clarity and A$AP is that breath of fresh air."
A$AP Mob will deliver the L.O.R.D. EP on March 4.
"We're taking that time with it now," A$AP Ferg tells Exclaim! of L.O.R.D. "We're just out to make history. We don't want to put out quantity over quality, know what I'm saying? We have to put out some dope shit because that's what we're here to do at the end of the day."
According to Ferg, quality is what gave birth to the signature '90s boom-bap sounds of the A$AP Nast and Method Man featured lead single, "Trillmatic."
"Honestly, it's just a perfect marriage between New York, Nast and the A$AP Mob period," he says. "We just felt it was one of those songs that are needed now, because everyone is coming at New York and [Nast] was the best candidate to represent it."
As one of the few leaders of the new school pushing the envelope of New York sounds, Ferg explains that it's been an uphill battle with the industry to maintain their creativity.
"I still enjoy rapping and touring," A$AP Ferg says. "But there are some aspects about it that bring back down to earth and shows you that the industry is full of politics sometimes.
"Sometimes, the label will tell you to do this or something else, but if it doesn't make sense then I'm not going to do it. As artists we're supposed to be [true to ourselves]. Nowadays, nobody has a mind for themselves. Everyone wants to be in front of a car with motherfucking 'bling bling' and all of this bullshit, but at the end of the day, what are you really saying? Your lyrics have to be relatable because people need something to gravitate to and I feel like we're the preachers."
For the A$AP Mob, it's important that the music they make remains grounded in reality.
"There have been a bunch of Milli Vanillis in the game for years and I feel like we need a moment of clarity and A$AP is that breath of fresh air."
A$AP Mob will deliver the L.O.R.D. EP on March 4.
