As A$AP Rocky adjusts to his role as a father after Rihanna gave birth to their baby boy in May, the Harlem native’s outlook on life has shifted.
During an interview with Interview magazine, Rocky sat down with comedian Jerrod Carmichael and discussed topics ranging from masculinity to fashion, with Rocky speaking through the lens of inclusivity and acceptance. They also discussed how his seasoned outlook on life has even impacted how he feels about rap’s landscape.
Speaking on the current state of Hip-Hop, the rapper stated that he feels the genre is “stuck” in juvenility. The rapper added that he feels the culture shifted into this phase when Soulja Boy hit the scene and hasn’t grown since then.
“Rap is in its adolescence, and it’s been stuck here since Soulja Boy. Before, everybody looked 35 and up. When Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, T.I., and Jeezy and Ross were on, rappers looked old,” Rocky said to Jerrod Carmichael during their discussion. “Then, we had Lil’ Bow Wow, and that was it. That all changed with the internet and self-releasing. Now, rap is stuck in this braggadocious adolescent space. It’s not as mature.”
Shortly after Rocky’s statement about rap’s immaturity, Jerrod referenced Jay-Z stating that Hov “was the first rapper I ever listened to who was talking about family.” Agreeing with Carmichael, he also mentioned that, with rap’s growing number of participants, artists shouldn’t neglect anybody or demographic as rappers have “a responsibility to put people on the right path.”
In the same interview, A$AP also spoke about future projects – one of which featuring assistance from Tyler, the Creator. While there isn’t a definitive release date for the project, the Harlemite said he has put “so much energy and preparation and curation” into this forthcoming work.