The 1-year anniversary of ASAP Yams’ tragic death is next month, and in memory of the fallen Harlemite, ASAP Mob plans to uplift his remembrance with a tribute concert.
ASAP Rocky as well as the Mob cohorts will take center stage at New York City’s Terminal 5 on Jan. 18, the same day Yams, born Steven Rodriguez, passed away from a suspected accidental drug overdose. Other performers include Lil Uzi Vert and Joey Bada$$. More acts will be revealed closer to the concert’s date.
Rocky also announced that he plans to continue to live out Rodriguez’s legacy by releasing the Cozy Tapes project. In an interview with MTV, the “Everyday” rapper said while he was working on his second studio album A.L.L.A., Yams was thinking about who he wanted to be featured on Cozy Tapes. “So he put it all in his notebook that I carry around with me every day,” Rocky said. “I’ve got all of his thoughts and I just plant to execute what he started.”
During SXSW 2015, ASAP Ferg spoke with VIBE on Rodriguez’s impact. “I feel his spirit every time I walk out the house,” the “Work” rapper said. “I talk to his moms like every day. There’s not a day that goes past that I don’t think about Yams,” he said. “Like I said on my Instagram, ‘Your body is just a shell, your spirit is here forever.’ I really believe that Yams is still here with us, rockin’ with us. He’s the reason why we’re always safe at our shows, and why we keep climbin’ to the top. He foreseen a lot of this stuff. He was Yoda, bro. He’s still here with us. You just don’t see the birthmark, but he’s in me.”
Rodriguez was a founder of the ASAP collective and co-owner of their label ASAP Worldwide, and was referred to as the “mastermind behind the scenes,” in a profile by The New York Times. He was laid to rest on Jan. 25, 2014.
I’d pay anything to see this show idc it’ll be historic pic.twitter.com/8aFz0f5zCk
— Tyler Phillips (@Tyler_Phillips3) December 17, 2015