AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP is the second solo album from Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky. It is expected that he’ll be releasing his fourth record this year, but considering the fact that his last album, 2018’s Testing came out almost 7 years ago, nobody knows if he’s actually going to drop. Last time I talked about him in detail on this site was about his 2013 debut record, LONG.LIVE.A$AP, another record which I greatly enjoyed for him. AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP turns 10 years old later this month, as it was released on May 26th, and serves as a follow up to LONG.LIVE.A$AP. Anyways, here are my thoughts regarding this album.

   We open off the album with the religiously charged track, “Holy Ghost,” featuring Joe Fox. I like the bluesy and melancholy guitar focused instrumental produced by Danger Mouse and DJ Khalil. Rocky sounds focused and emotional, as the song serves as almost a confession of sorts, him begging God to forgive him from his sins and to help give him the strength he needs to change his ways of sex, drugs, and violence. It’s different from a lot of other songs I’ve heard from him, as when he’s usually bragging and flexing, here he takes this really vulnerable and raw approach to the track. Following that, we have “Canal St.,” featuring Bones. This track continues to show the darker side of Rocky’s life behind the persona he exudes, whether it’s about the hardships of street life and his own life. He really suffered from the effects of his dad getting convicted for selling drugs, and his older brother getting murdered. The song serves as a rags to riches story, while also showing that while he knows the ways of the streets, and made it out to be successful, the trauma he’s experienced still haunts him to this day. The creeping piano instrumental serves as this dramatic but low-key backdrop to his intricate flows. “Fine Whine,” featuring Future, Joe Fox, and M.I.A., is this super psychedelic trap track that sounds much like the stuff on his two releases before this one. It’s not my personal favorite, but it serves as a strong song that really encapsulates the anger and hurt one feels from a serious heartbreak. I think what makes it even more powerful is that A$AP Rocky, Future, and M.I.A. all experienced breakups before this track was released.

   Following that we have one of my favorite tracks on the record, and a major single, “L$D,” which stands for “love, sex, dreams.” Rocky’s singing sounds pretty good on this track, and I love how he uses his love for a woman, as an analogy for his love for LSD. The melody paired with the hazy production from Jim Jonsin and others make it one of A$AP Rocky’s best tracks in his catalog. “Excuse Me,” a track that was actually partially produced by Rocky, is another favorite of mine with that sample driven beat of the 1950s early rock group, The Platters. I really like the hardcore street vibe of the track, as he sounds like that same cocky, braggadocios rapper we know and love. “JD,” has a really underrated beat produced by Plu2o Nash, and some insane rhyme schemes from Rocky. It serves as a nice segue into the next track, which is the lead single off this album, “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2).” This one is another favorite of mine, even if the beat is kinda basic, A$AP Rocky’s lyricism is incredibly impressive whether he’s flexing about the gold he’s wearing, his overall wealth, or the beautiful women he surrounds himself with. “Electric Body,” featuring Schoolboy Q, has this really glitchy hard hitting beat primarily produced by Danger Mouse, as well as boastful party-themed lyrics from Rocky and Q. Whenever these two collaborate they usually always make magic, like on “Hands on the Wheel,” and “PMW (All I Really Need).” “Jukebox Joints,” featuring Kanye West and Joe Fox, produced by Kanye has some of the more unique samples on the album, as it samples an Indonesian song called “Doa Untuk Kasih,” by Rasela, as well as “Much Better Off,” by Smokey Robinson, and “Who Cares,” by Tony Aiken. Joe Fox has a ton of feature credits on this thing, and this track is quite a thrilling experience as it is split into three different parts. Kanye’s verse feels like something off of Late Registration as it’s paired with a soulful instrumental and has his signature dad jokes that he loved to include in his songs back then. “Max B,” serves as a warning to others of ending up doing life in prison like Max B, as well as his reminiscing that he could’ve ended up in the same situation given his history of sins and criminal history. “Pharsyde,” featuring Joe Fox serves as a contemplation of Rocky’s life as he recollects how hard it was to grow up in the ghetto, his drug use, sex, as well as all the young lives that have ended too soon due to the violence of the world around him. “Wavybone,” featuring Juicy J and UGK is an underrated track on the album, “West Side Highway,” featuring James Fauntleroy, talks about how the glamorous lifestyle he lives affects his relationships with women, and “Better Things,” delves more into the relationships he has with women, as well as the issues he’s dealt with in said relationships. “M’$,” featuring Lil Wayne, is another solid track that’s one of my favorites as I love Wayne’s verse and the production from C.N.O.T.E. and Mike Dean. “Everyday,” featuring Mark Ronson, Rod Stewart, and Miguel, is one of the biggest tracks on the album for a reason, as it was not only released as a single, but experienced heavy marketing. I love the poetic nature of the track, as well as the switch from the Rod Stewart sample to Miguel’s singing of the chorus. The final track, “Back Home,” featuring Mos Def and Acyde, is a heartfelt and vulnerable tribute to his friend A$AP Yams, and serves as a powerful closer to the album.

    While not as single heavy and consistently strong as LONG.LIVE.A$AP, AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP is still a gripping and impactful record that serves as a great second album from a rapper that is one of the most under appreciated artists in the game. For a 10 year old album the sound of this thing has aged phenomenally, and the feature selection is mostly strong, although there are a lot of Joe Fox features on this thing. Still this album is easily one of the best albums of 2015.

Overall Score: 9/10

Favorite Tracks: “L$D,” “Excuse Me,” “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye (LPFJ2),” “Electric Body,” “M’$,” “Everyday,”

Least Favorite Tracks: “Fine Whine,”

Listen: https://youtu.be/UtZBA1bVbcs?si=9FkhFBqDUyyXRx9r

Genres: Hip Hop/Psychedelic/Trap/Cloud Rap