ASAP Rocky
Rakim Athelaston Mayers[2] (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky (/ˈeɪsæp/ AY-sap; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker. In August 2011, Mayers' single "Peso" was leaked online and within weeks, began receiving radio airplay.[3] He signed with Polo Grounds Music, an imprint of RCA Records in October of that year, and shortly after, released his debut mixtape, Live. Love. A$AP (2011) to widespread critical acclaim.[4][5]
Not to be confused with Aesop Rock.
ASAP Rocky
- Lord Flacko
- Pretty Flacko Jodye II
- Rapper
- singer-songwriter
- record producer
2007–present
2
- ASAP Worldwide
- AWGE
- Polo Grounds
- RCA
Mayers' debut studio album, Long. Live. A$AP (2013) peaked the Billboard 200, received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and saw positive critical reception. The album was supported by his first Billboard Hot 100 entry as its lead single: "Fuckin' Problems" (featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar), which peaked at number eight on the chart and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Song. His second album, At. Long. Last. A$AP (2015) likewise debuted atop the chart and saw continued critical praise; its single, "L$D" earned his second Grammy Award nomination for Best Music Video at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. His third album, Testing (2018) peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200 and seven other countries, while his fourth album, Don't Be Dumb is scheduled for release in 2024.
Mayers has won a BET Award, two BET Hip Hop Awards, an MTV Video Music Award Japan and an MTVU Woodie Award, as well as being nominated for two Grammy Awards, six World Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards and two MTV Europe Music Awards. Furthermore, Mayers is also a music video director, and produces records for other artists under the pseudonym Lord Flacko.[6][7]
Early life
Rakim Athelaston Mayers was born on October 3, 1988, in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, a borough of New York City.[8] His father is from Barbados.[9] He has an older brother (deceased) and an older sister, Erika.[10][11] Both Rakim and Erika's names are taken from the Eric B. & Rakim duo.[12] His cousin is fellow ASAP Mob member ASAP Nast.[13]
Mayers started rapping at age nine, when he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.[14] He learned how to rap from his older brother, who also wore the Cornrows hairdo that A$AP Mayers later adopted. When Mayers was 13, his brother was killed in Harlem.[15] The death inspired Mayers to take rapping more seriously.[16] Mayers grew up admiring Harlem-based rap group The Diplomats. He was also influenced by Mobb Deep,[17] Three 6 Mafia, UGK, Run DMC, Wu-Tang Clan, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.[18]
When Mayers was 12 years old, his father went to jail and he spent his teenage years moving around homeless shelters with his mother and sister.[19] After living for a period in a shelter with his mother in New York City, he moved to Midtown Manhattan.[10] His father died in 2012.[20]
Career
2007–2011: Career beginnings
In 2007, Mayers joined the A$AP Mob crew, a Harlem-based collective of rappers, producers, music video directors, fashion designers, and bikers who shared similar interests in music, fashion, style, and art.[21] It had been formed by A$AP Yams, A$AP Bari and A$AP Illz.[22][23] In July 2011, Mayers released his single "Purple Swag" which quickly became a street anthem in New York City.
In August 2011, Mayers’ single "Peso", was leaked online and within weeks received airplay on the high-profile Hot 97 New York radio station.[3] After he released a music video for his song "Purple Swag", he received attention from several record labels. In October, he released the mixtape Live. Love. A$AP to critical acclaim. Earlier that month, he signed a two-year, $3 million record deal with Bryan Leach's Polo Grounds Music, which at the time was distributed by Clive Davis' Sony Music division of J Records.[24] Upon his record deal, Mayers started a label, A$AP Worldwide, with A$AP Yams.[22] However, Mayers’ deal with J Records would be short-lived, when on October 7, RCA Music Group announced that it was merging J alongside Arista and Jive Records into RCA Records.[4] With the shutdown, Mayers (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release future material under the RCA brand.[25] On December 5, he was nominated for BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.[26]
Business ventures
In October 2011, Mayers signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment worth $3 million ($1.7 million of which was earmarked for his solo work; $1.3 million earmarked to fund his company).[115] Mayers said that he sought a "bigger platform" for him and his collective with the deal.[5] His first studio album planned to be under the deal, but it allowed him to continue releasing mixtapes through Sony/RED.[5] Fellow rapper and A$AP Mob member A$AP Ferg also signed a joint venture deal with the RCA-distributed Polo Grounds Music; Ferg released his single "Work", for digital retail via various platforms. He later announced an official remix featuring Mayers, French Montana, ScHoolboy Q and Trinidad James.[116]
In 2013, he and ASAP Mob co-founder ASAP Bari[117] released his A$AP merchandise brand, and went to collaborate with high-profile fashion designer and close friend Raf Simons.[118][119] On October 2, 2014, Mayers announced he had officially signed a contract for worldwide representation with William Morris Endeavor.[120]
In February 2016, Guess released a collaboration with Mayers called GUE$, which was inspired by Mayers’ admiration for the brand's vintage '90s clothing that he wore while growing up.[121]
In 2022, Mayers launched his own brand of whisky called Mercer + Prince. It was officially launched on the Revolt TV show, Drink Champs, during a segment in a two-hour long interview.
In 2023, he collaborated with Gucci (Guilty perfume advertisements), Puma (sneakers in collaboration with F1) and with Bottega Veneta on a groundbreaking campaign based on paparazzi candids.
Personal life
From 2011 to 2012, Mayers dated Australian rapper Iggy Azalea.[122][123] He began dating model Chanel Iman in early 2013, and in April 2014, they were reported to be engaged,[124] but broke up in June 2014.[125]
On May 19, 2021, Mayers revealed during an interview with GQ that he is in a relationship with Barbadian singer Rihanna, describing her as "the love of my life".[126] The two were first linked in 2013, after Mayers opened up for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour.[127] On January 31, 2022, People reported that the couple was expecting their first child.[128] On May 19, 2022, it was confirmed that Rihanna had given birth to a boy.[129][130][131] On May 10, 2023, Mayers revealed their child's name as RZA Athelaston Mayers, named after the Wu-Tang Clan founder and leader RZA.[132][133] During the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, Rihanna revealed that she was pregnant with their second child. Their second son, Riot Rose, was born in August of that year.[134][135][136]
Mayers was a pescetarian.[137] In 2012, he transitioned to a vegetarian diet with the help of his vegan manager after learning of the horrors of the poultry industry.[138] On his 2019 single "Babushka Boi", Mayers stated he is vegan.[138][139][140]
Mayers has said that while he was raised in a Christian household, he does not like going to an organized church, and instead has "[his] own relationship with God... I pray every day before I go to sleep."[141] He addresses these views in the song "Holy Ghost" on his 2015 album At. Long. Last. ASAP. During Mayers’ 2019 incarceration in Sweden, he prayed to keep himself occupied.[142]
