A$AP Ferg - Topic

A$AP Ferg’s charted a lot of territory over the last four years: since rising to the top of the hip-hop crop with A$AP Mob, he’s released two solo albums—2013’s auspicious debut Trap Lord and last year’s beguiling Always Strive and Prosper—that have showcased an artist unafraid to take his craft to thrilling new places. His new mixtape, Still Striving, is no different: it’s simultaneously a reflection on Ferg’s artistic journey thus far and a project that has its finger on the future’s pulse—recalling past glories while boldly exploring new and fascinating soundscapes and styles. It’s the definitive A$AP Ferg experience, and an exhilarating look at what’s to come from him too.

The project was recorded over three months in between dates on Ferg and Playboi Carti’s Turnt & Burnt tour, a far-reaching recording process that spanned from Germany to Ferg’s hometown of New York City. “Whenever I was in the city, I wanted to see everybody,” he explains on the vibe he cultivated when hitting the NYC studios. “We had an open-door policy with artists and producers in the studio—creating a community of dope people that I thought was dope. I just wanted to have fun. I didn’t have a specific vibe—I just wanted to make dope music with my friends.” 

And Still Striving features a wide range of collaborators, both behind the boards and on the mic. In the former’s case, beats from frequent collaborators such as Skitzo and Frankie P (the latter of which previously contributed to Trap Lord’s dense, dark sonics) rub elbows with up-and-comers hand-picked by Ferg on social media—“a lot of young kids that I gave a chance to who reached out on Twitter or Tumblr.” In particular, the Khalil-produced “East Coast” gave Ferg a chance to experiment with live instrumentation for the first time, the beat coming out of an hours-long jam session. “Before, I never worked with live instrumentation,” he marvels. “Now, I’m able to dive into the musicality of everything.” 

Lacing these musical tracks is a veritable buffet of hip-hop’s finest: Still Striving is astoundingly jam-packed with features, ranging from tested regulars like Meek Mill and Migos to rising stars like Dave East, Nav, and MadeinTYO. A few sturdy veterans pitch in, too: there’s Busta Rhymes’ typically fiery contribution to “East Coast Remix,” a reunion of sorts following Busta’s appearance on 2013’s remix of Ferg’s “Shabba.” “We’re one of a kind,” he says of working with Busta, who he cites as a major influence on his style