A$AP Ferg's name has been on everyone's mind lately, as the rapper has been blessing us with what feels like one new song after another. The A$AP Mob Trap Lord is currently enjoying a hell of a run, and his reach is bigger than ever before.
Still, coming up in a collective raises its own sense of challenges, especially one as dope as the Mob. While A$AP Rocky quickly skyrocketed into superstar status with his acclaimed mixtape Live.Love.A$AP, Ferg proved himself by consistently put out dope music of his own, including the stellar Trap Lord tape. As a result, Ferg developed a reputation as one of the more underrated and respected rhymers out there.
While you're taking a break from enjoying his latest drops, take a trip back in time and vibe to some of Fergy's more underrated cuts.
40 Below
She do what I tell her,
Make me a grilled cheese
She ask, "Babe, swiss or mozzarella?"
This track dropped around the time that Trap Lord hit the scene, channeling something out of the golden-era. Ferg pays clear homage to Biggie, kicking a smooth flow that would make Big Poppa proud. The vibe is a good look for Ferg, whose style has changed drastically over the years. Don't sleep on this old-school gem.
Murda Something ft Waka Flocka Flame
"Y'all quick for the tweeting, y'all quick to be tumbling
How about a Vine, 2 clips to your spine
And Instagram pics of me dumping"
On Trap Lord, Ferg and Waka Flocka joined forces to obliterate the Finatik N Zac, Jim Jonsin & Rico Love produced banger "Murda Something." Ultimately, the title proved rather appropriate, as both rappers spit flames over the Arabian-flavored beat. There's something about bursts of horns that seem to awaken lyrical bloodlust, and by the time Ferg and Flocka are trading bars in a back and forth verse, it's already too late.
Lord ft. Bone Thugs
"Cause you fuck with them booty niggas
Now Fergie all up in your groupie nigga"
Ferg seems to shine over up-tempo dark beats, and on "Lord," Ferg finds himself paired with the legendary Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, who basically pioneered that whole sound back in 1993. The A$AP Mob member sets the tone with an introductory verse, leading the procession on what proves to be an excellent posse cut. Madness from the first syllable to the last.
Let You Go
"You talking 'bout your experience with other women
How you think that be looking?
My daddy and whole family hearing
Where's the respect? I don't feel it"
While Ferg tends to excel over hard beats, he's also more than capable of dropping something real, straight from the heart. On "Let You Go," Ferg gets more personal than usual, rapping the song from the perspective of the girlfriend he lost to the come-up. "I lost a girlfriend over this," said Ferg, at a listening party for this track. "The dream had to come first. You might not get another album like this from me. I sacrificed a girl for art." It's a tough break, but we're ultimately glad Ferg made the sacrifice.
Choppas On Deck
"One straight to that dome
Betta ring the alarm, Fergy's home"
While A$AP Ferg has proven himself to be a versatile artist, there's something about him going in over an old school, straightforward beat that simply works wonders. Everything from his emotive voice, his smooth delivery, and his frantic flow combine on "Choppas On Deck," which originated on A$AP Mob's 2012 album Lord$ Never Worry. Once Again, Ferg shines on some darker production, and one can't help but hope that some of his newer material will one day revisit to this classic vibe.