A$AP Ferg

A founding member of Harlem’s A$AP Mob, A$AP Ferg was initially the group’s main clothing designer, but after teaming with Mob member A$AP Rocky, he became one of the crew’s breakout rappers. His approach to rap was innovative and risky from the beginning, with interesting production choices and unusual vocal delivery defining his solo releases. Ferg channeled his uniqueness into success, hitting the Top Ten charts with proper studio albums Trap Lord (2013) and Always Strive and Prosper (2016), and making a decent chart showing with mixtapes like 2020′s Floor Seats II.
A$AP Ferg and A$AP Rocky originally planned to be the crew’s Mobb Deep-like duo, but they found more success as solo artists, beginning with Rocky and his series of 2012 mixtapes. Ferg’s big break came that same year when his track “Work” landed as the key cut on A$AP Mob’s Lords Never Worry mixtape.
The announcement that A$AP Ferg had signed with RCA came in early 2013 and was followed by an all-star remix of “Work,” with Trinidad James, French Montana, and ScHoolboy Q added to the cut. Ferg’s “Persian Wine” single landed that same year, along with his solo album Trap Lord. His Ferg Forever mixtape appeared in 2014 and spawned the 2015 hit “Dope Walk.” A year later, his track “New Level” featuring Future, arrived along with his sophomore album, Always Strive and Prosper, which included guest shots from Missy Elliott, Chuck D, Skrillex, and Lil Uzi Vert. In 2017, Ferg teamed up with Remy Ma for the hard-hitting single “East Coast.” This was followed by the release of his second mixtape, Still Striving, later that summer. The effort included a remix of “East Coast,” which featured Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross, and the single “Plain Jane,” his highest-charting solo track to date. Ferg’s summer remained busy with the arrival of A$AP Mob’s Cozy Tapes, Vol. 2, which landed at number six on the Billboard 200.
In 2018, Ferg issued a series of collaborative singles that included “Kristi” with Denzel Curry, IDK, and NickNack, and “Moon River” with actress Elle Fanning. A single, “Pups,” featuring A$AP Rocky, arrived in 2019. The latter track appeared on the EP Floor Seats, which also featured guests MadeinTYO, Rico Nasty, Ty Dolla $ign, and more. Upon release, the set debuted at number 50 on the Billboard 200. 2020 first brought a handful of singles including “Value” and the Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO collaboration “Move Ya Hips.” In September, these tracks and more were collected on the mixtape Floor Seats II. The project also included guest features from Diddy, Lil Wayne, Tyga, and Marilyn Manson, and spent time in the lower reaches of the Billboard 200. ~ David Jeffries