A$AP Rocky

Раким Майерс (Rakim Mayers), более известный как A$AP Rocky — американский рэпер. Родился 3 октября 1988 года в Гарлеме и был назван в честь рэпера Ракима. Когда ему было 12 лет, его отец попал в тюрьму за торговлю наркотиками. Год спустя старший брат был убит возле своего дома, что побудило Майерса всерьёз заняться рэпом. Он начал читать рэп в возрасте 8 лет, был поклонником рэп-группы The Diplomats; на него оказала влияние музыка Three 6 Mafia, Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang Clan, UGK и Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Жил с матерью, затем в разных местах на Манхэттене, после чего переехал в Элмвуд-Парк, Нью-Джерси. В 2007 году он присоединился к группировке ASAP (Always Strive and Prosper) и взял псевдоним ASAP Rocky. В августе 2011 года в Интернете появился сингл «Peso», который через несколько недель вошёл в плей-лист крупнейшей радиостанции Нью-Йорка «Hot 97». Музыкальные клипы на песни «Peso» и «Purple Swag» вызвали ажиотаж, приведший к подписанию контракта с «Sony / RCA» на 3 миллиона долларов. В октябре A$AP Rocky выпустил микстейп «Live.Love.A$AP», который получил в целом положительные отзывы критиков и вошёл в десятку лучших альбомов года по версии «Stereogum». 5 декабря Би-би-си объявила номинантов ежегодного опроса «Sound of...», в числе которых был A$AP Rocky. В апреле 2012 года в эфире «Hot 97» состоялась премьера «Goldie», первого сингла с дебютного студийного альбома «LONG.LIVE.A$AP», который вышел в свет 15 января 2013 года. nnovator, disruptor, and evolutionary are some words that come to mind when one thinks of a successful startup, however, those words can also be used to describe Hip-Hop icon, artist, designer, creative director, entrepeneur and luminary A$AP Rocky. A$AP Rocky is a cultural beacon that continues to move past the status quo and lead the pack by continuing to evolve, innovate and disrupt the industry. With several accolades under his belt including being the first black male to ever be named the face of Dior, having his sophomore studio album, At.Long.Last.A$AP go platinum at 1.4M units, a top 5 spot on opening weekend for his starring role in the critically-acclaimed and indie darling film Dope which grossed over $6M USD, and becoming the Creative Director of MTV Labs. Continuing to prove that he’s not just a rapper that follows the status quo, but a creative force to be reckoned with, Rocky has gone on to pursue other successful creative endeavors within the art and fashion, film/tv and lifestyle industries. “I think it’s too much hype about me. I want to prove myself to these people,” says Rocky. “I want to prove to them that I’m an all-around artist, I’m a great video director, I’m a great human being, I have a good head on my shoulders and I’m a great lyricist. I’m ready to represent now. I got too much style not to be.” Rocky has not only proven that he has a good head on his shoulders but that he’s one of the most innovative and disruptive talents of today, having been featured on the cover of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and recognized in Vanity Fair’s 23 Disruptors revolutionizing art, film, and fashion for his work with fashion brand Guess Originals on its 90’s hip-hop inspired collection and for his immense creativity and style. His style is coveted by many and has led to a plethora of top fashion brand collaborations and campaigns throughout the years. Experienced with brand ideation and having had several successful brand partnerships and collaborations under his belt, it wasn’t long before the industry took note of this multi-hyphenate when he signed a groundbreaking deal as Creative Director of newly formed MTV Labs to create original content, experiment with new formats using existing IP, and develop branded content for advertisers with in-house agency Viacom Velocity. A$AP Rocky’s savviness in building brands and his genuine love of MTV made this union a Fait Accompli. His business savvy and acumen was made in part by AWGE, a successful creative group and multi-faceted company founded by Rocky and his management team in 2014, that provides authentic creative connections, solutions and content for clients in the music, fashion, film/TV and lifestyle industries. Its success has been recognized by top-tier media outlets including Forbes, Fast Company, the New York Times and Complex, AWGE has overseen projects for MTV, Guess, RCA and more. A$AP Rocky is a beacon of aspiration, a multifaceted talent whose success is rooted in collaboration, as demonstrated by not only his exponential growth as an artist and innovative marketer, but by the evolution of his and his dearly departed friend and spirit guide, A$AP Yams’ creative collective A$AP Mob into an influential force in music, film, art and fashion. Proving that with the right collaborations, mindset and by keeping his fans top of mind, Rocky, will continue to be his true authentic self and free to express his creative vision with the world, be it through AWGE, MTV or any other brand - A$AP Rocky is ready to disrupt and represent his style. Fans aspire to be A$AP Rocky & Brands aspire to work with him.