The Source Magazine had the opportunity to exclusively sit down with A$AP Ferg to discuss a range of topics like his album ‘Trap Lord,’ fashion, working with A$AP Rocky and the upcoming A$AP Mob album.
A$AP Ferg was one of the headlining performers alongside J. Cole for AXE’s surprise “One Night Only” Concert event in New Orleans.
Q: Let’s talk “Trap Lord” and how it all came together.
Ferg: Basically Trap Lord just came from my name, you know what I’m sayin? “Trap Lord” is me being a true rap lord, you know I think being the lord of my trap, my trap is rap. And basically I did an album based around that whole concept and just proved myself with the first album. Sonically I just wanted to take it to the next level and make innovative music and that’s what I did with “Trap Lord” the album.
Q: How long was that process for you putting it together?
Ferg: Well the process was basically…I was working on the Mob mix tape until the drop of the album. Choppas on Deck and Work were supposed to originally be on my album Trap Lord but we used those..”Work,” “Choppas On Deck,” and “Persian Wine” were supposed to be on the “Trap Lord” album, but it made it to the mix tape first, so that’s originally what I wanted my sound to sound like, but the “Work” remix still made it there and I just worked on the mix tape on to August 20th which was the drop date.
Q: Can you describe the A$AP Ferg sound?
Ferg: It’s basically, I like big music…I like movies, like movie scores and I always just try to make my sounds big like a movie score just like you’re watching a scene or something like that where something is happening…like a specific scene you’ll hear my type of music playing in the background.
Q: You were just named Rookie of the Year, was that something you expected?
Ferg: I mean, I was just working. I wasn’t expecting anything to tell you the truth. I am the underdog and I’m definitely an Indian on top of the hill taking a lot of shots thrown at me I’m doing a lot of things that’s new so I’m not expecting anything so early. A lot of things is coming to me early, people are receptive to the album. I expected them to listen to it and like it like next year from now, but people are receptive to it now and I appreciate it.
Q: Obviously fashion is a big thing in the whole A$AP movement, talk about your collaboration with BAPE and can you speak more on that.
Ferg: My collaboration with BAPE was…I’m proud that BAPE wanted to collab with me because it’s a brand that I grew up not able to afford. The hoodies were like $500-$600, the jeans were like $350 and it was just a pleasure for me to work with them. My manager Geno hooked the whole thing up. And, you know, we just made it happen with an artist named Jay West, we sat down together and came up with a concept and an idea based around the whole “Trap Lord” theme of the album. It was me holding a Baby Milo as if I was baptizing him on the shirt. It was just a dope shirt so shout outs to BAPE for that.
Q: Can we expect to see another collaboration with BAPE soon?
Ferg: Definitely, definitely. Definitely I’ll be doing some new things with BAPE and other people as well.
Q: Your dad had a boutique up in Harlem. Talk about how that helped with your fashion today?
Ferg: Well my father had a boutique called Ferg Apparel up in Harlem, but before he had a boutique he was placing his stuff in a bunch of different people’s boutiques and designing merchandise for a lot of hip hop artists and hip hop labels. That inspired me, I guess, or just it was just embedded in me. I once said it inspired me, it was embedded in me at a young age. I didn’t know it inspired me, I just grew up seeing it and it was just natural for me to take up and do what we was doing.
Q: Where is this A$AP Mob album?
Ferg: We’re still working on it, we’ve been working on perfection. We don’t wanna just put anything out. We did that with the mix tape, we wanted to surprise the man for the mix tape. This one we want the project to be a well put together album cause that’s how we’re gonna give people some quality.
Q: So can we expect it next year? Early first quarter?
Ferg: I don’t wanna talk on it, you know what I’m saying? If it was up to me I would wanna put it out now, but it’s quality that we’re putting out and not quantity.
Q: What is it like working with A$AP Rocky?
Ferg: Well it’s good because he’s another creator, he’s another Indian on top of the hill taking shots. We’re both innovative people, he wants us to bring innovative things to music, period, not just hip hop. So, you know, we collaborate on those terms cause I want the same thing.
Fans can learn how to score tickets by checking out AxeONO.com, and following AXE on social media throughout October, where all details will be announced. The remaining two shows will be in Philly & Seattle.
Philadelphia (10/25)
Seattle (10/30)
