A$AP Ferg

A Harlem rapper with an innovative and risky approach to his craft, A$AP Ferg is a founding member of <a href="spotify:artist:7yO4IdJjCEPz7YgZMe25iS">A$AP Mob</a> and one of the crew's breakout stars. He was initially the group's main clothing designer, but after teaming with <a href="spotify:artist:7yO4IdJjCEPz7YgZMe25iS">Mob</a> member <a href="spotify:artist:13ubrt8QOOCPljQ2FL1Kca">A$AP Rocky</a>, he started making ineresting production choices and a, unusual vocal delivery as the defining factors of 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. In the years that followed, he steadily released new singles while leading up to the release of his next studio album AF5*, slated for possible release sometime in 2024.

A$AP Ferg and <a href="spotify:artist:13ubrt8QOOCPljQ2FL1Kca">A$AP Rocky</a> originally planned to be the crew's <a href="spotify:artist:6O2zJ0tId7g07yzHtX0yap">Mobb Deep</a>-like duo, but they found more success as solo artists, beginning with <a href="spotify:artist:13ubrt8QOOCPljQ2FL1Kca">Rocky</a> 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 href="spotify:artist:7yO4IdJjCEPz7YgZMe25iS">A$AP Mob</a>'s Lords Never Worry mixtape. The announcement that A$AP Ferg had signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA%22">RCA</a> came in early 2013 and was followed by an all-star remix of "Work," with <a href="spotify:artist:0I5HubncQ8E1MFZOlPDY4J">Trinidad James</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6vXTefBL93Dj5IqAWq6OTv">French Montana</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5IcR3N7QB1j6KBL8eImZ8m">ScHoolboy Q</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>, arrived along with his sophomore album, Always Strive and Prosper, which included guest shots from <a href="spotify:artist:2wIVse2owClT7go1WT98tk">Missy Elliott</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1JfH8gevkDviqs50A5NO0L">Chuck D</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5he5w2lnU9x7JFhnwcekXX">Skrillex</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4O15NlyKLIASxsJ0PrXPfz">Lil Uzi Vert</a>. In 2017, Ferg teamed up with <a href="spotify:artist:39mHYiNmLR7p8PXNG8Wll6">Remy Ma</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:1YfEcTuGvBQ8xSD1f53UnK">Busta Rhymes</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1sBkRIssrMs1AbVkOJbc7a">Rick Ross</a>, and the single "Plain Jane," his highest-charting solo track to date. Ferg's summer remained busy with the arrival of <a href="spotify:artist:7yO4IdJjCEPz7YgZMe25iS">A$AP Mob</a>'s Cozy Tapes, Vol. 2, which landed at number six on the Billboard 200. In 2018, Ferg issued a series of collaborative singles that included "Kristi" with <a href="spotify:artist:6fxyWrfmjcbj5d12gXeiNV">Denzel Curry</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6aiFCgyKNwF9Rv5TOxnE8E">IDK</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0im9DyQH6E7TD1kLpDnXJe">NickNack</a>, and "Moon River" with actress <a href="spotify:artist:5lBUWrTWtJewTgS394y0m9">Elle Fanning</a>. A single, "Pups," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:13ubrt8QOOCPljQ2FL1Kca">A$AP Rocky</a>, arrived in 2019. The latter track appeared on the EP Floor Seats, which also featured guests <a href="spotify:artist:5SyGEPymt1G2uto47tVWvZ">MadeinTYO</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2OaHYHb2XcFPvqL3VsyPzU">Rico Nasty</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7c0XG5cIJTrrAgEC3ULPiq">Ty Dolla $ign</a>, 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 <a href="spotify:artist:0hCNtLu0JehylgoiP8L4Gh">Nicki Minaj</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5SyGEPymt1G2uto47tVWvZ">MadeinTYO</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:59wfkuBoNyhDMQGCljbUbA">Diddy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5LHRHt1k9lMyONurDHEdrp">Tyga</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2VYQTNDsvvKN9wmU5W7xpj">Marilyn Manson</a>, and spent time in the lower reaches of the Billboard 200. Over the next several years, Ferg released new tracks like 2021's <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell Williams</a> collaboration "Green Juice" and 2024's "Off White Rozay," as well as appearing on various tracks with other artists. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi