TESTING by A$AP Rocky
- curated by autumn
- Jul 23, 2018
- 4 min read
Artist: A$AP Rocky
Album: Testing
Genre: Rap
Released: 2018
Alright so our favorite Libra rapper besides Lil Wayne decided to release a project! Well, honestly I am not a core fan of A$AP or the A$AP Mob. They've released songs I've enjoyed like "Purple Swag", "Shabba Ranks", "On Train", etc. I definitely enjoy Rocky's persona an personality which oozes confidence and swag especially since he's the self proclaimed "pretty mother*cker". Although these aspects are enjoyable to some extent to me, I never gravitated towards his music. To me, his catalog never provided me with any important substance or lyricism that made me say "daaaaaaamn" which is why I never listened to a full length project by him. I could appreciate the Texas influence since I am from the south and proud, but he just never captivated my ears.
Well here he is with his latest debut Testing. I am not sure what he is actually testing. After listening to this album, I still have no clue why he titled his album this way. Maybe he is testing this new mess he is doing because I am not feeling it at all! No sir!!
Initially I was intrigued by "Distorted Records" instrumental. It sounded like some Portishead stuff (if you don't know Portishead, go bless yourself). When the beat came in, I start bopping my head and feeling it, so shout out to whoever produced this track. A$AP is talking shit on this record and being cocky which is expected. In my opinion, it should have been longer because the beat is so good! Which reminds me that the majority of instrumentals are okay on this project. None of them fully stand out to which is so unfortunate because Rocky normally will have that chopped and screwed influenced sound that was significant to his catalog, but on this project it is very lack luster. I guess he is attempting to do something else, something different, but I believe it could have been much better.
"A$AP Forever Remix" was a decent track, and I was felling it a bit due to the beat and addition of T.I.P and Kid Cudi, but then it really started to bore me because the beat remained stagnant. BUT THEN the end of the song is this other song by some girl singing. It sounded like a woman singing in a 90's goth band, and I was not feeling it at all! It did not fit the album or track whatsoever, so it was a chop for me!
One of the things I do appreciate about Rocky is that he was listening to "BONE BONE"! Hell yeah A$AP, now I can relate! Bone Thugs N Harmony was and will forever be my shit!
"Tony Tone" is cool. Think I heard some Diddy on there randomly. Well, they are both from Harlem, New York so whatever. Anyway, I was looking at the track list and saw that he did a song with my girl FKA Twigs! Now, if you are not familiar with her music, you need to go educate yourself! I was super excited to see what this track, "Fukk Sleep" could give, and unfortunately I was disappointed.
Why was Twigs on this song anyway? Seems like the producers planned to use her vocals as an instrument which is something Kanye could master, but they did not succeed in this. She sounded just fine on the track, but her voice is very sensual and melodic, so A$AP rapping about fake homies just does not flow well with her at all in my opinion. Now, I would not mind hearing them collaborate again, but I did not enjoy or understand this one.
NOW! What really pissed me off about this whole album is this 3 6 Mafia inspired mess he was doing! I am from Memphis, Tennessee so I am quit accustomed to the music of the 3 6, and I was not impressed at all with Rocky's uglass tracks "Praise The Lord" and "Calldrops". "Praise the Lord" has this fake ass Project Pat voice box going on and "CallDrop" has this screwed up baking vocal that sounds so inspired by Juicy J and posse. Well I was offended. THEN this dude starts talking to fucking Kodak Black while he attempts at a freestyle in prison1 GTFOH!!! Kodak Black has the ugliest damn voice I ever heard! Make it STAAAAHHHHHHP!
"Gunz N Butter" is alright only because of the Project Pat sample. That is all.
"Buck Shots" is an automatic skip. Nuff said.
"Brotha Man" is just weird cause all we heard in the previous song was gunshots and lyrics describing violence, how can Rocky now say that "we need to stand for something". This song should have been spaced better. Oh, and it also sounds like a knockoff Joey Bada$$ song. It does nothing for me!
A$AP is also singing on this album, and he needs to stop. He sounded like a kid singing an old 90's indie rock song in his bedroom every time he decided to croon. Not cool.
"HUn43rd" had a fake ass Weeknd on there singing with some wack ass vocals. NO!
Okay, so you probably have the impression now that my face was scrunched up during the entire listening of this project and it totally was! I did not like it AT ALL which is kind of surprising cause he has a few song I liked, so I was hoping for something more, but nah...
Does this album wanna be Hip-Hop or knock off Radiohead and other 1990's rock groups. A$AP Imma need you to get your shit together, and do not ever quote the great Andre 300o unless you do him justice!! ROCKY'S voice just sounded lazy. Not sure if he actually wanted to partake in the creation of this album! Like, why did he even do it? There was no hunger, enthusiasm, or entertainment. I guess if you are already a fan, then maybe you could vibe to this. I just cannot, and this is just my opinion. Now, have a good day!
Favorite Tracks: None.
Quotables: Nah.
Vibe Ratings: Turn it off.
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