A$AP Rocky has kept quite busy this year despite a shortage of new music. However, as fans follow the personal lives of Rocky and Rihanna — stemming from their long overdue romance to the birth of their child — the AWGE founder and rapper seems to have much more up his sleeve.
Joining Dazed for an in-depth interview, Rocky not only revealed that Rihanna was taking him on a tour of his Bajan heritage — visiting her family in Barbados and indulging in island culture and music — he also divulged that his long-teased album would not be titled All Smiles. Following the release of his experimental 2018 project Testing, Rocky’s mythical All Smiles remained a focus for AWGE stans still settling into his third studio album.
In regards to his next project, Rocky explained: “One thing I can tell you is that the name isn’t gonna be All Smiles – you know, I never publicly said that my album was called All Smiles! That one is more of a concept project, it’s music and more. I’m wrapping up the new album now; I’ve been shooting so many visuals for it. I don’t want to be cliche or sound like a salesman, but I’ve pushed myself to the limit on everything. Going from that industrial, subversive sound from [2018 album] Testing and then graduating with a more polished sound… I just like where it is.”
With his inspiration coming from the ‘60s, the new father is ready to experiment his alt-sound further, shouting out legends such as Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles as he continues to adapt elements of their psychedelic styles for his own art.
Rocky also attributed his creative streak to the late Virgil Abloh, one of the most influential characters in hip-hop fashion and a close collaborator with the A$AP Mob, revealing that his passing put the limited time we have into perspective.
In May, Rihanna and Rocky welcomed their new child after months of pregnant photo shoots and public appearances. In his new interview, Rocky explains that he will be integrating his own love of cartoons and imagination into his parenting style, encouraging creativity along the way.
Get ready for a whole new era of A$AP Rocky as tackles fatherhood with “All Smiles.”
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