A$AP Mob

When A$AP Mob emerged in the mid-2010s, their flashy fashion, raucous energy and sound that ignored geographical lines signalled a new era for the boundlessness of New York City music—and jump-started the careers of two of rap’s biggest stars of the decade. The Harlem crew of rappers, designers and producers was established in 2006 by executive Steven “A$AP Yams” Rodriguez, a former intern for The Diplomats’ cofounder Jim Jones. A$AP Rocky emerged as the posse’s first star, going viral with “Peso” and “Purple Swag”, two records that melded the Harlemite’s city-bred charisma with Houston’s syrupy beats and slowed vocals. As Rocky released solo projects, crewmate A$AP Ferg began a run of his own with the hauntingly energetic “Work”, which appeared on the Mob’s 2012 debut, Lord$ Never Worry (a star-studded remix featuring Rocky, French Montana, Trinidad James and ScHoolboy Q appeared on his solo debut, Trap Lord). And though it took a decade-plus for him to deliver solo material, A$AP Twelvyy built a core fanbase with his cocky flow on multiple Mob joints. Founder A$AP Yams tragically died at age 26 in 2015, leaving the crew to commemorate his legacy: the Cozy Tapes album series showcases each member’s niche while harnessing their powerful, Yams-curated group dynamic, and the annual Yams Day festival unites the Mob with other artists for a celebration of New York City hip-hop and community involvement. Multiple NYC rap movements have gained steam since A$AP Mob surfaced, but they modernised the genre for the city in a way that will outlast them all.