(ASAP Ferg, Miss Info, ASAP Rocky, and DJ Bobby Trends)

Miss Info: There were great hip hop songs in 2012, and big performances….but in my humble opinion, the most compelling character in the past 12 months was this kid from Harlem, ASAP Rocky. And I heard this same sentiment over and over, from jaded journos, worldly producers, fashion pros, visual artists, and more.
Maybe it was the personal growth we saw; early on there were terrible tantrums, sometimes violent…but later on we saw rants against homophobia and sheep mentality.
Maybe it was the way Rocky navigated industry politics but wasn’t afraid to have an actual opinion…sometimes hilarious, sometimes irreverent…but never just pandering for soundbites. And despite a grueling schedule, Rocky seemed to still enjoy the wild ride. #VeryRare.
ASAP Rocky is still growing as a music artist, as a head of family, and as a business man…but he managed to be everywhere without oversaturating, crossing genres, working with pop stars like Rihanna and local sprouts like Flatbush Zombies, pushing his visual agenda without abandoning music…

Last week, I went to Harlem’s Black Star Music where Rocky played his new album Love Live ASAP (iTunes) for a packed house, with ASAP Ferg by his side…
And as always, Rocky was candid and confident as we recapped the Year of ASAP….The Good (e.g., upcoming collaborations with Raf Simmons and Alexander Wang)…The Bad (e.g., beef with SpaceGhost Purp, concert fights, etc.)…and The Inappropriate (like how Rocky changed his stereotypes of African woman). The kid is NEVER BORING, lol.

(One important note: We had a great time hanging out last Thursday, but just a few days later, on Christmas Day, Rocky’s dad passed away from pneumonia. I can’t even imagine the heartache and grief he’s going through. And to this loss will stain this holiday for the rest of his life. The whole team sends our condolences to Rocky and his family.)

Watch “The A$AP Rocky x Miss Info Year-End Recap”…
After the jump…

ASAP Rocky and ASAP Ferg talk with Miss Info and Hot97 TV about the Year of ASAP, 2012. (thanks to Chris Heinrich and Uchena Nwaogu for the hard work!)

Mr. North: The past twelve months have been quite a ride for A$AP Rocky and the A$AP Mob. With his LongLiveA$AP debut album a mere two weeks away from its official release, Lord Flacko and A$AP Ferg talked about all the highs and lows with our own Miss Info and the Hot97 TV crew. They talked about how A$AP Mob is making their own mark  in music and fashion…
Rocky recalls travelling outside the country for the first-time, and how that changed his taste in women, hahaa..
Along with meeting Rakim, the Harlem-native says bonding with producer Dangermouse was one of the highlights of 2012. That encounter resulted in their collaboration on the LongLiveA$AP cut, “Phoenix.” On the fashion tip, Rocky never holds his tongue, telling Miss Info, he’s tired of seeing everyone in those SSUR COMMES des F**KDOWN parody pieces, and revealing that he’s a fashion “rocket scientist” compared to other rappers! Evidently, designers like Alexander Wang, Jeremy Scott, and Raf Simmons agree, they’re all planning to create pieces with Rocky in 2013. To end off the interview, Rocky reacts to his debut album leaking one month ahead of its January 15th release date…taking a surprising zen position on the setback!

“I’ve been waiting for people to hear this music for so damn long, of course I’ve got to be a businessman but before anything I’m an artist. The album leaked, and I’m a leave it up to my dependable label which I rely on to fix all that….that’s the business aspect. I made my art, ya’ll love it and that’s all I cared about and I just want to thank everybody who anticipated this and who was waiting.“

Previously:
ASAP Rocky – “LongLiveASAP” (Video)
ASAP Rocky on “1Train”: “I Really Wanted to Take It Back to the Essence of the 90s”
A$AP Rocky – “LongLiveA$AP”
A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – “F**kin’ Problems” (Video)
ASAP Rocky to Join Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ North American Tour