TESTING - A$AP Rocky - Album Review

Lord Flacko returns with his most ambitious project yet, TESTING. While the sonic departure has some low moments, one cannot deny the energy and flow A$AP Rocky brings to the album.

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At this point Rocky is no doubt one of the biggest names in hip-hop right now, and for good reasons. A$AP Rocky has an energy and flow that his contemporaries cannot even dream of. Besides his technique as an MC, many were first drawn to the drugged out sound of his debut mixtape Live.Love.A$AP. Many found the fashion killa's flow, sound, and cocky persona as an interesting take on hip-hop, and this is still the case for his new album, TESTING. Long.Live.A$AP was a commercial success, but it saw A$AP Rocky go in a more accessible direction for mainstream listeners. At.Long.Last.A$AP saw a return to form for the rapper with more experimental tendencies, and the album saw new creative heights for the young MC. Be warned, do not expect another At.Long.Last.A$AP, TESTING stands as its' own artistic achievement within A$AP Rocky's discography.

The album wastes no time in setting the tone with "Distorted Records" which definitely showcases a more industrialized sound. The rapper's first lines have him claiming how he deserves the top spot in the culture "First things first, I done heard the worst things / Like if I'm in your top 10, mine's better be the first name" which is nothint new by now. Many tracks have a raw and cutting edge sound (Such that would make Trent Reznor proud), tracks include "Distorted Records", "Tony Tone", and "Hun43rd". The album has many epic moments wherein Rocky showcases his insane flow, "A$AP Forever" has the MC spitting insane bars that take his flow to new heights, "When it's my time to go, adiós, vámonos / Flacko no Dominicano but eat the tostones with plátanos / Dealing with life and its highs and lows / I'm just pimpin' like I'm supposed / I guess it's called livin', shit, I suppose" pretty dope stuff.

The album falls short sometimes however, not all of Rocky's experimentation plays out with finesse. The album has lame features from Kodak Black and French Montana on "CALLDROP$" and "Brotha Man". The gospel inspired track "Brotha Man" falls flat and fails to bring any variation to the album. The album begins to get inconsistent with quality once you get to the middle of it, tracks include "Buck Shots" and the utterly boring "Brotha Man". With TESTING, A$AP Rocky does not fall short of any bangers, "Praise The Lord", "A$AP Forever REMIX", and Fukk Sleep" have pop rap tendencies that will please average listeners.

Instead of talking about drugs or casual sex, Rocky embraces softer moments on "Changes" wherein he reflects about his past relationships, and also worries about how the current generation will remember him "My biggest distractions is that I get distracted / People suing me for shit that didn't happen / I wonder how the world would be if they didn't have me / Wake up to my explore page / See my exes engaged, or either gettin' married" it's a nice change of pace for the artist. Frank Ocean brings a reflective and somber tone to "Purity" where both artists reflect on the tragedies of fame, and Rocky spits one his most personal bars "Two more drinks of everything before the bar closed / Face-to-face with my demons at a barstool / Haven't checked on my niece in weeks / Months past and months in between since me and my sister would speak" it presents an unseen dimension of Rocky that's much appreaciated.

TESTING is A$AP Rocky's most daring record to date, it showcases how much he's willing to reinvent himself in order to be hailed as one of the greats. Sure the album might have some misses, but one cannot deny the sheer velocity it contains. If you can get past some of the blemishes on TESTING, then you can find some of Rocky's best material to date.

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7.5/10

Released: 2018

Label: RCA, A$AP Worldwide

Favorite Tracks: Distorted Records, A$AP Forever REMIX, Fukk Sleep, Praise The Lord (Da Shine), Gunz N Butter, OG Beeper, Kids Turned Out Fine, Hun43rd, Changes, Purity

Worst Tracks: Buck Shots, Brotha Man