To the style world, A$AP Rocky is Picasso – and just like the iconic artist, his influence on modern culture runs far deeper than you think.
It’s no big secret, A$AP Rocky is a good looking guy. You know it, I know it. And he knows it, too. Sure, being called the prettiest man alive might be a big deal to others – but to him, it was just another Wednesday, just another person telling the world why they think he’s so cool. That other person just so happened to be GQ, but that’s besides the point. In truth, for a rapper, he’s less known for his rhymes behind the mic and more his ability to string together an outfit with a certain je ne sais quoi. Less of the poetry in words and more of the poetry in motion. And to be honest, that’s not a bad thing at all. In fact, it makes him more relevant. Put it this way: when both Kendrick Lamar and Virgil Abloh occupy a space in your phone book, transcending the lines between music, style and fashion comes second nature.
Since finding fame in 2013, Rocky’s avoided the rocky paths (nice, right?) that affect most modern-day music stars. Almost always armed with a Gucci belt and a clean white tee, he’s carved out his own path in today’s hype culture with all the swagger and confidence befitting a style god. Since his emergence onto the hip-hop scene, he’s made a point to strive for individuality in an industry often fraught with restrictive views on who a real rapper is or looks like.
Pink shirts didn’t phase him – and gender-specific clothes didn’t mean much to him, either. To those used to the baggy jeans-wearing, loose t-shirt fitting ‘OGs’ of hip-pop, much of what he wore and did was unusual. Still, though, if there were ever a prize for trying new things, experimenting and finding one’s niche, he’d win it. Disagree if you wish, but the competition isn’t even close.
Like the Drakes and Timothée Chalamets of the world, Rocky is as comfortable in a pair of sweats as he is in a suit (be it his own version of the traditional suit), switching between a pair of New Balances and Gucci’s iconic black slippers with ease. And like the other style icons of the modern era, his fanbase is as wild for his music as they are for his sartorial choices, love of art and just about anything Rocky-related. That’s what you get, I suppose, when you’re as confident talking about the dynamics of rap music as you are about Japanese architecture and contemporary art.
Given hip-hop’s list of groundbreaking influencers – 2pac, Will Smith, Biggie, Lil Wayne, to name a few – you might think we’re overdoing his influence on the genre. After all, didn’t Will Smith master the crop top and 2pac the nose ring? True, you’re not wrong, and we’re not arguing. Like those before him, Rocky continues to redefine what it means to be a hip-hop icon and bridge the gap between music, style and culture. It’s in big part thanks to Rocky that this current crop of youngsters – you and I included – have become heavily invested in style and fashion, with each choice of t-shirt, chain or trainers now carefully mulled over. Our style choices no longer serve the purpose of pleasing the crowd. Instead, they communicate who we are, what we stand for and what we’d like to become.
Long gone are the days when rappers just rapped and singers just sang. Instead, their embrace of culture and style truly counts. They have stylists and teams of publicists in place, with each one carefully curated to ensure nothing is out of place. Their choice of designers, colours and fits are carefully scrutinised by millions of fans around the world. Trouser lengths now sit perfectly on the ankle, tailored suits the order of the day and watches an essential part of any outfit.
That in part, you may say, is due to the changing of times, the ushering in of new expectations and norms. Again, we won’t disagree.
We’ll just insist you add – in bold letters – that it also has a lot to do with “the prettiest mf alive.”
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