ASAP Mob (stylized as A$AP Mob, ASAP being an acronym for “Always Strive And Prosper”) is an American hip hop collective formed in 2006 in Harlem, New York, that consists of New York-based rappers (most of whom carry the “ASAP” moniker), record producers, music video directors and fashion designers.
On August 28, 2012, the collective released the mixtape Lords Never Worry. They released the single “Trillmatic” in December 2013, followed by their debut studio album, Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends, in October 2016.
History
Formation and early beginnings (2006–12)
In 2006, Steven Rodriguez, professionally known as A$AP Yams, formed the collective with fellow New Yorkers A$AP Bari, A$AP Kham, and A$AP Illz. Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky joined later. In the summer of 2011, the group released music videos for Rocky’s singles “Peso” and “Purple Swag,” produced by A$AP Ty Beats. Rocky followed up with his mixtape Live.Love.A$AP in October, signing a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment that month.
Lords Never Worry (2012–14)
Members of ASAP Mob with Joey Badass (left) at the Under the Influence Tour in Toronto, Canada on 10 August 2013
On August 27, 2012, A$AP Mob released their debut project, a mixtape titled Lords Never Worry, as a free download. From September to November, Rocky toured with opening acts Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown, and A$AP Mob in support of his solo debut album.
In January 2013, A$AP Ferg signed a joint venture deal with RCA and Polo Grounds, which released his single “Work” for retail on iTunes. An official remix of “Work”, featuring Rocky, French Montana, Schoolboy Q and Trinidad James, followed.
Rocky’s debut album Long. Live. A$AP, was released on January 15, 2013, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 139,000 copies in the United States.
A$AP Ferg announced that A$AP Mob would release their debut album after the release of his solo debut album Trap Lord, on August 20, 2013. The album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 32,000 copies in the United States. In November 2013, ASAP Rocky announced that ASAP Mob’s debut album would be titled Lords. On December 4, 2013, the album’s first single, entitled “Trillmatic.” The album title was then changed to L.O.R.D. On January 13, 2014, the single “See Me” by ASAP Ant was released.
On September 26, 2014, A$AP Yams revealed that L.O.R.D. had been shelved.
Cozy Tapes series (2015–present)
On January 18, 2015, A$AP Mob revealed that A$AP Yams had died of acute mixed drug intoxication. On October 15, 2016, A$AP Rocky confirmed that the group’s compilation album Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends was completed. Dedicated to A$AP Yams, the album was released on October 31, 2016, and featured several artists, including Playboi Carti, Skepta and Tyler, The Creator.
On August 1, 2017, A$AP Rocky announced that Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy would be released on August 25, preceded by ASAP Twelvyy’s 12 album on August 4 and ASAP Ferg’s Still Striving album on August 18.
On January 13, 2019, ASAP Ant announced that he was leaving the collective to focus on his solo career. He returned in April, confirming that the collective had begun work on their third studio album, Cozy Tapes 3.
Deaths of ASAP Yams, ASAP Snacks and Chynna
On January 18, 2015, ASAP Yams was found dead at the age of 26. The cause of death was ruled an overdose due to mixed drug intoxication, although ASAP Mob members and affiliates claimed that Yams had died of asphyxiation and pulmonary aspiration brought on by sleep apnea.
On February 2, 2020, ASAP Snacks died. No cause of death was given.
Chynna was found dead on April 8, 2020, of an accidental drug overdose. She was 25 years old.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B /HH |
US Rap |
AUS |
CAN |
UK |
||
| Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends |
|
13 | 4 | 4 | 50 | 34 | 84 |
| Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy |
|
6 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 14 | 54 |
Mixtapes
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Lords Never Worry |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Bub. |
US R&B/HH Bub. |
CAN |
NZ Heat. |
UK | UK R&B |
|||
| “Bath Salts” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ant and Flatbush Zombies) |
2012 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lords Never Worry |
| “Trillmatic” (featuring A$AP Nast and Method Man) |
2013 | — | — | — | — | 193 | 29 | non-album singles |
| “Xscape” (featuring A$AP Twelvyy) |
2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| “Hella Hoes” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast and A$AP Twelvyy) |
— | 10 | — | — | — | — | ||
| “Yamborghini High” (featuring Juicy J) |
2016 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends |
| “Crazy Brazy” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Twelvyy and Key!) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| “Runner” (featuring A$AP Ant and Lil Uzi Vert) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| “Telephone Calls” (featuring A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, Playboi Carti and Yung Gleesh) |
— | 10 | — | — | — | — | ||
| “Wrong” (featuring A$AP Rocky and A$AP Ferg) |
2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| “RAF” (featuring A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Quavo, Lil Uzi Vert and Frank Ocean) |
18 | 9 | 82 | 5 | — | — | Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy | |
| “Feels So Good” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, A$AP Twelvyy and A$AP Ant) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| “Trillmatic” (featuring A$AP Nast and Method Man) |
2013 | Jonah Schwartz |
| “See Me” (featuring A$AP Ant) |
2014 | Andrew Hines |
| “Xscape” (featuring A$AP Twelvyy) |
Simon Davis | |
| “Hella Hoes” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, and A$AP Twelvyy) |
Jonah Schwartz | |
| “Yamborghini High” (featuring Juicy J) |
2016 | Shomi Patwary & AWGE |
| “Wrong” (featuring A$AP Rocky and A$AP Ferg) |
2017 | Anton Bialat |
| “RAF” (featuring ASAP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Quavo, Lil Uzi Vert and Frank Ocean) |
Austin Winchell & A$AP Rocky | |
| “Feels so Good” (featuring ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, ASAP Nast, ASAP Twelvyy and ASAP Ant) |
hidjifilms | |
| “Money Man” (featuring A$AP Rocky, A$AP Nast, and Skepta) |
2018 | Dexter Navy & A$AP Rocky |
| “Put That on My Set” (featuring A$AP Rocky and Skepta) |
Awards and nominations
BET Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ASAP Mob | Best Group | Nominated | |
| 2015 |