ASAP Ferg is ‘Still Striving’ to be the best in the game

Time and time again, we see exciting artists that reach stardom through a famous counterpart or a song that is remixed with famous artists and then flop. It is rare that these songs catapult artists and keep them there. It takes true talent for any artist to remain relevant.

A$AP Ferg, Darold D. Ferguson, blew up when songs like his “Work Remix” showed the rap game his true talent.

Songs like “Shabba” on his debut album “Trap Lord” (2013) and  “New Level” off “Always Strive and Prosper” (2015) added to his repertoire of exciting and industry captivating songs. It was expected that his new project would complement his previous success.

My interest for Ferguson was peaked after listening to his last album. “New Level” set me off to his project, but it was the collaboration and song production that lead me to believe that Ferguson had some true talent.

Ferguson’s most recent project “Still Striving” did not fail to add to his many bangers. Ferguson’s style revolves around bass crushing beats with exciting lyrics that could fit almost any event.

What Ferguson does best is fluctuate between flows on each of his songs. It is fun to listen to his projects because his songs do not run together. Each song has it’s own topic and sound.

Ferguson embraces the life as a superstar as well as reminiscing on a life before the fame and the gold. He references influential people in his life such as the wild antics of his Uncle Psycho again, as he did on his previous album, and talked about his late father.

The feeling of this project is a lot less serious for a majority of songs but does revert back to the storytelling style that makes Ferguson so unique. He successfully incorporates many artists that are new but hot on the scene.

Being signed to RCA records allows Ferguson to collaborate with an endless amount of artists. Rappers like A$AP Rocky, Dave East, Migos and Lil Yachty all make appearances on the album and bring a completely different vibe to each song.  

Expectedly so, Ferguson managed to replicate the success of the “Work Remix” with his new remix “East Coast Remix.” Rap juggernauts like Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg all offered their talents to this remix.

This song is by far the most fun and exciting song on the album. Busta Rhymes initiates the banger with a fast yet lyrically inclined versed, and the song ends with a West Coast representative, Snoop Dogg, to show love to that style of rap as well.

Songs that deserve honorable mention are “Plain Jane,” “Olympian” and “Trap And A Dream.” They encompass an attitude from Ferguson that adds to his “Hot Boy” image but maintains his story of struggle to the top.

“Tango” is the slowest song on the album, but it really speaks to an obviously touchy subject to Ferguson. After listening to Ferguson for a while, his father had a large influence for his longing to succeed.

He discussed the pain he had to deal with when he found out the cause of his father’s death. Lyrics like “Just found out my daddy died for the wrong reasons. Wasn’t the kidney that took him, it was the bad treatment,” outlined exactly what happened and how traumatic it was.

He expresses that he uses pen therapy to cope with his trials, which makes him such a real artist. Ferguson says, “I can't accept my thoughts so it's gettin' worse. I gotta let it out or my brain'll burst.”

Ferguson is exciting, lyrical and real. It is worth all of your time to at least listen to a couple songs off his albums. It will then be clear why A$AP deserves all his acclaim.