A couple of highlights couldn’t make up for the lack of hits and overabundance of filler on $AP. For as much as his collaborations with Clams Casino have consistently featured the innovative and well-crafted beats that producer is known for, by 2013 more of the same (as we saw on tracks like LVL and Hell) felt like a letdown. Assisted by his fellow members of the A$AP Mob, in particular the nascent A$AP Ferg, Rocky had acquired the sort of attention and praise to which any young musician aspires, only to release an album which didn’t contain many songs of the quality of those on his debut mixtape. We last heard from Rocky on his debut album $AP, which was a mildly disappointing, stylistically overwrought record, feeling confused and rushed with label pressure in an attempt to capitalise on the massive demand his independent work had built.

Leaving memories of his directionless 2013 debut album $AP - itself largely comprised of weaker variations on ideas first put forth on his outstanding 2011 debut mixtape $AP - the rapper born Rakim Mayers has here made his best effort at reaching the levels of critical praise and commercial recognition enjoyed by peers such as Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

The young Harlem MC A$AP Rocky has spent the lead up to the release of his sophomore studio album making bold claims and announcing a range of big-name guest features and collaborations which he has no doubt intended to lend an air of deeper artistic credibility to his latest record.

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