Rising rap star A$AP Rocky: 'I come from the underground'

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Posse cuts are nothing new in hip-hop. They serve a multitude of purposes, from remixing a lackluster record with a few new guest appearances to giving members of your entourage a small chance to shine on wax.

Since the emergence of DJs like DJ Drama and DJ Khaled in the mid 2000s, the popularity of this kind of rap track has grown considerably.

Harlem emcee A$AP Rocky has used his first single on his upcoming label debut LongLiveA$AP to showcase this generation’s talent.

“1 Train” is bulky, with six star cameos that you probably wouldn’t expect to hear together on one track. This is in stark contrast to the revolving cast of rappers, some with suspect skill, grouped on a DJ Khaled record.

A$AP makes it clear that there was a method to his madness when he picked his track mates.

“Even though I have a lot of mainstream appeal, I come from the underground…And I just wanted to get back to that. That’s why I was strategic with who I picked.”

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The underground rap presence is heavy on “1 Train.” While both Big K.R.I.T. and Kendrick Lamar had solid label debuts this year, they are both products of an established fanbase they cultivated before they got signed.

The inclusion of 17-year-old Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$, former chef turned rapper Action Bronson, Shady’s Yelawolf and the eccentric Danny Brown round out a cast that Rocky believes best represents the next crop of rap superstars, of which he is a part.

“With Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, and Danny Brown, they come from the underground. Yelawolf is really underrated if you ask me. I feel like he’s one of the best lyricists of our day. Everybody on that track has a value for our generation,” said A$AP.

Check out our video interview with A$AP Rocky and let us know what you think of his posse cut in the comments below.

You can check out Kyle’s musical coverage on theGrio music page, and follow Kyle on Twitter at @HarveyWins.