By: Samuel Anthony//
Good news! A$AP Ferg is back with his latest release, Still Striving. Apple Music lists this project as his second official mixtape, and fans have been going crazy over the release. The mixtape begins with “Trap And A Dream” (feat. Meek Mill), and it’s definitely one of the hardest introduction songs to a project all year. Ferg’s flow reaches godly levels with cutthroat lyrics and a bop that’ll shake the block. Also, Meek Mill’s feature on this song took it to new heights since he’s been on fire all year.
“Rubber Band Man” (feat. Cam’ron) is another cool track, and I personally like how Ferg and Cam’ron alternate in the chorus. This is a great collaboration from two successful artists that hail from Harlem, and it would be incredible to see these two work together more in the future. “Olympian” (feat. Dave East) is another great collaboration from two of New York’s most prominent voices in hip hop, the braggadocios track sounds like a fun lyrical exercise between both artists, and in general it’s just fun to listen to!
Personally, I was super stoked to hear Ferg’s collab with Lil Yachty, titled “Aww Yeah.” Based on their chemistry during live performances they’ve done together, this was definitely a highly anticipated track among myself and other fans. The song is very comical, with an energetic beat that is sure to hype up who listen. My only complaints are that the bass was a bit overpowering and that Yachty should’ve had a longer verse.
I had no expectations before I listened to “What Do You Do” (feat. Nav), but I was completely blown away by how sonically beautiful this song sounds. Quite shockingly, the beat takes on a whimsical quality different than anything he’s ever done before. Ferg is in the zone on this song for sure, and Nav really takes the song up a notch as well.
“Coach Cartier” (feat. Famous Dex) isn’t even close to my favorite song off of this project, as I’m not a fan of Dexter and this wasn’t a standout verse for Ferg either. However, “Mad Man” (feat. Playboi Carti) is an entirely different story! Honorable C Note did an amazing job with the production, and Ferg fit so well on this instrumental. For me, Carti’s verse in this song has been my favorite verse of his I’ve ever heard so far, which says a lot! His delivery is so unique and I love the young energy he comes through with on this song. “Plain Jane” is another banger off the mixtape, and also, it’s a great song to see performed live. He uses the flow from Three 6 Mafia’s song “Slob On My Knob” for the chorus, and the song perfectly showcases how Ferg can actually be really funny, yet also serious with his lyrics.
If you’re clued into the rumors, you may have heard that “Nasty (Who Dat)” featuring Migos was going to be the single off of this project. However, It doesn’t sound like a typical single usually does. I love how Migos alternate their vocals with each other, and I’m also a huge fan of the piano and drums, but unfortunately it still doesn’t ring like a strong single should. “The Mattress REMIX” (featuring A$AP Rocky, Rich the Kid, Playboi Carti, and Famous Dex) is pure art. If you’re a true fan, you pretty much know to prepare yourself for a hit whenever Ferg & Rocky get together. They consistently have such great chemistry together, and this song is no exception.
I don’t have too much to say about “One Night Savage” (featuring madeintyo) except that it’s an average song. However, “East Coast REMIX” (featuring Busta Rhymes, A$AP Rocky, Dave East, French Montana, Rick Ross, & Snoop Dogg) is just as big of a track as the features on it. This star-studded song is 5 minutes and 36 seconds of pure magic. Each artist brings his own unique style with exceptional delivery. It was a little strange having Snoop on this song since he’s from the west coast, but it’s still great hearing him and Busta rap like they’re still proving themselves.
“Nandos” is a short song, but regardless of its duration, I still like how Kirk Knight & Ferg have collaborated on this project, as it gives off a more spacious vibe. However, up next comes “Tango,” which is one of my favorite Ferg songs of all time. In this track he opens up his heart and lets his fans into his personal life. This song showcases a real rap, and it’s in no way just a hype song. It’s so much more than that in that it almost sounds like a sort of therapy for him. Although I would like to hear him continue to be more introspective and rap this authentically more often, this was a great ending to the album and truly brought it full circle for me.
