After bursting onto the rap scene in 2013 with his debut album “Trap Lord,” it seemed that A$AP Ferg was destined to craft a career rapping about street life and various vices over sinister trap beats. Although his unique delivery and production differentiated him from his peers, such an overall career focus was not really distinctive in the the rap game.
However, “Always Strive and Prosper” is different, and in a great way. With his sophomore effort, Ferg elevates his artistry to new levels with a versatility that is absent from his first album. In the highly personal “Always Strive and Prosper,” A$AP Ferg simultaneously reflects on his past and looks to the future in a diverse and unconventional, yet unapologetically optimistic undertaking.
At the heart and soul of the album is the versatile production, which evokes an assortment of distinct vibes and emotions in listeners. For instance, there are songs that invoke Ferg’s classic sinister trap ambiance, such as “New Level,” “Let It Bang” and “Hungry Ham,” the latter of which was produced by dubstep beatmaker Skrillex. Rapping over a dysfunctional dubstep beat is no small feat, and it sufficiently set the tone for the versatility Ferg would bring to the rest of the album.
Besides the throwback trap anthems, “Always Strive and Prosper” features tracks of pronounced variety. For example, the feel-good song “Strive” derives itself from classic house music and features the timeless Missy Elliott, while in “Psycho,” a relaxing jazzy sentiment prevails, especially during a climactic saxophone feature in the second hook.
As for lyrical content, Ferg consistently finds himself rapping about the aspects of his life most important to getting to where he is today: his overcoming of his troubled past, his unparalleled ambition and his loyalty to family and friends. Although these motifs manifest themselves in different forms throughout his songs, the central theme emerges clearly when the album is examined as a collective work — always strive and prosper. Go figure.
For example, in the track “New Level,” Ferg repeatedly boasts about how he overcame the most adverse of conditions and strived to further heights. In “Let You Go,” Ferg sings about how his unwavering loyalty to his significant other has motivated him to keep going. Interestingly enough, this track also represents the peak of Ferg’s versatility — a self-proclaimed “Trap Lord” is singing about his feelings. This creates an ironic paradox, highlighting the album’s diversity.
In the context of the album, Ferg’s crowning achievement of “Always Strive and Prosper” lies in his ability to stay focused and cohesive to his central theme throughout a diversity of tracks.
Indeed, in this sense, the album itself can be seen as a manifestation of the “Always Strive and Prosper” mantra. From the 18-song tracklist with a terse average track length of less than 2:40, to the four skits scattered throughout the album, to the star-studded guest feature list, which includes names such as Missy Elliott, Big Sean and Chris Brown, the work oozes excess. Striving has paid off with prosperity for Ferg.
Overall, Ferg demonstrates a spectacular versatility, which signals a clear evolution in his artistry, especially in comparison to his debut “Trap Lord.” In fact, in the opener to the album, Ferg himself raps, “Now that you’re no longer a lord that’s trapped / You have graduated to the Hood Pope,” signaling his departure from his earlier days. “Always Strive and Prosper” not only consistently conveys the message inherent in the title through careful yet beautiful diversity: it is also the meticulous result of Ferg doing exactly that.
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