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A$AP Rocky Made a Rock Song: A Reluctant Assessment

I mean, I didn't want to admit this either. When I first heard that A$AP Rocky was making a pop-punk track, my immediate reaction was the same eye-roll that has become reflexive whenever a hip-hop artist announces they're exploring new genres. We've been down this road before. We know how it usually ends.

But here's the thing I'm begrudgingly forced to acknowledge: he actually did it. Not in the sense that he talked about power chords in an interview or wore a Ramones t-shirt in a music video. A$AP Rocky made an actual rock song, and I'm still processing my feelings about it.

The track has legitimately distorted guitars. Not some producer's laptop simulation of what guitars might sound like, but actual screaming, feedback-laden guitar work that would fit comfortably on a 2000s Warped Tour compilation. The drum patterns hit those familiar rhythms—the kind that made us wear too much eyeliner and re-imagine suburban angst as profound. There's even a bridge that builds exactly the way rock bridges are supposed to build, complete with the momentary breakdown before everything comes crashing back in. 

I wanted to hate this. I really did. There's something sacred about the music that defines adolescence, and watching it get borrowed by artists from completely different worlds feels like it's ruining your own nostalgia. When you grew up on Blink-182, Green Day, and Sum 41, you develop a kind of protective instinct about what counts as pop.

But Rocky didn't just cosplay as a rock & roll artist. He understood the assignment in a way that's honestly irritating to admit. The vocal delivery shifts between melodic hooks and that talk-sing cadence that defined the genre. The lyrics hit those themes of restlessness and defiance without feeling like someone read a Wikipedia article about what rock music is supposed to be about. Even the production choices—the raw, slightly overdriven mix—suggest someone actually listened to the source material rather than just skimming it.

What's perhaps most frustrating is that it works within his broader artistic context. Rocky has always been more musically adventurous than he gets credit for, pulling from psychedelic rock, electronic music, and various experimental corners. This pop punk moment doesn't feel like a gimmick or a cash grab, but rather a genuine expression of nostalgia. It feels like a natural extension of an artist who's genuinely curious about sound.

Does this mean every hip-hop artist should start a pop-punk side project? Absolutely not. Please, no. But it does mean that genre boundaries are more porous than we sometimes want to admit, especially for artists who actually put in the work to understand what makes a genre tick rather than just grabbing its aesthetic signifiers.

So yes, it's true, A$AP Rocky made a rock song. A real one. I'll return to my regularly scheduled skepticism shortly, but for this moment, I'm giving credit where it's due. I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it except that it's good, and I hate that I have to explain it.