Original Lab review:

The A$AP Mob continues to impress! I can't think of a better member of the Mob to follow up A$AP Rocky than A$AP Ferg. His inventive flows and penchant for weirdness belie the mc's versatility and innate talent. Ferg has plenty of potential simmering beneath the surface. By now we've all heard "Shabba" and gotten hooked, drooling in anticipation of Trap Lord. Fortunately the album does not disappoint, especially for something that was originally conceived as a mixtape. Ferg is able to switch personalities and flows at the drop of a dime. It can be confusing at times, but when he's on point on tracks like "Hood Pope" it's more than effective. Producers like Frankie P, P on the Boards, Snugsworth and HighDefRazjah come through with a grip of dark and skeletal beats that sound more than cohesive. They provide the sonic backdrop for Ferg and the album's guests to delve deep into heavy subjects. And the guests that pop up on tracks like "Lord" and "F**k Out My Face" are sure to turn a few heads. When you're bringing Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (who turn in some ill verses), B-Real and Onyx out of retirement you've got to be doing something right. Trap Lord shows that there is far more to the A$AP Mob than Rocky and that the boundaries of hip hop still have plenty of room to expand.

• 10th anniversary edition w/ alternate cover art
• black double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve
• includes printed insert
• original release year: 2013
• music label: Polo Grounds Music 2024

reviewed by Kool Moby 09/2013