Long.Live.A$AP - A$AP Rocky
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. 100
    His major-label debut proves he's more than a magnetic hedonist.
  2. Jan 7, 2013
    85
    LongLiveA$AP delivers on and even exceeds the promise of LiveLoveA$AP. Like that mixtape, the album is a triumph of craft and curation, preserving Rocky's immaculate taste while smartly upgrading his sound
  3. Jan 15, 2013
    80
    Long.Live.A$AP has its moments as a cohesive album with top producers (Hit-Boy, Danger Mouse, Noah "40" Shebib) and frequent collaborators (Clams Casino) that offer choice beats.
  4. Jan 15, 2013
    80
    You'll love this album, but you won't learn much from it.
  5. Jan 15, 2013
    80
    In the end, A$AP Rocky comes off as rap's Jim Morrison, offering an accessible, attractive, and brutish journey into darkness while remaining true to his spirit.
  6. Jan 14, 2013
    80
    In short, Long.Live.A$AP takes what made his debut new or exciting and more finely hones it.
  7. Jan 14, 2013
    80
    Debuts this good just don't come along very often, and it all comes down to the precocious Harlem rookie's vision.
  8. Jan 10, 2013
    80
    At its core, Long.Live.A$AP succeeds because it lets Rocky be Rocky: a rapper with a unique voice and an ear for captivating beats whose lyrical shortcomings can be glossed over with healthy servings of charisma and panache.
  9. Jan 10, 2013
    80
    Long Live A$AP's is frequently thrilling, a dense splurge of woozy electronics and samples, packed with lovely production touches.
  10. Jan 15, 2013
    75
    ASAP Rocky's songs don't lack for emotion.
  11. Unsure whether he wanted to create a sunny, party album, gangstafest, or a record of cool pop vibes, Rocky seems to have tried to make them all, and with minor successes in all departments, he sacrifices something stronger.
  12. Jan 15, 2013
    71
    Long.Live.A$AP may not change the game like "good kid, m.A.A.d city," but A$AP Rocky's absorbing debut is more physical in its pleasure--as in, you'll be knocking your head to some of these songs for months.
  13. Jan 7, 2013
    70
    Like all great sequels, the album ups the ante without losing what made the original compelling.
  14. 70
    On LongLiveASAP, his major-label debut, Rocky expands his horizons even further, indulging in relative experimentation while also adhering to the gifts that have catapulted him to stardom in just over a year.
  15. Jan 15, 2013
    60
    Harlem's A$AP Rocky finally delivers his long delayed major label debut, and while it builds on his mixtape legacy and emphasizes his strengths as an inventive stylist, it also amplifies his flaws.
  16. Jan 15, 2013
    60
    A fine enough retail debut, but when you can get the stronger, more unique product for free that's a strange thing to strongly recommend anyone.
  17. Jan 10, 2013
    60
    A macabre mood keeps it cohesive and lends a cinematic quality, kind of like the A$AP Rocky Horror Picture Show.
  18. Jan 7, 2013
    60
    So like A$AP's debut, Long. Live. A$AP is an intermittently dazzling collection of slinky, mutated R&B; helmed by an unsteady, half-interested voice.
  19. Jan 11, 2013
    50
    Florence, Santigold and the usually brilliant Danny Brown do little more than tick boxes, and ultimately Long.Live.A$AP fails to match its hype with a coherent trend-setting statement.
  20. Jan 10, 2013
    50
    A little shallowness is fine by me, but Rocky's studied, humourless delivery is harder to swallow.
  21. Jan 15, 2013
    40
    There are enough genre-hopping and synergistic, trans-genre partnerships present on the tracklist that Long. Live. A$AP, its commercial bets hedged, feels not unlike a myriad of other major-label rap disappointments from nearly any other era of rap.
  22. Jan 14, 2013
    40
    Long.Live.A$AP, his major-label debut, is both cunning and desperate in its attempts to please every possible demographic without looking like it's trying too hard.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. There are a few highlights, such as "Goldie", "Fuckin' Problems", and "1Train", but otherwise, this one's a poor effort and below average at best. The album is honestly just boring. Aside from the tracks mentioned, they all seem to sound the same and the beat selection was hit-and-miss as there were just some dud beats. Huge disappointment of an album and a sign that Rocky needs to head back to the drawing board. Full Review »
  2. Great album. One of easiest hip-hop albums for me to sit down and listen to all the way through. If you can give this album some time, I think you'll appreciate A$AP Rocky's progression as an artist. Full Review »