A$AP Rocky’s Music Gains Depth and Meaning After Becoming a Father

A$AP Rocky’s music has taken on a more “meaningful” tone since he became a father. The 35-year-old rapper, who shares sons RZA, two, and 12-month-old Riot with his girlfriend Rihanna, has noticed a shift in how personal his songs have become. While he strives to share glimpses of his life, Rocky also aims to keep his music engaging and narrative-driven.

Regarding how fatherhood has influenced his music, Rocky explained to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, “I think sonically, yes, a lot changed. My taste preference for music and just different artists and genres, it all has changed. Especially the way it influenced how I make and release music now. I think it’s more meaningful. I have more to say, more personal vulnerable things to talk about. The trick is finding that fine balance of entertaining and telling a story or providing listeners with something informative about you. And that’s where I’m at now, being a dad of two and at the top of my game with design, film, and everything else we’ve been doing.”

Rocky has been delving deeper into personal themes, but he emphasizes maintaining his distinctive style. He notes, “But with my new album ‘Don’t Be Dumb,’ it wouldn’t sound like me if it wasn’t also ‘braggadocious.’ There was a mission and a goal to sonically create something that felt elevated and matured, especially coming from me. Using different sounds and elements to create a masterpiece was my primary goal. The content is personal to me, but I’m A$AP Rocky. There’s going to be some braggadocious elements in there. I wouldn’t be me without it.”