Truer lyrics haven’t been sung than A$AP Rocky’s “Peso” when he proudly asserts: “I be that pretty motherf*cker, Harlem’s what I’m reppin’” Initially spit in the studio 14 years ago now (!!) on his Live. Love. ASAP mixtape from 2011, the bar just might be the most accurate representation of the rapper’s artistry and approach.
Even at his only ascending global superstardom, the boundless multihyphenate has never lost sight of his Concrete Jungle hometown. Take one look at (or listen to) the rapper, and Harlem is all over him. From his fine-tuned Flacko finesse to his lyrical dexterity and sickeningly smooth swagger, the uptown New York energy fuels everything Rocky does.
As his creative pursuits continue to expand, the artist’s role as PUMA’s Creative Director remains a rock-solid outlet for him to run wild while still contributing to his own unbounded narrative universe. His storytelling remains honed and sharper than ever, with his projects across music, fashion, and footwear all smartly connected through the AWGE lens and, right now, the Don’t Be Dumb conceptual umbrella.
For his largest PUMA collection to date, the rapper is repping his city with his whole chest, harkening back to Harlem’s early 1900s jazz scene to fuel his disruptive new designs. Finding particular inspiration in the “jungle jazz” days, Rocky revives the Harlem Jazz Renaissance across a disruptive and true-to-self new range and its corresponding campaign and visuals.
Upwards of 3,000 miles away from his uptown NYC home, Flacko brought the Harlem energy out to Los Angeles for an “intimate” launch event that felt genuinely intimate (rare).
At first, he invited us to a closer look at the collection, which compiles three reimagined footwear silhouettes and a striking selection of menswear and womenswear garments and accessories that encapsulate Harlem’s ethos and sartorial history. In harkening back to the Seneca Village establishment, faux fur – something Rocky’s been really focused on as of late (i.e, his Moncler Genius collaboration) – finds its way onto a statement floor-length coat, and a shaggy faux fur bag.
“No minks were harmed.”
“No minks were harmed,” he assured us. Snakeskin and leopard print land both loudly and subtly across the new Mostro and Inhale models, and a distinctly Flacko foray of textured, layerable apparel. If some of the pieces look familiar, good eye. Rocky flexed the Inhale Leopard sneakers for his Lollapalooza set back in August, and more recently, donned the Faux fur coat and bag out in NYC.
He then hosted a dinner at Beverly Hills’ La Dolce Vita for a handful of editors, influencers, and friends of both AWGE and PUMA. Fresh off earlier in the day’s lookbook shoot, models donning the collection also dined, hair rollers still in. In the corner booth of the dimly lit eatery was a live jazz band, all parts of the evening culminating in a harmonious ode to Harlem.
Read our full conversation with Rocky below.
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How is your personal style showcased in this collection?
We wanted to commercialize what people consider to be traditional sportswear and athletic apparel and give it that streetwear twist and bling so it feels seamless, in a sense. Both the clothing and footwear take notes from soccer, football, whatever you want to call it.
How did growing up in Harlem shape your personal style and your love of fashion in general?
Harlem is the mecca of fashion. You hear people say it all the time. Harlem is the birthplace of everything. It breeds trendsetters. We’re talking all the way back from 100 years ago, the 1920s, up until today. I think it’s the most influential urban society or community to this day.
If you had to sum up the Harlem mentality or approach to fashion, what would it be?
The Harlem vision is an embodiment of North America. You have to realize that most people from Harlem derive from the South, the Midwest, everywhere. The destination was Harlem. It was just the place to go if you were a Black person, and I think today, it’s still somewhat our Motherland, so to speak.
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How did growing up in Harlem shape your interest in music?
That’s a crazy question to ask [laughs]. Harlem influenced me through music. Langston Hughes. He was the first rapper. Louis Armstrong. Cab Callaway. The Cotton Club was in Harlem. That’s where all the world-renowned entertainers were going, even when Black people weren’t allowed to attend. Then looking to modern times in hip hop – Children of the Corn, The Diplomats, Big L.
Tell me more about your connection to jazz and how that shows up in this collection.
Jazz, well, how do I put this? All genres derived from Black people. Every last one. Classical music, jazz, rock and roll, grunge, hip-hop, all of ‘em. They all came from Black folks. I didn’t connect to jazz until I was old enough to appreciate it and to appreciate the nuances. Music, I think, is just a part of being Black.
Who is the most stylish jazz musician?
Miles Davis was a fly motherfucker, man. Miles Davis used to wear Issey Miyake, drive Ferraris, and shit. Miles Davis is one of the flyest jazz musicians ever.
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Is there a lesson you’ve taken from jazz that you carry throughout your career?
Hip hop derived from jazz, you know. So everything about it. It wasn’t until probably my mid-20s that I grew a real appreciation for jazz music and classical music. I love Italian opera music. I think that just growing up on so many different genres – I listened to rock, hip-hop, indie, whatever it may be – [really influenced me]. Not too many people my age were ever into jazz. I think it’s an acquired taste. You appreciate it the older you get, at least for me, that’s how it is.
You’ve been in your mink bag as of late. We see it here in the faux fur coat and bag. Could you say more about your connection to the textile?
This collection is all about the jungle and using different prints and textures from the jungle. Obviously, we didn’t skin any animals for this collection. No minks were harmed. No animals were harmed. We wanted to pay homage to Seneca Village Harlem establishment, and the extravagant, flamboyant furs and faux furs. That’s where jazz all started.
“I would say right now I’m in my dad bag. I took the dad swag, and I just freaked it.”
What about the snakeskin and cheetah prints – what is your connection to those patterns?
The cheetah print is because I’m a player, you feel me? [laughs] I’m kidding. It just goes with animal prints. Right now, the trend is snakeskin and cheetah, and leopard print. Nothing’s new under the sun – everything just comes back around every time. So, I just wanted to be at the forefront of that train again.
What is your go-to way of styling patterns like those?
I think that when you do any kind of animal print, you have to keep the rest minimal. Don’t go animal print on top, animal print on the bottom, animal print on your hat, animal print on your jacket. That’s just overkill. If you’ve got animal print, you don’t want to pair it with too many other patterns or textures.
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How would you describe your personal style right now?
Your favorite designer. Your favorite fashionista. Your favorite TikToker – I’m just playing. How do I answer this … I would say right now I’m in my dad bag. I took the dad swag, and I just freaked it. You see everybody walking around in suits and ties and all that right now. [points to himself] You keep that quiet.