A$AP Rocky on Fatherhood, Faith, and Becoming a Modern Renaissance Man | What I’ve Learned | Esquire - video Dailymotion

Esquire

A$AP Rocky has lived many lives, from growing up in Harlem to becoming a modern Renaissance man, global artist, designer, and father. In this episode of “What I’ve Learned,” he sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on faith, family, creativity, and the moments that shaped him, from working with Denzel Washington and Rose Byrne to collaborating with Tim Burton on his new album 'Don’t Be Dumb.' Rocky opens up about becoming a girl dad, his relationship with Rihanna, and surviving his toughest chapters.  Check out A$AP Rocky's Esquire cover here: http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a70112847/asap-rocky-dont-be-dumb-interview-2026/ Listen to A$AP's new album 'Don't Be Dumb' here: asaprocky.lnk.to/dontbedumb  #ASAPRocky #DontBeDumb #WhatIveLearned #Esquire

Transcript

00:00I'm in my renaissance era, you know, I'm in my Frank Sinatra rap pack shit.

00:03You've been with the same...

00:05I've been with the same woman, Rihanna, for a while now.

00:07What's the secret?

00:08She's my match.

00:10What did you learn from that experience?

00:11I had a survivor's remorse and...

00:15I don't feel guilty no more.

00:16You hold your own with Denzel Washington.

00:19I'm an artistic...

00:20I'm a motherfucker, you know?

00:25Hi, I'm Michael Sebastian, editor-in-chief of Esquire.

00:28Today I am joined by a modern renaissance...

00:30a musician, an actor, a designer, and more.

00:33Please welcome ASAP Rocky.

00:35Thank you for...

00:37Yes, exactly.

00:38I have to give myself a round of applause.

00:40Finally made it, Mom!

00:42You know, I want to start with a quote from...

00:45another guy who grew up in Harlem like you...

00:48and came to know the city of Paris very well, James...

00:50Baldwin.

00:51In an interview, Baldwin once said,

00:53you write to find out something...

00:55which you don't know.

00:56I'm curious what you found out about yourself as you were making the...

01:00new record.

01:01What a way to jump into the interview.

01:03First of all, James Baldwin just...

01:05being a political activist and, you know, talking about his journeys and parallels.

01:10between Harlem and Paris really correlates to my journey as well.

01:15For me, what I didn't know about myself is...

01:17that I had... how limitless I was.

01:20My biggest enemy was myself for a while, and I think...

01:25the only thing stopping me and getting in the way of me was my own self.

01:29Hmm.

01:30And I think once you make no barriers, no holds bar, you...

01:35you just go all out and...

01:36it's just like...

01:37you make sure that there's no limits to...

01:40everything.

01:41It's kind of like you...

01:43you figure out how...

01:44how much you could push this.

01:45you know, and I'm...

01:46I'm a very, like, spiritual man.

01:48Yeah.

01:49So I believe in God.

01:50and I just, you know, I pray a lot.

01:52and...

01:53I just always say, you know...

01:55God...

01:56and when I'm in tough situations, especially, I'm like,

01:58God, I know it's nothing that I can't put...

02:00push through or pull through, but...

02:02please don't give me nothing I can't handle.

02:04And...

02:05I think...

02:06God has a funny way of showing me my own strength.

02:09The universe has...

02:10God has a funny way of showing me my own strength.

02:12And...

02:13unbeknownst to me, I have a funny way of...

02:15revealing it to myself.

02:16Okay, the new record.

02:17Don't Be Dumb.

02:18Yes, sir.

02:19Why'd you call it Don't Be Dumb?

02:20So many reasons.

02:21One being...

02:22the prior album was just all about crash...

02:25crashing out crash dummies.

02:26And I think this is a call to it.

02:28If you look at what's going on right now...

02:30just not long ago...

02:32last month in December...

02:35a lot of rappers are starting to say,

02:37fuck the streets.

02:38Fuck the streets.

02:39I got trauma.

02:40fuck the streets.

02:41All of these guys that were portrayed as...

02:43you know...

02:44gangsta street dudes.

02:45are now coming out and just being like,

02:46you know what?

02:47This whole shit is rigged.

02:48This shit is make-believe.

02:50Kids, we've been selling y'all a lot...

02:53because we had a blind...

02:55blindfold over our eyes.

02:56And Don't Be Dumb embodies all of that.

03:00You said in an interview...

03:02that you're really challenging yourself.

03:04What does it mean when...

03:05when you challenge yourself?

03:06I hate to sound like I'm trying to like...

03:07self-promote and toot my own horn and shit...

03:09but like...

03:10honestly...

03:13I never saw her in...

03:15anything like this.

03:16You know?

03:17And the challenge was just like...

03:19being patient.

03:20waiting for the right time.

03:21Because timing is everything.

03:23Yeah.

03:24Especially climbing where you got...

03:25big rap battles that are...

03:27kind of like...

03:28you know...

03:29changing...

03:30the playing fit.

03:30Yeah.

03:31You got streamings.

03:32You got bots.

03:33You got all of these...

03:34kind of inflated...

03:35streams and arbitrary...

03:36just...

03:37everything happening.

03:38And I just...

03:39then not...

03:40not to mention...

03:41AI.

03:42Yeah.

03:43And this album was like...

03:44anti-AI.

03:45It's practical.

03:45it's actually taking it back...

03:46to the essence.

03:47You know?

03:48So...

03:49I think people will get...

03:50to really see like...

03:51what took so long...

03:52to make this album.

03:53And it was just...

03:54not only...

03:55just preparation...

03:56and...

03:57you know...

03:58trying to perfect it...

03:59but also...

04:00timing.

04:01The timing had to be perfect...

04:02and...

04:03no other perfect timing...

04:04than the beginning.

04:05another year...

04:06to start off...

04:07with a bang.

04:08You know?

04:09At this point...

04:10all we know...

04:11is that it's...

04:10Tim Burton is on the cover...

04:11that you put on your Instagram.

04:12Yes.

04:13Why work with Tim Burton?

04:14Getting...

04:15working with Tim Burton...

04:16has been a dream.

04:17You know?

04:18I never thought that...

04:19that was possible...

04:20when I reached...

04:20out to him...

04:21I reached out to his composer...

04:22Danny Elfman...

04:23and...

04:24they were all...

04:25just...

04:25you know...

04:26so gladly...

04:27and obliged...

04:28like...

04:29yeah...

04:30I'll do this...

04:30we do it...

04:31we fuck with you...

04:32and I'm like...

04:33I can't believe it...

04:34you know?

04:35The fact that...

04:36they fuck with my shit...

04:35it was just...

04:36amazing...

04:37I'm sorry...

04:38can I use the...

04:39can I say fuck?

04:40Alright, no doubt.

04:40The fuckin' Lutely Say Fuck.

04:41Yeah...

04:42you know...

04:43just from a nightmare...

04:44before Christmas...

04:45that was my...

04:45favorite film...

04:46from Tim Burton...

04:47so I've always wanted to work with him...

04:48you know?

04:49I actually wanna go way back...

04:50and I wanna...

04:51uh...

04:52talk about...

04:53you know...

04:54growing up...

04:55when you were a kid...

04:56what kind of...

04:55music was playing...

04:56in your house?

04:57Man...

04:58all sorts of music...

04:59uh...

05:00you had...

05:01reggae...

05:02you had rap...

05:03hip-hop...

05:04R&B...

05:05you had...

05:06rock and roll...

05:05you had classics...

05:06you know?

05:07um...

05:08even some disco...

05:09it was...

05:10it was just like...

05:11a...

05:12a melting pot...

05:13of just...

05:14different music...

05:15but...

05:16growing up...

05:15my favorite musician...

05:16was...

05:17Michael Jackson...

05:18you know?

05:19Like...

05:20he was heavy...

05:21in my house...

05:20and me being named...

05:21after...

05:22arguably...

05:23you know...

05:24not even...

05:25having an argument...

05:26but...

05:27like...

05:28one of the greatest MCs...

05:29of all time...

05:30Rakim...

05:30music was prevalent...

05:32in my household...

05:33you know?

05:34Yeah...

05:35Speaking of that...

05:35in your household...

05:36what was the...

05:37biggest lesson...

05:38your mom taught you?

05:39Uh...

05:40watching...

05:40how loyal she is...

05:41to...

05:42her children...

05:43or...

05:44whoever...

05:45her husband...

05:46her man...

05:45is...

05:46it showed me...

05:47that there are...

05:48decent women out there...

05:49because...

05:50nine times a lot of...

05:50ten...

05:51the way that...

05:52you know...

05:53public...

05:54or...

05:55you know...

05:56media portrays...

05:55these women...

05:56especially nowadays...

05:57is like...

05:58you know...

05:59scandalous...

06:00and shit like that...

06:01you know...

06:00men too...

06:01but...

06:02she let me know...

06:03that there was hope...

06:04for...

06:05you know...

06:06real decent...

06:05women out there...

06:06and good women out there...

06:07you know...

06:08loyal...

06:09What about your dad?

06:10Oh my...

06:10Pops was...

06:11extraordinary fella...

06:12he was a...

06:13very handsome...

06:14gentleman from...

06:15Barbados...

06:16came over here...

06:17when he was like...

06:1819, 20 years old...

06:19met my mother in Harlem...

06:20called him...

06:21he...

06:22taught me to...

06:23stay groomed...

06:24he was the first man...

06:25also...

06:26you know...

06:27painting his nails...

06:28with...

06:29you know...

06:30clear polish...

06:31yeah...

06:32manicure...

06:30and stuff...

06:31and...

06:32my dad was...

06:33he was a hustler...

06:34and...

06:35you know...

06:36he was...

06:35extraordinary...

06:36rest in peace...

06:37you know...

06:38Yeah...

06:39I know that there's a period of time...

06:40when...

06:40when you were a kid...

06:41where you lived...

06:42in a homeless shelter...

06:43with your mom...

06:44and...

06:45I'm curious...

06:46what did you learn from...

06:45that experience?

06:46Some people look at...

06:47their circumstances...

06:48and assume...

06:49this is the end...

06:50or...

06:50and...

06:51for me...

06:52at a very young age...

06:53I learned that...

06:54there's light at the end of the tunnel...

06:55you know...

06:56perseverance...

06:57is just like motivation...

06:58you just gotta...

06:59kinda...

07:00go out and...

07:00you know...

07:01do it and get it...

07:02another thing I learned...

07:03is that...

07:04everybody...

07:05no matter who...

07:05everybody has...

07:06struggle...

07:07people's circumstances...

07:08and struggle...

07:09struggle...

07:10might differ from each other...

07:11but...

07:12nonetheless...

07:13struggle is struggle...

07:14and...

07:15what you gotta do...

07:15is trust your struggle...

07:16you know...

07:17Do you ever have moments...

07:18where you think about...

07:19uh...

07:20going...

07:20going back to...

07:21to that period of time...

07:22in your life...

07:23where you think...

07:24where your life could've gone...

07:25if you didn't...

07:25you didn't have...

07:26music...

07:27creativity...

07:28as an outlet?

07:29All the time...

07:30Really?

07:31All the time...

07:30I always think about it...

07:31I mean...

07:32I had this innate passion...

07:33for like...

07:34extraordinary...

07:35things like...

07:36decor...

07:37and...

07:38for design...

07:39and...

07:40you know...

07:41for...

07:40you know...

07:41film...

07:42and...

07:43clothes...

07:44yeah...

07:45I want to read you...

07:46a quote...

07:47that you gave...

07:48to Interview Magazine...

07:49My aunt...

07:50let us live with her...

07:51for a while...

07:50which was pretty hard...

07:51because it was like...

07:52an upper middle class...

07:53kind of neighborhood...

07:54so I didn't get along...

07:55with any of the...

07:55kids...

07:56they used to pick on me...

07:57and tease me...

07:58and make fun of me...

07:59at the bus stop...

08:00what did this experience...

08:01teach you?

08:02Kids could be cruel as shit...

08:03sometimes...

08:04you know what I mean?

08:05You just gotta...

08:05live with it...

08:06you know...

08:07Shout out...

08:08Auntie Lenny...

08:09North Carolina...

08:10but...

08:11my aunt...

08:12she lived in the middle class...

08:13like an upper middle class...

08:14neighborhood...

08:15she had the smallest...

08:17house...

08:18in the neighborhood...

08:19yeah...

08:20and she had a...

08:21troublesome son...

08:22who was in juvie...

08:23at the time...

08:24which was my big cousin...

08:25Ro...

08:25rest in peace...

08:26what ended up happening...

08:27was...

08:28when he went to...

08:29juvenile hall...

08:30and all this other stuff...

08:31we moved in...

08:32and I learned that...

08:33you know...

08:34no matter what...

08:35where you...

08:36where you go...

08:37when you...

08:38are in a...

08:39environment...

08:40especially...

08:41a radical environment...

08:42that's new to you...

08:43there's gonna be...

08:44some growing pains...

08:45in that situation...

08:46and...

08:47you know...

08:48I don't hold anybody...

08:49you know...

08:50I don't hold it...

08:51against anybody...

08:52for that...

08:53we were all...

08:54like...

08:5511...

08:56and 12...

08:57we were all kids...

08:58at one point...

08:59yeah...

08:55with children...

08:56you know...

08:57at the same time...

08:58I mean...

08:59maybe I'm putting...

09:00too much meaning into this...

09:00but it's like...

09:01you find yourselves...

09:02in all kinds of...

09:03different worlds...

09:04where you...

09:05at least...

09:06at first we're new...

09:07whether it's fashion...

09:08whether it's film...

09:09you name it...

09:10and I feel like...

09:10there's gotta be...

09:11some of these experiences...

09:12from a kid...

09:13that really prepared...

09:14you for that...

09:15wow...

09:15I didn't even make...

09:16the correlation to that...

09:17you know...

09:18you just did...

09:19I would have to...

09:20agree with you...

09:20especially when you think about...

09:21how...

09:22just being able to adapt...

09:23you know...

09:24I've been through some...

09:25hardships...

09:26but...

09:27I don't wanna make it sound...

09:28all like...

09:29you know...

09:30extra dramatic...

09:31and tragic...

09:30it was some good times...

09:31man...

09:32you know...

09:33some of the most...

09:34happiest people...

09:35is subjectively...

09:36poor people...

09:37you know...

09:38because...

09:39is it better...

09:40to not have...

09:40no...

09:41so...

09:42sometimes...

09:43oblivion...

09:44is...

09:45the pursuit of happiness...

09:46for a lot of people...

09:45and...

09:46sometimes...

09:47uh...

09:48materials...

09:49and...

09:50you know...

09:50button is...

09:51what...

09:52you know...

09:53people measure success by...

09:54it's all subjective...

09:55you know...

09:56there's a reason why...

09:57in...

09:58A Christmas Carol...

09:59Scrooge is the...

10:00you know...

10:00the completely...

10:01uh...

10:02miserable one...

10:03and it's like...

10:04you know...

10:05the kind of...

10:06common people...

10:07are the ones...

10:08who are having a good time...

10:09what did you learn...

10:10coming up with those guys?

10:11I learned fellowship...

10:12you know...

10:13I learned...

10:14loyalty...

10:16I learned...

10:17penmanship...

10:18craft...

10:19yeah...

10:20it was really cool...

10:21with the guys...

10:22growing up...

10:23back in the day...

10:24you know...

10:24yeah...

10:25like an orphanage...

10:26you said in...

10:28in interviews...

10:29that you want to bring people together...

10:30with your music...

10:31and you know...

10:32you've got...

10:33you've rapped...

10:34fuck your color...

10:35fuck your skin...

10:34you're my brother...

10:35you're my...

10:36fuck your color...

10:37fuck your...

10:38fuck your brother...

10:39fuck your skin...

10:40you're my brother...

10:41no...

10:42let's try that again...

10:43huh...

10:44I'll include all of that...

10:45because I really messed that up...

10:46I could never be a rapper...

10:47obviously...

10:48I think this is what we're learning...

10:49hold on...

10:50let me try that again...

10:49fuck your color...

10:50fuck your skin...

10:51you're my brother...

10:52you're my kin...

10:53there it is...

10:54what does that mean to you...

10:55you're trying to bring people together...

10:56right?

10:57yeah... absolutely...

10:58I think...

10:59even my best...

10:59friend...

11:00uh...

11:01A$AP Lou...

11:02you know...

11:03we were born on the same days...

11:04I'm white...

11:05I'm black...

11:06I don't think it matters...

11:07growing up in Manhattan...

11:08or just Harlem...

11:09it's a beautiful...

11:09Milton part...

11:10New York City...

11:11Puerto Ricans were blacks...

11:12blacks were Dominicans...

11:13Dominicans were white...

11:14whites were Indians...

11:15Indians were Asians...

11:16and it's just a vast majority...

11:18of just different...

11:19ethnicities...

11:20and cultures...

11:21all moving in unison...

11:22getting along...

11:23and living their day...

11:24daily lives...

11:25and when you're kids...

11:26you don't know prejudice...

11:27you know...

11:28I think...

11:29you know...

11:29some people don't...

11:30dislike people for whatever...

11:31but...

11:32I think prejudice is taught...

11:33so...

11:34for the most part...

11:35everybody's just very...

11:36you know...

11:37welcoming...

11:38with open arms...

11:39and hands...

11:40and it's just like...

11:39it's all love...

11:40you know...

11:41it's all love...

11:42So...

11:43your brother...

11:44Ricky was killed...

11:45when you were...

11:46barely a teenager...

11:47Yeah...

11:48I wonder what that moment...

11:49what was that like for you...

11:50what...

11:51what did you learn from that moment?

11:52I learned that...

11:53the...

11:54the streets...

11:55don't love you...

11:56my brother was heavy in the streets...

11:58you live...

11:59you live by the gun...

12:00you die by the gun...

12:01Yeah...

12:02you know...

12:03kind of situation...

12:04and I knew that...

12:04that path wasn't for me...

12:06a few years...

12:07prior to that...

12:08he had...

12:09you know...

12:09told me...

12:10to walk a straight and narrow...

12:11he was just like...

12:12nah...

12:13that lifestyle ain't for you...

12:14that's my lifestyle...

12:16I should've never showed you...

12:17none of that shit...

12:18and...

12:19it stuck with me...

12:22yeah...

12:23let's jump to...

12:24you know...

12:25you are...

12:26this is...

12:27this is going back...

12:28fifteen years...

12:29something like that...

12:30you're blowing up...

12:29right...

12:30you know...

12:31your mixtape comes out...

12:32there's a lot of heat...

12:33a lot of anticipation around you...

12:34I mean...

12:35you're a super young guy...

12:36you're in your...

12:37at that point...

12:38you're probably in your...

12:39very early twenties...

12:39something like that...

12:4022...

12:41yeah...

12:42how do you handle...

12:43something like that...

12:44you know...

12:45when all of a sudden...

12:44the...

12:45the spotlight's on you...

12:46and there's anticipation...

12:47and attention...

12:48and everything...

12:49anything else...

12:50I think I was made for it...

12:51yeah...

12:52it comes with the job...

12:53you know...

12:54we know what we signed up for...

12:56you know...

12:57yeah...

12:58I just wanted to make...

12:59music...

12:59that could bring people together...

13:00and change people's lives...

13:01and that's what we did...

13:02and...

13:03I'm so proud of that...

13:04you know...

13:05I'm curious how...

13:06you know...

13:07in that moment...

13:08how fame...

13:09changed...

13:09as a person...

13:10fame and money...

13:11could do two things...

13:12it could change you...

13:13or...

13:14the people around you...

13:15you know...

13:16some people remain the same...

13:19and...

13:20some people...

13:21it just affects...

13:22your relationship...

13:23with...

13:24you know...

13:25everybody else around you...

13:27for lack of better words...

13:28Yeah...

13:29yeah...

13:30I get it...

13:31is there a rapper...

13:32maybe even...

13:33kind of an old school...

13:34who at that...

13:35at that point in your career...

13:36gave you a piece of advice...

13:37that you still...

13:38listen...

13:39quite a few...

13:40yeah...

13:41David Banner...

13:42Swiss Beast...

13:43those guys were always like...

13:44big brothers to me...

13:451B...

13:46Chase Infinite...

13:47Most Deaf...

13:48Stab...

13:49Louse P...

13:50he told me...

13:51stage etiquette...

13:52he's like...

13:53yo bro...

13:54you need...

13:54get divas...

13:55you need to stop...

13:56jumping in the crowd...

13:57crowd surfing yourself...

13:58get divas...

13:59and you go on stage...

14:00and just say...

14:01dah...

14:02dah...

14:03and I started doing it...

14:04and it started working...

14:04motherfuckers...

14:05flying off stage...

14:06I really was...

14:07a sponge...

14:08when I...

14:09when I came into gaming...

14:10you know...

14:11I just wanted to like...

14:12learn more...

14:13I wanted to know more...

14:14and I was...

14:14I was willing to listen...

14:15to anybody willing...

14:16to give me advice...

14:17yeah...

14:18alright...

14:19here's a controversial question...

14:19which era of hip-hop...

14:20of New York hip-hop...

14:21would you say...

14:22was the strongest?

14:23the 90s...

14:24yeah...

14:25a lot of these guys...

14:26broke barriers for...

14:27you know...

14:28guys like us from...

14:29you know...

14:30De La Soul...

14:31Tribe Called Quest...

14:32Bad Boy...

14:33Wu-Tang...

14:34Onyx...

14:35man...

14:36the list goes on...

14:37and forgive me for...

14:38that's effects...

14:39EPMD...

14:40G-Unit...

14:41you know...

14:42even though that was...

14:43the early 2000s...

14:44you know...

14:45digging into crates...

14:46and...

14:47children of the corn...

14:48and...

14:49the Terror Squad...

14:50and...

14:51so many different groups...

14:52that just...

14:53shaped the game...

14:54and made it...

14:55what it is today...

14:56from...

14:57the early 90s...

14:58to the late 90s...

14:59was...

14:59the best decade...

15:00for hip-hop...

15:01really?

15:01yeah...

15:02I mean this...

15:03as a compliment...

15:04you're a very charismatic...

15:06person...

15:07thank you...

15:08and...

15:09you...

15:09you have...

15:10and this is...

15:11this is what I'm getting at...

15:12with the compliment...

15:13you have the charisma...

15:14of like...

15:15a politician...

15:14oh...

15:15shit...

15:16no...

15:17I mean this in a good way...

15:18and in a recent interview...

15:19you...

15:20you actually said...

15:21that...

15:22you would...

15:23you would want to be...

15:24mayor of New York City...

15:25for sure...

15:24is politics something...

15:25that could actually...

15:26be in your future?

15:27I think so...

15:28you know...

15:29there are a lot of...

15:30political current affairs...

15:31that need to be addressed...

15:32changes...

15:33that needs to...

15:34be made...

15:35I think that...

15:36I would really do well...

15:37because...

15:38I'm a goddess for the people...

15:39you see...

15:40potholes...

15:41fix them...

15:42look at the rates...

15:43for the trains...

15:44like...

15:44the train fare...

15:45just went up to $3...

15:46it's fucking crazy...

15:47you know...

15:48inflation is...

15:49crazy...

15:50I mean...

15:51SNAP...

15:52and...

15:53welfare...

15:54food stamps...

15:54all of these...

15:55you know...

15:56benefits...

15:57it's fucked up...

15:58because...

15:59that's what I derive from...

16:00yeah...

15:59create more job opportunities...

16:00create better healthcare...

16:01you know...

16:02these are some of the things...

16:03that most...

16:04politicians...

16:05come in promising...

16:06but...

16:07for the most part...

16:08you just assume...

16:09a lot of...

16:09the decisions...

16:11made by politicians...

16:12you know...

16:13have material motives...

16:14and...

16:15it's really self-beneficial...

16:17for me...

16:18I make...

16:19a really...

16:19great living off...

16:20being myself...

16:21yeah...

16:222029...

16:23vote for...

16:24you've got...

16:24my vote...

16:25vote for Rocky...

16:26yeah...

16:27I mean...

16:28you've said it...

16:29a couple of times...

16:29seen this said about you...

16:30that you are...

16:31a modern...

16:32renaissance man...

16:33what does that...

16:34what does that mean...?

16:34Renaissance man means. Film, fashion, engineering.

16:39Family, music. Yeah. I'm missing one. But all of these...

16:44things are what kind of encapsulates me as an individual.

16:49Just explaining what the Harlem Renaissance was.

16:51It was heavy and rich in music, fashion, culture.

16:54Et cetera. So I think I'm a modern Renaissance man.

16:58Yeah.

16:59I'm going to do politics for just a second.

17:00You know, when you were in jail in Sweden...

17:04then President Trump advocated for your release.

17:07That must have been really weird.

17:09It was really ironic, right? So I was just sitting to myself...

17:14and I just said...

17:16We're gonna get ace at Rocky.

17:18And da da da da da.

17:19And I just look...

17:20and I'm like, no fucking way.

17:22I must be dreaming.

17:24When you're away in prison...

17:25anybody who's experienced prison can tell you...

17:28you kind of...

17:29I feel like the outside world forgot about you...

17:32or turning back on you.

17:33For me to get that...

17:34kind of support from the outside world.

17:36The president.

17:37My mother.

17:38Friends.

17:39So-called enemies.

17:41It was beautiful.

17:42You know?

17:43And it...

17:44It really...

17:45It gave me the drive to really push through that shit.

17:48Cause it was...

17:49it was a real hard...

17:50very, very difficult time in my life.

17:52You know?

17:53Yeah.

17:54I can...

17:54It was a musical period.

17:55Yeah, man.

17:56All right.

17:57So you were in two movies...

17:58in 2025.

17:59Highest to lowest.

18:00And if I had legs, I'd kick you.

18:01I want to start with...

18:02with highest to lowest.

18:03Yeah.

18:04Denzel Washington.

18:05One of the greatest actors of his generation.

18:06What did you learn working with him?

18:08Uh-huh.

18:09I learned that Denzel might be my biological dad.

18:12I learned that Denzel might be my biological dad.

18:14Why do you say that?

18:15My whole life, my mother told me I look like Denzel.

18:18She used to gasp my head.

18:19Shut up.

18:20You know?

18:21She had a crush on the dude, so she just wanted me to look like him for whatever.

18:24reasons.

18:25But what I learned from the movie was looking at Spikes and Denzel...

18:29...dynamic.

18:30It was amazing to see pros.

18:34Who are brothers working behind the scenes and just seeing how they, you know...

18:39bounce ideas and energy off of each other.

18:42Yeah.

18:43It was...

18:44quite fascinating to see.

18:46I was fanned out like during certain...

18:49scenes, I would forget that we were rolling and I would just be like...

18:54Oh shit.

18:55This ain't a movie.

18:56I'm in the movie.

18:57Rocky.

18:58Snap out of it.

18:59All jokes.

18:59Just a side.

19:00Cause I'm just a super Denzel fan, you know?

19:02I mean you guys are in like basically three scenes together.

19:04Right?

19:05And they're kind of the most powerful scenes in the movie.

19:09And you hold your own with Denzel Washington.

19:12Like...

19:13Where...

19:14Where do you learn that?

19:15Where do you get that?

19:16I don't know man.

19:17I think I'm a renaissance man.

19:18Like I said, it's just part of...

19:19the arts.

19:20Like film, acting, theater is just all part of the arts.

19:23You know?

19:24Yeah.

19:24I'm an artistic motherfucker.

19:25You know?

19:26Yeah.

19:27What about if...

19:29If I Had Lazy Kick You?

19:30What about working with Rose Byrne?

19:32Oh, she's so beautiful in and out.

19:34Shout out to her husband Bobby.

19:36I think it was such a privilege to work with her.

19:39As well.

19:40Mary Bronson killed the film.

19:41The script was beautiful.

19:42Man, she's just a beautiful...

19:44a beautiful soul and such a nice woman.

19:46You know?

19:47It was...

19:48It was a pleasure and I really hope...

19:49some way somehow we get to work in the future again.

19:52Because it was quite the experience.

19:53Yeah.

19:54All right.

19:54So you've...

19:55I mean, you've rapped about religion a lot.

19:57I'm curious what your relationship...

19:59with God is like now.

20:01Oh.

20:02It's better than never.

20:03I try to...

20:04nitpick and adapt from...

20:07all different religions and cultures.

20:09and practices.

20:10Yeah.

20:11Buddhism, you know,

20:12Catholicism, Christianity.

20:14Hinduism.

20:15You know?

20:16All these different qualities.

20:18They all...

20:19all have...

20:20I think, you know,

20:21attributes and qualities to make you a better person and whole.

20:24I'm not perfect.

20:25So I try to just adopt a lot of these different, you know?

20:29Morales from different religions to make myself a better motherfucker.

20:33You know?

20:34In the time that your last record came out,

20:36and your new one is coming out,

20:37so much has happened in your life.

20:39You've had three children.

20:41You've shown your collections in Paris.

20:43And, of course, you had...

20:44the high-profile trial as well.

20:45And I want to get into all three of those.

20:47First of all, you've been with...

20:49the same woman, Rihanna, for a while now.

20:51What's the secret to having a strong relationship?

20:54She's my match.

20:55Yeah.

20:56She matches me, right?

20:57And so...

20:58if it didn't match, it wouldn't...

20:59work.

21:00You know?

21:01I've always wanted to have a family.

21:02You know?

21:03Um...

21:04I think...

21:05I was able to have all of my fun and...

21:08do all of, like...

21:09ladies and be a pretty boy, a playboy,

21:11most of my, like, life.

21:12You know?

21:13And, um...

21:14It...

21:15It gets...

21:16It gets tiresome.

21:17You know?

21:18It's...

21:19It's hard.

21:19It's hard out here for a player.

21:20You feel me?

21:21And so...

21:22I switched it over.

21:24And...

21:25You know?

21:26I made it cool to just be with one lady.

21:28Be with one joint.

21:29You know?

21:30And...

21:31Lover.

21:32You know?

21:33And show people what true love is.

21:34Not just...

21:34when the cameras come on and shit like that.

21:36You know?

21:37And it's not easy being in too high...

21:39To get profiles...

21:40And a relationship together.

21:41Like...

21:42That can't be easy because...

21:43One...

21:44One has one schedule and agenda, the other has another schedule and agenda, but we make it.

21:49Work and that's what I love about, you know, being with somebody like.

21:54My girl, you know.

21:55Is there something that you've learned from, from, I don't know.

21:59Being with her for so long?

22:00Oh, absolutely.

22:01I learned that a woman who loves you will

22:04protect you.

22:05It's moral support to the 10th power.

22:07Yeah.

22:08You know, when you have.

22:09If you're a woman that loves you, is madly in love with you, your shit might smell like roses.

22:14You know, before getting with, with her, I kind of had that stigma.

22:19You know, just that modern women is portrayed, the modern Venus is just like.

22:24Sex appeal and this, this, that, and they try to portray more of a scandalous kind of a love.

22:29Like, you know, vibe on women, for lack of better words nowadays.

22:33And I think that.

22:34Fucking with her.

22:35It just showed me like, it was like looking at my mother.

22:38I see a.

22:39A lot of my mom in her, you know, and it's just like, damn, that's a strong black.

22:44That woman right there, yo, like, yo, she really be supporting the shit out of me, man.

22:48She love.

22:49She loves the shit out of me.

22:50I fucking love this chick, you know.

22:52One thing I do want to point out.

22:54It's just like, people swear it's just, it's no trouble in paradise and everybody's all lovey.

22:59And it's like, the battles that you come out victoriously.

23:04And show how strong and compatible you are with that person.

23:08Basically, it's like.

23:09You get stronger because of those battles.

23:11Because of those.

23:12Absolutely.

23:13Yeah.

23:14Absolutely.

23:14The scariest relationships, if you're in one, is the one when you and your mate

23:19never argue, never have a dispute and never fight like verbally.

23:24Like, you might have something to worry about because when the shit hits the fan.

23:28That's when you see.

23:29People, true colors.

23:30Yeah.

23:31At least in my experience.

23:32Yeah.

23:33You told Elle that.

23:34You are praying for a girl.

23:35And of course, your third child was a girl.

23:37And I am the father of two.

23:39I have two daughters.

23:40They're 10 and seven.

23:41And I love being the father of two girls.

23:43And I'm curious.

23:44What you've learned from this experience of being the father of a daughter.

23:48So far, so.

23:49Good.

23:50No boys yet?

23:51No boys.

23:52Okay.

23:53Okay.

23:54So far, so good.

23:55I think.

23:54Being a girl that just brings out like this self vulnerability that.

23:59That you okay with.

24:00Yeah.

24:01Because most people don't like being gullible or vulnerable.

24:03Right?

24:04And soft.

24:04And it's just now you have every reason to be.

24:07When you, when you're the dad of a prince.

24:09And he says, man, you gotta, you know, you gotta, you gotta wear that suit.

24:13You know, you gotta.

24:14You gotta, you gotta, you gotta take that role on.

24:17Yeah.

24:18And it's okay.

24:19It changed you.

24:19Didn't it?

24:20It did.

24:21Absolutely.

24:22Yeah.

24:23I mean, to a point where like being a dad, sometimes.

24:24You could look at puppies and make you want to cry.

24:26Cause all those cute puppies, like shit like that never happened.

24:29Before.

24:30You know what I mean?

24:31It's just.

24:34It's a beautiful thing.

24:35It's.

24:36It's happiness that you can't.

24:39You can't really equate to anything or compare to anything to give an example to, you know?

24:44But being responsible of little human beings is in an easy role.

24:49You have to be emotionally available.

24:52You have to be tentative.

24:54And you have to be present.

24:55Yeah.

24:56I love being present, you know, for my fam.

24:59So when I'm away and I'm working, it has to be worth my while.

25:03It has to be.

25:04It has to be worth it.

25:05Other than that, man, I got to be with the fam.

25:07Is that the secret?

25:08I was curious about that.

25:09You're obviously, you're a very busy guy.

25:11I mean, is it throwing yourself into work when you're working and then.

25:14Is it throwing yourself into your family when you're not?

25:16I think so.

25:17When you're done with work, you go home, you know?

25:19Me, I try to be able to, like, take my children to school.

25:22You do, yeah?

25:23Yeah.

25:24Yeah.

25:25You know, pick them up.

25:26Try to be around for bath time, dinner time, and, you know, bed.

25:29If I miss one thing, you know, I make up for it in another way, you know?

25:34But it's not easy missing anything.

25:36Yeah.

25:37You know, but that's the sacrifices you make.

25:39When you're trying to be a working dad, you know?

25:41Yeah.

25:42Yeah.

25:43Okay.

25:44So the trial.

25:44What did you learn from that experience?

25:45I learned that I've outgrown a lot of my old-

25:49relationships with friends, you know?

25:53You hold on to it.

25:54Because, man, we went through the mud together.

25:56You knew me since we was riding bicycles.

25:58You knew me since we-

25:59We were sharing clothes together, like, we were brothers.

26:01And we used to get girls together, like, we were brothers.

26:04And it's the past, bro.

26:07Yeah.

26:08I've outgrown a lot.

26:09I've outgrown a lot of people.

26:10And I had survivor's guilt.

26:12I had survivor's remorse.

26:14And I don't feel guilty no more.

26:17My success-

26:19Isn't your demise.

26:20Yeah.

26:21And I'm not responsible for it.

26:24Any mishaps or misfortunes with the next man.

26:28Yeah.

26:29That's right.

26:29I try my best to do what I can and to help people when I can.

26:32If I can't help you, you got-

26:34You got to be able to respect that.

26:35Yeah.

26:36How did you stay grounded through that whole period of time?

26:39The-

26:39The support of my family.

26:41The support of different peers.

26:44The support of different friends.

26:45Real friends.

26:46Yeah.

26:47It got me through it.

26:48And-

26:49I was praying a lot during that time, too.

26:51It felt like I had an angel or a few-

26:54angels.

26:55Right by my side.

26:56Right there with me.

26:57I honestly felt like-

26:59a higher presence during that time.

27:02Yeah.

27:03You know, I did, man.

27:04You also-

27:04You also looked great at the trial, too.

27:05Yeah.

27:06You dressed very well for the court.

27:07Yeah.

27:08Well, I think it's appropriate.

27:09You really embraced tailoring.

27:10Yeah.

27:11In terms of, you know, just seeing you out and about.

27:13Yeah.

27:14What is it that attracts you to that?

27:15Being a dad.

27:16That's called dad swag.

27:19You know, I've been in my dad bag.

27:20I've always liked tailoring.

27:21I mean, you can see photos of me in 20-

27:242013 to 2015.

27:26You know, I was obviously the, you know, first-

27:29black male to face Dior.

27:31Chris Manash designed a lot of really-

27:34nice tailoring suits for me back then.

27:35Yeah.

27:36And that was over a decade ago.

27:37So, you know, tailoring is-

27:39there's nothing new to me.

27:40I just embraced it more going into fatherhood because it gave me-

27:44every reason to be, you know, and I'm in my renaissance era, you know, I'm-

27:49offering Sinatra rap pack shit right now.

27:51So, like, I'm on my shit.

27:52Yeah.

27:53I love that you say that about the-

27:54the dad thing though because I, uh, I don't want to be a dad who basically-

27:59dresses like a kid, you know what I mean?

28:00Like, I-

28:01I want my kids to see me as an adult and wearing, like, a suit and a tie-

28:04or a jacket and a tie or something like that says that, you know?

28:07The funny part about this is-

28:09it's a debate going on right now about a lot of rappers dressing younger.

28:13I-

28:14I honestly think that depending on who you are-

28:19really dictates how you dress.

28:22If you somebody who-

28:24was wearing street wear your whole life.

28:26Like, imagine Sean Stussy-

28:28back-

28:29back in the day.

28:30You know?

28:31Mm-hmm.

28:32He was wearing a t-shirt, you know-

28:34some-

28:35probably some cargoes and some skating shoes.

28:37You know?

28:38I-

28:39what about rappers from the 90s and shit like that when it was cool to wear-

28:44baggy shit?

28:45That was just the style and trend at the moment.

28:47Who am I to say, you gotta style-

28:49stop-

28:50that it's outdated or, you know, stop doing it.

28:52Cause-

28:53it's seven days after a week.

28:54And some days after we-

28:55I robbed hair in Timbaland boots, baggy jeans.

28:59a thermal shirt and a parka jacket.

29:03And a-

29:04and a do-rag.

29:05That's what I had on today.

29:06Mm-hmm.

29:07You know?

29:08Earlier before I looked nice and through-

29:09on the Chanel, you know?

29:10Mm-hmm.

29:11You know?

29:12Fashion is a sense.

29:13It's a- it's an expression.

29:14And it's just-

29:15It's supposed to express how you feel that day.

29:17You know?

29:18Certain days-

29:19you wanna dress down.

29:20Certain days you wanna dress up.

29:22Yeah.

29:23Whatever cause, you know, you rise-

29:24for the occasion.

29:25And you come-

29:26make sure that you're fashionable for that.

29:28You know?

29:29Mention-

29:29you're watching Chanel.

29:30You're wearing Chanel.

29:31You also showed up to that Chanel show in New York in November.

29:34and kinda made all the headlines as you're wearing a great men's look.

29:38Tell me- tell me about that.

29:39to be the-

29:41newest male ambassador of Chanel.

29:44is a dream come true.

29:46Shout out to Matthew.

29:47Working with him.

29:49at Bottega was such an experience.

29:51So,

29:52I knew that this would be-

29:53nothing.

29:54less of that.

29:55The show was a beautiful show last November or not.

29:59All of my dreams are coming true.

30:02All of them.

30:03Yeah.

30:04Does that ever worry you?

30:05No, man.

30:06I have a lot of dreams and aspirations.

30:08Yeah.

30:09The more I accomplish them, the more tears of joy roll down my face.

30:14The more, you know, happy I am and, you know.

30:17Yeah.

30:18I'm really-

30:19I'm really happy with accomplishments, you know.

30:22It reminds me of something you-

30:24you said in an interview.

30:25This was a while ago.

30:26You said, the top is gonna be the next step.

30:28And you say, I mean-

30:29we're already here, but I'm talking the tippy top.

30:31The tippy top.

30:32Do you feel like you've reached the tip-

30:34the tippy top yet?

30:35I'm still climbing up.

30:36Yeah?

30:37Yeah.

30:38Yeah.

30:39As a-

30:39As a younger man, you spoke in interviews and in your music.

30:43You kind of-

30:44were revolutionary in some ways.

30:46You know, you were kind of like the-

30:47the young guy storming the gates.

30:48Yeah.

30:49Now you're a little bit older.

30:50I'm wondering if you still have that point of view or if you feel like you've mellowed

30:54at all.

30:54I don't know.

30:55You tell me.

30:56You know, I think I always had-

30:59that, like, rebellious ambition and that's kind of what drives me.

31:03When everybody-

31:04everybody's going.

31:05Left.

31:06Yeah.

31:07Straight right.

31:08That's all.

31:09That's always been my take on, like, direction.

31:12Yeah.

31:13In general.

31:14All right.

31:14When you were 23, you said this in Interview Magazine.

31:17I just want to make sure that by the time I'm 40-

31:19I don't have back problems and dumb shit going on with me because I was wildin' when I was

31:24younger.

31:24You're 37 now.

31:2540's getting pretty close.

31:27How are you feeling?

31:28I feel great.

31:29Yeah?

31:30I feel how I look.

31:31You know?

31:32Yeah.

31:33I'm exercising.

31:34I'm vegetarian.

31:35I have a great diet.

31:37You know?

31:38At the moment I'm not smoking.

31:39You know?

31:40I drunk some wine last night.

31:41I would have said I'm not drinking but then I'd be lying.

31:43Yeah.

31:44It's okay.

31:45Yeah.

31:44Right.

31:45You know?

31:46But I'm chilling.

31:47I'm taking it easy, man.

31:48You know?

31:49Going and getting checkups when I need to.

31:51You know?

31:52Just trying to stay away from process.

31:54Westernized foods and, you know, FDA approved bullshit.

31:58You know?

31:59Trying to do my thing, man.

32:00Stay pretty out here, man.

32:01All right.

32:02Last question.

32:03What did.

32:04What advice would you give your younger self?

32:07That younger self that was coming.

32:09up in Harlem or was living in a homeless shelter from the perspective of time now?

32:14What would you tell him?

32:15Which age would you pick?

32:16You tell me.

32:17I mean, what is a good.

32:19What would be an impressionable age if you could go back in time and give him some advice?

32:23All right.

32:24A$AP Rocky will rock him at 13.

32:29I made a promise to myself that if I wasn't a big successful rapper.

32:34By 18, I was a failure.

32:36So I'd like to tell my 13 year old.

32:39And 18 year old self.

32:40Just hang in there.

32:41It's going to be cool.

32:42Don't worry about it.

32:44You know?

32:45Don't worry about nothing.

32:46You know, your time will come.

32:48Every dog.

32:49Every dog has his day, and every good dog has two.

32:52Hmm, it's like what you were saying about

32:54hard work, putting in the time, everything else.

32:57Absolutely.

32:58Well, that's it.

32:59I thank you so much for this conversation.

33:02ASAP Rocky is on the March cover.

33:04He's the founder of Esquire magazine.

33:06He's got a new record out, 116.

33:08It's called Don't Be Dumb.

33:09So go check it out.

33:10Oh, this is legendary.

33:13Yeah, this was awesome.

33:14This was really awesome.

33:20Bye.

33:24Bye.

33:25Bye.

33:29Bye.

A$AP Rocky on Fatherhood, Faith, and Becoming a Modern Renaissance Man | What I’ve Learned | Esquire

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