ASAP Mob

It’s inarguable that A$AP Mob have dominated the recent hip-hop conversation. Indeed, 2017 has seen the NYC crew reach new heights of creative success: A$AP Twelvyy released his beguilingly introspective debut LP 12, and A$AP Ferg returned to his mixtape roots with the ferocious and shadowy Still Striving. Now, the whole Mob’s coalesced to bring the second volume in their Cozy Tapes collaborative series of projects—and the resulting product, Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy, continues their impressive winning streak. The first installment in the Cozy Tapes series, last year’s Friends, saw the Mob coalescing to form a singular aesthetic that has run through the collective’s other projects to date. An impressive feat—and Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy ups the ante with eclecticism and sonic adventurousness. There’s plenty here for Mob diehards to luxuriate in—Pyroman and Djo Watt’s slithering snares and wavering synths on “Perry Aye,” the low-key menace of “Get the Bag”—but plenty of surprises too, from the slippery melodies of “Blowin’ Minds (Skateboard)” to the giggly streak that runs through the album’s skits. But it’s the Mob’s dexterous talents that own center stage on Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy, expressing a variety of thrilling and expressive verbal flows. A$AP Rocky unleashes a fast and furious verse on the Lil Yachty and Key!-featuring “Bahamas,” mixing foreign fashion shows with fast food; A$AP Twelvvy reflects on his past while looking towards his future over the dolorous pianos of “FYBR (First Year Being Rich)”; and A$AP Ant lays down a lovingly languid slice of braggadocio on the slow-jam vibes of “BYF.” The rapping versatility that runs throughout Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy could only come from a group as fully formed and creatively fertile as A$AP Mob. Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy is packed with verses, not only from the Mob but plenty of familiar faces. Playboi Carti and Big Sean team up with Rocky on the swinging “Frat Rules,” while Jaden Smith cuts an intriguing figure on “Perry Aye”; other cuts feature a wide range of hip-hop’s finest from fellow NYC denizens Joey Bada$$ and Kirk Knight to West Coaster Schoolboy Q and Atlanta stars like Lil Yachty, Quavo, and Key!. Even though these contributions stand out in their own right, they also slot perfectly in the world that the Mob’s created on Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy. And perhaps it’s that sense of worldbuilding that has come to define the Mob. The last five years have seen its members continually build to new creative heights of success, both together and apart—all while retaining the essence that first made the world take notice of their talent. Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy proves once again that even as they grow and challenge new boundaries, their sense of self-confidence in their own vision is unmatched. #TOOCOZY OUT NOW http://smarturl.it/toocozy