A$AP Mob is full of rap nerds. Despite any other ambitions they may have – painting, modeling for Dior, imaging up retro-gothic architecture – they have all forged their way into the rap game by staying concerned with and true to the technical skill of rapping. It was the role of the late icon and founding member of the crew, A$AP Yams, to push the collective into stylistically unfamiliar areas; with his taste and unwavering dedication to the underground, the group was able to turn A$AP Rocky into the breakout star. To date, Live.Love.A$AP is still the most influential full-length project to come from the Mob. And while it could be argued that the shadow cast by the untimely passing of Yams has put an unfair critical lens on the group’s subsequent output, unfortunately, it could also be argued that the quality of the work itself has become sporadic.
On par for the course, TESTING, Rocky’s third studio album, is the most uneven A$AP release to date.
TESTING plays like a crash collision between Ferg’s Always Strive and Prosper and Kid Cudi’s Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven. It wants to be Kanye West’s Yeezus but plays like an even more meandering The Life of Pablo. Just look at the credits; Rocky looks to surprise and bewilder with each sample and every feature but there’s a humdrum routine to it all and very few of the b-side experiments work. “Kids Turned Out Fine” rings hollow, the lyrics trite and one-dimensional. “Changes” juxtaposes UGK and Charles Bradley in a surprisingly understated manner that’s not done justice by Rocky’s navel-gazing. Even on the beautifully textured closer, “Purity”, once you’re met with samples of Ms. Lauryn Hill and a particularly sassy Frank Ocean verse, Rocky’s parting words seem inconsequential.
To make matters worse, Rocky, who was disavowing accused sexual abuser A$AP Bari last year, uses “CALLDROPS” to provide Kodak Black a platform to bemoan about his current situation.
It may not be an outright indictment of his character, but it curiously lacks taste for a man who’s entire mystique relies on having an abundance of just that.
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Still, not all the features are superfluous and some of the lazy songwriting does pay off in context. “Fukk Sleep”, a hallucinatory daydream with FKA twigs, may be the best song to experience, if not for the musical kinship Rocky finds with Dev Hynes on the woozy “Hundr34ds.” In a twist of fate, the song with the best straight-up rapping also happens to mark Rocky’s reunion with Clams Casino. “Black Tux, White Collar” is measured and delicate, featuring a vulnerable MC that’s unwaveringly militant and outwardly wary of the intentions of those that he chooses to keep around him. The distorted samples of “Gunz and Butter” also cut through with fierce purpose and Rocky stays on cue as he delivers a unique perspective on the current dialogue surrounding gun violence: “So get up off my YKK/The president an a-hole/Prayin’ for a JFK/All we got was KKK/AKA AK that you target not from Target but from Walmart/Then it’s a-ok,” he spits with focused passion that’s all too absent from the rest of the album.
Over the years it has become clear that Rocky is more comfortable being a figurehead for an aesthetic movement rather than an outright innovator. On “Hun43rd,” he rephrases a well-known idiom: “The best form of flattery is when you imitate.” And Rocky has always flaunted his influences openly. But with TESTING, there is no new movement birthed; there is no paradigm shift about the occur; it’s simply as the title states: a series of harmonic evaluations meant to gauge audience reaction.
Instead of creating a new wave, A$AP Rocky has drowned himself in his own ambitions and lost his identity along the way.
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Yo FR,what’s gayer, the album or this review?
Hopefully me.
yeah, you right, it is you.
Whoever did this review must be seriously I to mumble rap, or a giant Takeshi/Xxxtencion/Drake fan. Some shit. This was easily one of the best albums of the year. It has at least 4 solid tracks and several decent other tracks. Pusha T’s shit had one good track and two decent ones. I guess A$AP aínt paying the folks at HHdX.
You rite that slop as I see nothing but Asap ads on the site. Who’s paying you to cape for this album? And your crazy Pusha dropped a classic
It’s a 15 song album that you just said had “at least 4 solid tracks”. Even if we DOUBLE that to, say, 8 “solid tracks” – 8/15 is a 2.6 rating lol.
‘At least 4 solid tracks’. wow!!!!
You live in a world where hip hop albums come out that hve more than 2 or 3 solid tracks on them? Interesting… IMO the best Hip-Hop album in then last 3-4 years was Kdot Damn. 3-4 solid tracks, 3-4 good shits, the rest are decent. There’s are no longer It Was Written/Reasonable Doubt/The Chronics getting dropped buddy. They space those hits out over several records now. You must be a new booty on this shit. Listen to “A Nation of Millions” than tell me of a comparable modern (last 5 years) albums with as many hits/classics on it. All Eyez on Me. Ready to Die. Those days aren’t done. You weren’t around for them. Let me guess, you’re going to name some Drake shit…
You are comparing talking an album up with 4 solid songs and All Eyez on Me which has classics on classics and a few solid ones? Yeah, if I’m going to stand up for an album, I’m not going to say it has 4 solid songs. Drake? pffttt, buddy.
Narsimha Chintaluri or whatever this person name is better get the f… out of here with this BS review…
Terrible album
You cannot possibly provide an accurate rating to this album already. It’s absurd, this album is at least 4/5. Go listen to it again, and really listen; people who review music are so quick to give out a rating instead of listening to the music. You must realize the impact you have when you make such a shitty, haphazard review, its disrespectful. I think the people reviewing shit should be reviewed; what are your credentials? I hate seeing shit like this happen to a ground-breaking, heartfelt album.
Jeez they get the albums early. Why is this so hard for fools to comprehend. Especially fools who call this static ‘heartfelt’
I will say that if you are a stinky black Negroid behind on his or her child support payments, if you use an EBT card every day, if you eat watermelon and fried chicken obsessively, if you often like to exclaim, “Hodee do’! Hodee do’! Conebread! Conebread!” for no apparent reason while shucking and jiving all over the street, you will like this album. Otherwise, you will hate this album.
Reply 1
“You cannot possibly provide an accurate rating to this album already. It’s absurd, this album is at least 4/5.” o_O
But seriously, I mostly agree.
U hhdx writers have no fucking right to voice a negative opinion on something that u prob listened to one fucking time. This is some justin hunte hunte bs
Dope album!
FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!! ASAP JERK OFF!!!!
ALBUM IS COMPLETE TRASH!!!! BACK TO THE RUNWAY, YOU SILLY MODEL!!!!! LMAOOOOO!!!! GTFOH!!!!
This comment makes my day his name is rakim ffs
Fuck u album is lit.
For all the people who don’t like the album I’m genuinely interested in what albums you think are better that have been released this year. I think Pusha’s album was better, Saba’s album was better, but I’d have to seriously think about some others if they were better. I’m interested in how people calibrate their scale. How many times does it take for you to know how good an album is?
5/5 is your score, you have to be kidding me, and then you ask what album is better that have been released this year cuz if we go even just 1 year further, we are going to say a bunch of names, sorry but this album is whack, not as bad as culture II but not for much though… as a hiphop albums is trash, as a alternative music album is trash… he has no experience on that, if you really think this is a revolutionary album there’s something bad with current music. The best thing he can do for his career is return to rap… I see a big ship sinking
Most bland, overrated rapper there is. He is renegaded 6 times on 1 Train.
1 Train wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Rocky’s album.
Nipsey’ was also better; kdot’s black panther was better; J. Cole’s is about the same or slightly better? but testing is better than Punken, it’s better than culture II, etc.
I’m sorry, but Testing is nowhere near Punken. Maxo killed it on that album
Terrible… That “Purity” track sounds like a bunch of scattered noise lol!! !..
LOL there are a lot of butthurt Rocky Stans. Calm down, maybe he’ll redeem himself with the next project.
He’s better than this…
I didn’t even know Rocky put out something new. Was it a surprise release or something?
Honestly i thought this album was dope. i like the different approach he took in laying down the sonics on this record using distortion to make some pretty ill vibes. i figured most people either wouldn’t like it or wouldn’t “get it” as there’s no single and not a ton of features but it’s a sleeper. I’d say 4/5
The album sounds really good sonically and is very creative. However, I only found 7 out of 15 tracks dope. In other words. Mediocre.
Looking at the reviews i’m wondering if i am listening to the same record because I got plenty of fire tracks from this.
Honestly this album needs to grow on people.
I need to listen to it more but it’s definitely a 4, could easily be a 5 in the future if I give it more time.
Love the album. Different from the junk we are constantly flooded with. Fukk Sleep, changes are my favorites but I love all the songs except for Black tux. This one requires more than one listen or rushed reviews.
Trash
It’s a good album. Can’t understand the hate. Honest lyrics, crazy beats, some sound like a Wu-Tang joints. FKA Twigs on the feature, I love it.
Dope album,what’s wrong with hhdx, maybe you need to take another listen!!
Hate to be an artist and read some of the comments. You put so much effort into an album and someone just sums it up as “trash” without any constructive feedback. I’m all for opinions, but at least explain your reasoning behind your rating.
I’m not an artist, but as a fan I have the right to make opinion about this album, every album requires an effort that’s for sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be necessarily good, great or whatever.. if that’s so every album would be platinum.
My PERSONAL opinion: some songs are so experimental that seem unfinished, the distorted vocals doesn’t help too much either… they’re really distorted, there are unnecessary songs like calldrops or purity, he looks like a rookie on the alternative music, I mean it’s his first attempt so it’s ok.
Man, Purity was probably the best song on there. I think the album overall is pretty good, its just not a great rap album. His rapping ability is definitely not at the level it was on his previous works, but creatively I think the album makes up for it by taking a lot more risks that pay off sonically.
hhdx is getting worse with every review. The album flows well, keeps a consistent sound without being boring. Rocky is still a perfectly fine lyricist. Ive listened from start to finish like 10 times and im still lovin it. Everyone I know thinks its fire. Ive been gradually reading less and less reviews on here and ive found coming to my own opinion on an album is a lot better than reading some overly critical assholes perspective. So I think this will be the last review i ever read from this site. To bad. I gave album 5/5 this review gets a -3/5 peace.
Amen brother – the flow in this one is unreal. Love it so much!
Weak review. This is Rocky’s most consistent album to date, and y’all didn’t even mention some of the best tracks: Tony Tone, Distorted Records, Buck Shots. This record flows smoothly and creatively front to back with only a couple dull moments (‘OG Beeper’). I’d give it a 4.5 but I’ll round-up to counter the unfair reviews.
Who tf reviewed this? Have you been visiting Rocky throughout the year for bars? gtfoh
You listen to Rocky for stellar production, flow, and vibes and thats all on Testing in full swing
Rockys always been about cohesive, stylized projects and I think this is his best one yet.
There is a lot of context in this writeup that shows they know ASAP’s history. I’m a day 1 Rocky supporter and this is easily his worst album. It’s almost unlistenable towards the end …..
You are not a real Rocky fan if you don’t think this is a great album. It may not be like A.L.L.A. but it was different from all music that’s coming out right now. This album is just ahead of your ears, give a few weeks bud.
This is why these ratings are pointless. Might not be his best album but 2.9 says to me that all your other albums rated are better than this? Not even close. This is a good album like all other Rocky albums. Whatever no one takes this seriously anyways.
Lit???? nice tracks and like some tracks like praise da Lord , fukk sleep, gunz n butter , ASAP forever alone of these singles should be hit , it should be take place on billboard
Whoever reviewed this clearly don’t have the ears for this
Last 2 albums were fire…this one is average…still a solid album but not up to par with the previous two…..maybe it was all the hype surrounded by this album,that it was unable to get a fair shake….anyhow rocky still goes hard…..enough said
I liked it. Hun43rd is flames. That’s about it.
I liked none of it.
This album is pure fire. Who writes these reviews? Someone that hates ASAP Rocky? It is an experience to listen to this full thing front to back. I love it.
I can’t stand these self-righteous magazine and hip hop websites like Pitchfork and HHDX. They can’t wait to call Kodak Black a rapist, yet they praise Cardi B for her unique flow on the song Bodak Yellow. This isn’t Nazi Germany. Innocent until proven guilty just because he has dark skin doesn’t mean you can slander him. Shitty journalism by a bunch of hypocrites.
Goes for album of the year so far. I dont know wtf is going on with this review
Nah lol, Daytona clearly better. This a 6.6/10 while daytona a 7.9/10.
Album is pretty solid. One thing I like about ASAP Rocky is he puts together projects that have a great vibe to them. Solid production, Unique style different flows he tries. The album just gets tiring towards the end. The first couple of songs are all bangers. Few joints in the middle are solid then towards the end It’s pretty weak.
3.5 to 4.0 (3.8)but I’m definitely bumping a few joints off this. The album is hypnotizing with a melo vibe. Like all his albums. The other projects were great. This was just ok to good depending on my mood.
It’s his best album to date.
Great production, good content, and its unique.
No fillers (Surprisingly)!
I’m enjoying it more than “Daytona” to be honest with you.
Testing is definitely the best project of the year thus far.
fuck you been listening to?
Hiphopdx is a quiet fail
Has a few bangers. The Clams Casino track proves Rocky should use him exclusively like on his debut tape…the one we all fell in love with. That’s the Rocky I’d like to see 7 years later…
narsh come back to s80
This is A$AP Rocky’s least riveting album to date, but on its own its still a solid release. His lyrical content (though never at an elite level) has declined compared to his previous solo offering. For the type of rapping he does on this, he should’ve chosen more compelling beats than he did. Or simply just improved on the verses. Either way, this should’ve/could’ve been a much better album.
You gave Playboi Carti’s Die Lit a higher score than TESTING. WTF́ Narsimha ?
New album?
Damn – talk about a complete drop-off…
Man, I wanted to like this album so bad……after 3 years I expected something better. ASAP is supposed to be one of those up and coming “lyrical” rappers such as J cole and Kendrick….carrying the torch for NY East coast rap…..but the beats are whack as fuck…..he raps off-key on almost every track, doesn’t keep up with tempo….everything off beat. And whats with the beats? I want to hear HIP HOP production…..not drowsy “i just drank some lean and took E now im trippin” kinda beats with autotune. Fuck is this shit fam? Bout to go and listen me some Wu-Tang……REAL hip hop.
This album wasn’t made for you. Want some hip hop? Listen to daytona, just fuck off and let Asap Rocky create his art
Great album, even though there are a few songs I may not love, I can repect the artistry of them all
I will say that if you are a stinky black Negroid behind on his or her child support payments, if you use an EBT card every day, if you eat watermelon and fried chicken obsessively, if you often like to exclaim, “Hodee do’! Hodee do’! Conebread! Conebread!” for no apparent reason while shucking and jiving all over the street, you will like this album. Otherwise, you will hate this album.
Yo wtf
Damn, Rocky kinda fell off. Not feeling this one as much as his previous work.
DX please veto this review. Why are the blogs turning on A$AP? This album is a banger. Minimum 4.0. Giving it a 5 cause this reviewer is a joke, and this review doesn’t even mention the two hardest tracks of the year: Tony Tone and Praise Da Lord. This review is trash. This reviewer is a dumpster. Screw this noise!
I’m with you 100 percent. This having a lower rating than some of these new wack rappers “albums” is crazy. For example out of the newer releases this site gave zaytoven, tee grizzley, kyle, and playboi Carti higher ratings!? Wtf? I’m giving it a 5 too just to try and rectify that. This album may not be as solid as his other releases but it for sure still bumps heavy
Horrible review.
This album is brilliant , nicely construct and a piece of heart. Go bought it
This review is trash . People need to realise this album is already classic. Artistically solid with huge replay value and not really an easy skip.
From not an asap fan
Bullshit review haha, no wonder I stopped coming on this stupid website. Was checking the Wikipedia page for TESTING and saw this punk ass review, just needed to come back for the first time in years to tell you how much crap you guys are.
Peace out.
People giving this album a 5/5 or calling it a classic are either asap rocky’s die hardest fans or groupies. This album sucks balls ! The production is terrible and the lyrics are average. Rocky’s popularity is just based on his relationships with models and his ties with the fashion world. This album proves it. His previous album was better. But this one is just giving credit to his detractors. Remember this post on instagram where rappers were ranked from the top to the worst and Rocky was labeled as one the most overrated rapper of his generation ? Well thanks to this album is just a living proof of Rocky’s (dis)abilities as an mc. Sorry stans ! Your man ain’t what he claims to be.
I do feel like he dumbed down his rapping a bit on this release. Even with the experimental tracks, there’s still 11 solid songs here. Most of this album sounds like stuff he could have done before he was famous. He touched on some topics here thought like the prison system that I felt was missing from At Long Last A$AP. Mostly though it’s dope.
What hater reviewed this album???
I approve this work
Asap told in his interview, this wont be another f.cking cliche album. And he did it. Its a f.cking masterpiece imho! Very very very nice, relaxing. Insane, out of space beats and samples. This album is like a that fresh breeze of wind in a hot hot summer day, when you are about to blow your face off from all the same rappers and their wawa brr brrb skkkkrr sh1.t
Asap – YOU did it! Its a niche album, and You totally found your true listeners. Much respect, this is one of the best rap albums i’ve ever listened in the past 5 years. Defo its going to be turning hell of a lot in my spotify, mobile, ps4.
Good stuff
art
its okay
jep
????
this is good music
2.9, really? I’ve never been a big Asap fan, most of his albums only come with a handful of tracks that I actually like but this to me is his best project. I’m sure bigger Rocky fans will disagree but I like what he did with this album.
He seems to be testing music
This gets better the more you listen… pity people aren’t patient
Ahead of its time.
Incredible. Takes a while to click, but it’s the perfect physchadelic cloud rap/experimental hip hop experience. Ethereal production, subdued tone, everything is to love.