After waiting for over four years for ASAP Rocky’s new album, the Harlem rapper’s fans may soon be satisfied. Over the weekend, Rocky pledged that his Rolling Loud headlining set on Saturday would be his last live performance until the album was released, suggesting that it might be sooner rather than later (after all, artists can only go so long without performing and touring). Rocky also recently shared a new single with Playboi Carti on Instagram, lending some heft to speculation that the album will be arriving soon.
However, it might do so under a different title than previously expected. In a May interview with Dazed digital magazine, Rocky told Suzy Exposito that the album would not be called All Smiles as had been previously rumored. “You know, I never publicly said that my album was called All Smiles!” he said. “That one is more of a concept project, it’s music and more. I’m wrapping up the new album now.”
From Rocky’s comments, it sounds like there are actually two projects on the way: “All Smiles,” whatever that will be, and a proper album. Of course, with Rocky being so cagey with details about the album, fans are naturally going to speculate; now, they seem to have decided that the album will be called Grim, sharing memes and tweets with that album, seemingly based on a custom belt buckle he had made with the ominous-sounding word studded in diamonds.
GRIM FREESTYLE @RollingLoud #asaprocky pic.twitter.com/AmJapqJk8B
— mrsawge (@mrsawge11) September 25, 2022
GRIM SEASON IS HERE
ROLLING LOUD TONIGHT #asaprocky pic.twitter.com/4blXFG0w3h— mrsawge (@mrsawge11) September 25, 2022
The details
The fc*king DETAILS
A$AP Rocky’s GRIM belt by @alexmoss #asaprocky pic.twitter.com/2gD5JLe4Vb— THE GRIM (@AgboBabi) September 21, 2022
Whatever the album will be called, Rocky’s most hardcore fans will almost certainly continue to agitate for it as Rocky himself adjusts to being a dad and prepares for an assault case in the alleged shooting of ASAP Relli.