1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Disgrace Land as a production of double Elvis. 2 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 2: The stories about hip hop star Asap Rocky are insane. 3 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: He utilized LSD as a means of therapy. He was 4 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 2: jailed at an early age for dealing drugs, arrested for 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: assaulting photographers, and loudly proclaimed the psychedelic virtues of the 6 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 2: purple drink. 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: Born in Harlem and. 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: Raised in its drug and crimes durned streets on the 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 2: reverberations of raps golden era, Asap Rocky seems the picture 10 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: perfect hip hop star, one part take no shit tough guy, 11 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: the other part trippy, pretty boy poet. But Asap Rocky 12 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: never fit the mold he broke it. His music has 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: as much in common with his namesake, the groundbreaking mc 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: rack Kim as it does the psychedelic songsmiths of the sixties, Lennin, 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: Barrett and Zimmermann among them, and his renegade contrarian nature 16 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: is more like mister Zimmerman's aka Bob Dylan than it 17 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 2: is the dusted SoundCloud rappers. Asap Rocky shares a generation 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: with Asap has even collaborated with Bob Dylan's grandson Pablo, 19 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: and is forever in awe of and in debt to 20 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: another Pablo Jesus himself, Kanye West. And like Kanye West, 21 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,199 Speaker 2: Asap Rocky makes great music, and that music I played 22 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 2: you at the top of the show. That wasn't great music. 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: That was a preset loop from my mellotron called Desolate 24 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: Harpsichord MK two. I played you that loop because I 25 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: can't afford the rights to Old Town Road by Little 26 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 2: Na Sex. And why would I play you that specific 27 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 2: slice of Gucci Hick Cheese? 28 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: Could I afford it? 29 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: Because that was the number one song in America on 30 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 2: July third, twenty nineteen, and that was the day Asap 31 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: Rocky was jailed in Sweden, an event that would kick 32 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: off an international incident and bring none other than the 33 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: President of the United States to the defense of the desolate, 34 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 2: tripped out hip hop star. On this episode Gucci Hick Cheese, Desolation, 35 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: Purple Swag, Desap Rocky. 36 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan in this this disgrace slat. 37 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 3: All news all the time. This is ten to ten wins. 38 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 3: You give us twenty two minutes, We'll give you the world. 39 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 4: Good morning, forty three degrees on Tuesday morning, seven am. 40 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 4: I'm James hardy and here's what's happening. New York real 41 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 4: estate tycoon Donald Trump announced today he. 42 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 5: Will host him star in a new reality television series 43 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 5: called The Apprentice, earlier on NBC on Thursday nights, as 44 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 5: being billed as must TV Baseball legend Rose has admitted 45 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 5: to beam on dates. 46 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: Rakim Meers had that stupid Morse code melody in his 47 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: head from the news station pumping out of the guards radio. 48 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 2: He heard it every morning. The radio was loud, as 49 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 2: fucked and twice as annoying. Who wanted to listen to 50 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: people talk on the radio. He would never understand that, 51 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: why not just listen to music? But on his long 52 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 2: list of problems, the radio was way down on the list. 53 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 2: The blood wasn't much of a problem either. It would 54 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: flow down the prison shower drain, no problem, And the 55 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: showers weren't really a problem either. And here the guards 56 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 2: would never see Rokkim squared off with the bigger earlier dude. 57 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 2: It was his first prison fight. He knew it was coming, 58 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: it was unavoidable. He and the bigger inmates stepped onto 59 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: the row of tiles beneath the prison showerheads, where their 60 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: blood would eventually rain down and drain out where the 61 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: guards wouldn't see. The one on one brawl had been 62 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: negotiated by Rakim's only friend in Riker's Casanova, a robber 63 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: and check scammer from flat Bush who rocked. 64 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,119 Speaker 1: Him and met in the bullpen on his first night. 65 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: Right now, Casanova was surrounded by eight of this burly 66 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: lug's closest prison buddies. 67 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: Casanova nodded to rock him, you got this. Rocky. 68 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: Rocky was Rockkim's nickname, fitting for what was about to 69 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 2: go down Riker's Island two thousand and four, the JUVI Unit, 70 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: the one the screws called animal Control. 71 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: Rock Kim Rocky. 72 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 2: Myers was a scrawny sixteen year old, a pretty boy 73 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 2: product of Harlem who had dabbled in the drug game 74 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: for years and in the past year graduated his slinging 75 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: crack in the Bronx. His dad was in jail for dealing, 76 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 2: his brother was gunned down in the streets when Rocky 77 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 2: was just thirteen, and now, as would seem his grim destiny, 78 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: Rocky was on the island himself, at least for a 79 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 2: couple of weeks while his grandmother waited for his bail. 80 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: Bond to be processed, and the charges were bullshit drug charges, 81 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: but nothing that could stick. He'd be out quick, so 82 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: all he really needed to do was keep his head down. 83 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: But that first night in the bullpen was tough. 84 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,679 Speaker 2: He was starving, and if he was being honest, scared, 85 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: you'd have to be a complete psychopath not to be 86 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 2: whether you were in animal control, GenPop, or any of 87 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 2: the other God forsaken the unit in Rikers. Rikers was Rikers, 88 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 2: a unique jail experience, like visiting an old ballpark. The 89 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: quirk in the Island's case was that everyone in the 90 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 2: joint was either a waiting trial or serving a year 91 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: or less on their sentence, without any nickel and dime 92 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 2: terms or life sentence. Old timers around to invest in 93 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 2: the place, consolidate power, and insist on long term stability. 94 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: The constant churn of new inmates meant constant fighting, constant brawling, 95 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: a perpetual law of the jungle. But Rocky had plans 96 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 2: beyond Rikers. He'd been rapping since he was nine. Had 97 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 2: been named after the legendary mc rakim, who had pioneered 98 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: the style of the laid back, laconic flow full of 99 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: internal rhymes and runs along with his partner DJ Eric 100 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: b breaking the bill Board Top ten chart with their 101 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: debut and becoming one of the most influential acts of 102 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 2: the Golden Age of rap. Rokkim gave him his name, 103 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 2: Ricky gave him his style. Ricky was his brother, and 104 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: after he died, Rocky adopted his French braid hairstyle and 105 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 2: took his wrapping even more seriously. So, even alone here 106 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 2: in animal control, he knew he had one thing that 107 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: most of the other dudes and rikers didn't have. Vision, 108 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: and in his peripheral vision back on that first night 109 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 2: in the pen, Rocky noticed Casanova. He was sprawled out 110 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: in a prison jumpsuit sporting a pair of Nike Air 111 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 2: Maxes in the middle of Rikers like he didn't have 112 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: a care in the world, and the fashion conscious Rocky 113 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 2: was impressed. Yo, how they let you keep your shoes? 114 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 2: Casanova laughed. He wasn't much older than the stick figure kid, 115 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 2: but this was his third time through. He knew how 116 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 2: things worked, how to get things. He was on some 117 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 2: real shaw shaped redemption shit, and he pulled a red 118 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 2: and took Rocky under his wing, and Casanova laid it 119 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: on Rocky one. Don't tell anyone you're getting bailed out soon. 120 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: That'll make them want to fuck with you even more 121 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 2: than they already do. Rule number two. When at lunch 122 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: in the mess hall, don't sit on the iron bench. 123 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: The iron bench is for facts. That's why it's called 124 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: riding the iron dick. It means you're a pussy, someone 125 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 2: who can be fucked with. Just stand up and eat 126 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: your food while you're practicing your ability to not make 127 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 2: eye contact. Avoiding eye contact and thus any contact hopefully 128 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 2: was part of the deal. In prison, prison sex was 129 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 2: a real threat as fresh meat. New prisoners were constantly 130 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: being sized up by the hard timers looking for vulnerable 131 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,559 Speaker 2: prisoners to rape or to quote unquote turn out or worse, 132 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: to punk out, meaning they'd pimp them out to other 133 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 2: prisoners for a price. Sexual slavery was a real threat, 134 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: which brought Castanova to Rule number three. Don't borrow shit. 135 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 2: Stay away from the prison loan sharks. Whatever contraband you 136 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: think you need, it ain't worth it. Before you know it. 137 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 2: That coffee you borrowed, you can't pay it back, and 138 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: then you can't pay back the interest, and then you 139 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 2: can't sit right for a week because you get turned 140 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 2: out to pay back your debt, and then you end 141 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 2: up fucking out your ass for the rest of the. 142 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: Time you're in here. Casanova went on rule number four. 143 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: Don't sit in the chairs by the TV either, not 144 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 2: unless you want to get whooped by some serious motherfuckers. 145 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: The TV is the closest thing in here to puss. 146 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 2: Shit is on lock make a play for it. You 147 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 2: better be able to back it up. Fucking with the 148 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: television controlling it means you're the top dog and you 149 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 2: might look bad in all, but you ain't no alpha, 150 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: not yet anyway. But you ain't gonna be in here 151 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: long enough to grow into no big bad wolf. So 152 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: just forget about the fucking TV altogether. And last, but 153 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: certainly far from fucking least, it's rule number five. When 154 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 2: it comes to getting clean, get in and out of 155 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 2: the showers as fast as you can without incident, not 156 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 2: unless you want to become somebody's bitch. See rules number two, 157 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: A and three. But when it came to the showers, 158 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 2: Rocky didn't listen. It was a matter of pride. The 159 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: soap when it thumped the back of his skull, sent 160 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 2: him into an instinctive fury. He turned around and mouthed 161 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 2: off to the big Dude, chucking the soap around the 162 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 2: shower like Mike Vick. Before Rocky knew it, Big Dude 163 00:08:58,240 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 2: and nine of his Big Dude buddies were in so 164 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 2: him in the shower. One way or another. Rocky knew 165 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 2: he was about to be fucked. Luckily, Casanova was nearby 166 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: and stepped in, thrusting his arm in between Rocky and 167 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 2: the approaching mob. Yo step back, make it a fair fight, 168 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: fair fight, let him prove himself, and after a long 169 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: tense pause, Big Dude accepted the challenge and called off 170 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: his crew Mono Imano, who was no matter to Big Dude. 171 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 2: Rocky was going down regardless. The fight began. Rocky and 172 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: a big Dude lunged at each other. Flesh met flesh 173 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 2: with a hollow slap, and their bare feet sliding on 174 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: the wet tile, went from squeal to screech as they 175 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: wrestled each other from a firm grip and Big Dude 176 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 2: shifted his weight dragged them together over against the wall, 177 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 2: jabbing Rocky's left flank with one of the industrial shower knobs. 178 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: The ancient metal rattled in his fixture. 179 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 2: Rocky winced, but used the pressure of the wall to 180 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: twist out of the hold and regroup. 181 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: And Big Dude was big, but Rocky was fast. 182 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 2: Before his opponent could zero in on him again, Rocky 183 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: bounced back at him with a lunch and like a 184 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 2: large goofy cart tune character, the Big Dude's feet left 185 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 2: the wet floor in a clean arc. His head toppled 186 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: to the tile with a flat crack. Ooze ran out 187 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 2: from the crowd, and now with every blow of the 188 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 2: blood sport, Rocky straddled the prone form of his enemy 189 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 2: and started wailing on his sides. Avoid the face, he thought, 190 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 2: bruised the body. The jumpsuit when he puts it on. 191 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 2: We'll hide them, just like the drains will take care 192 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,559 Speaker 2: of the blood. Nobody's business. But there's on the shower floor, 193 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: not the screws, not the wardens. Rocky was going to 194 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 2: make his rep right here, right now, and not just 195 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 2: for winning, but for how he fought with style, discretion, 196 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 2: and then with a heave, the Big Dude unexpectedly rolled 197 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 2: them both over. 198 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: Rocky now was underneath him. 199 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 2: He raised a fist, and Rocky prepared to see the 200 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: light just then as the Big Dude pulled back his fist, 201 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 2: he wabbled and lost his balance. Rocky pounced began wailing 202 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: on his opponent again. The crowd roared and Rocky's opponent 203 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: collapsed to his feet, flopped onto the floor with a 204 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: few fat, wet slaps, and Rocky stood firm on his 205 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: feet and the Big Dude's friends moved into the fighting lane, 206 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: crowding the shower. 207 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: Rocky got on edge again. 208 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 2: He suddenly wondered if Big Dude's boys weren't going to 209 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 2: uphold the rules the fair fight and jump them to 210 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 2: make a point that, despite what they decreed upon, that 211 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 2: here in the pen, there were no rules. But then 212 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: several of them patted him on the back while the 213 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: others helped up their friend, and the sense of relief 214 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 2: washed over Rocky. The sudden acceptance was disoriented. Rocky felt 215 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 2: a huge slap on the back from Casanova and stumbled 216 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: forward a bit Rikers Island, New York, New York. If 217 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 2: he can make it in here, he can make it anywhere. 218 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 2: Smoke from the blunt filled the air in thick curls 219 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 2: at the hole the Sheikh Manhattan Arc Gallery, where asap 220 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 2: Rocky was celebrating the release of his first full length record, 221 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: twenty thirteen's Long Live Asap. He had come a long 222 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 2: way from Riker's Island in nine short years. The room, 223 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 2: pure white, was full of buzz and chatter, clinking drinks, 224 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 2: soho bobo street fashion on display everywhere, hedge fund bros 225 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: and five thousand dollars suits and post economic dot com 226 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 2: dudes in ten thousand dollars denim and torn T shirt ensembles, 227 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: high fashion sneakers all around, big blunts, big bank accounts, 228 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 2: big beats. In the back of the room was the 229 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 2: Asap Mob, the Harlem based arts collective whose members included 230 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 2: asap Fer, asap Nast, asap Ant and others, with asap 231 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 2: Rocky and asap. 232 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: Yams as the group's unofficial leaders. 233 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 2: And the whole mob was washing to a DJ remixing 234 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 2: Rocky signature tracks, while from across the gallery, a reporter 235 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 2: from The Village Voice absorbed the scene and jotted down notes. 236 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 2: This wouldn't be the first glowing profile of Rocky. Rocky 237 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 2: had been trailed in AWE by a New York Times 238 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 2: report or two years earlier, to commemorate the release of 239 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 2: his debut EP Live Love Asap, which had blown up 240 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 2: the New York rap scene on the back of a 241 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 2: surgical strike media campaign. It was Asap BMS who had 242 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: built the high traffic hip hop Tumblr page and then 243 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 2: seated Rocky's first two singles, Purple Swag and Peso on 244 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 2: the page, mixed in with the tribute videos to classic rappers. 245 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 2: Both tracks were hits videos soon followed. The rollout was 246 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 2: executed perfectly, and so the offers from the major labels 247 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 2: rolled in. Rocky had gone from slinging drugs to rapping 248 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: full time to record deal in six months flat. Even 249 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 2: The Times, the old gray lady of the establishment that 250 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 2: it was, praised him as an iconoclast and innovator, a 251 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 2: visionary blending regional styles from across America to craft a 252 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:51,719 Speaker 2: new sound, and Rocky's taste as a listener was omnivorous. 253 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: Johnny Cash, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Pink Floyd all 254 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 2: mixed in with the grates of hip hop past and present. 255 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 2: And though ASAP's glowed happened on Tumblr, his post genre 256 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: ideals and social media origins were really the starting gun, 257 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: heralding the SoundCloud rap errow to come. The Times described 258 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: his music as Heavily Narcotic in twenty eleven, and by 259 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 2: the time of the full length album and the smoke 260 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 2: filled Party at the Hole in twenty thirteen, it was 261 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 2: truer than ever. The album, ASAP, Rocky's debut album, debuted 262 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 2: at number one on the Billboard two hundred charts. It 263 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 2: was a dizzying ride for Rocky, but dizzy was something 264 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: he was used to. The woozy, psychedelic effect of ASAP's 265 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 2: beats sank into the bodies of his listeners the same 266 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 2: way the thick blanket of blunt smoke sank around everybody 267 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 2: in the room that night. And although Rocky wasn't a 268 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 2: drug dealer himself anymore, drugs, especially psychedelics, remained central to 269 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: his artistic process. He considered them fuel for his vision, mushrooms, LSD, 270 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 2: ecstasy and lots and lots of weed. The brash news 271 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 2: star happily told The Times that his crew had been 272 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: ahead of the curve in the late odds when they 273 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 2: started sipping lean aka purple drink aka Codey and cough 274 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 2: sirup mixed with vodka and sprite. Drugs were only part 275 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 2: of the equation. Pussy was just as important. The third 276 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 2: track on the album was entitled PMW All I Really 277 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 2: Need the PMW of course stood for pussy money Weed. 278 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: For Asap Rocky, it was an ethos, a lifestyle, one 279 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: that didn't let up between the critically and commercially successful albums. 280 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 2: In fact, when he wasn't making music, life was even 281 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 2: more off the leash. Pussy, money, and weed were all 282 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 2: in plentiful supply, but like anything else, too much of 283 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: a good thing gets boring. And on that day in 284 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 2: July twenty twelve, with no work to be done at 285 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: the studio and no more balling to do in the bedroom, 286 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: and having had his fill of smoke before lunch, Asap 287 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 2: decided he needed some new threats, so he hit the 288 00:15:55,160 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 2: Manhattan streets to go shopping. Out on the street, he 289 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 2: was hustling to the sounds of the city rich as 290 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: fucked by Lil Wayne blaring from a car with a 291 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 2: sound system so base heavy the Rocky felt it at 292 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 2: his feet. A guy in a Yankees cat buying a 293 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 2: post from a newsstand vendor in a Mets cap, both 294 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: men agreeing their teams for shit this year and oh yeah, 295 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 2: fuck the Red Sox, and their exchange ended the car 296 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 2: drove off, and just as Rocky passed the newsstand, the 297 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 2: stained old radio over the shoulder of the vendor hissed 298 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 2: him from across the sidewalk, and then those familiar and 299 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 2: annoying twitching beeps. 300 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: We'll be right back after this word, word word. 301 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 3: All news, all the time is ten ten waivers, and 302 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 3: he'll give us twenty two minutes. 303 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: We'll give you the word. 304 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 4: That afternoon, seventy four degrees partly sunny skies at eleven 305 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 4: am years are happening New York. Donald Trump today again, 306 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 4: I'm a president Barakuo, but I'm a five million dollars 307 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 4: to a charity of his choice for focussing his breath 308 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 4: certificate to Major League Baseball held its eighty fourth All 309 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 4: Star Game at City fielding Queens the American meahout out 310 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 4: to the national music across the lawn, to the same 311 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,440 Speaker 4: sex marriage. 312 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 2: July in Manhattan, sticky hot, and the rotting smell of 313 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: garbage in the air everywhere, even in the nice parts 314 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 2: of Manhattan. The smell was just part of the deal. 315 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 2: Rocky was high on the purple tripping, slow walking fast, 316 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 2: at least he thought so. Anyway, he had swag one 317 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 2: way or the other, but the garbage smell was throwing 318 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 2: off his vibe, and as he bopped from shop to 319 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 2: boutique to custom Taylor, he kept finding the random people 320 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 2: on the street, more and more menacing their eyes like 321 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 2: black portals into the unknown. Some real Jacob's laddershit and 322 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 2: he was seriously creaked out. 323 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 1: He coached himself, a little chill, chill, it's just some. 324 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 2: Paranoia, but he was asap rocky now and some of 325 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 2: these people really were staring at him. As he stepped 326 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 2: into the next door, his paranoia flattened him. Who the 327 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 2: fuck worthy these people and why wouldn't they stop staring? 328 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 2: He knew he was good looking, but damn level out, 329 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 2: he told himself. He went for his supply in his pocket, 330 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 2: just a little something for the edge, and as he 331 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 2: pulled it out, though he couldn't even tell what he 332 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 2: was holding a bottle of purple packed bowl, a tab 333 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: of acid. He literally couldn't see what was in his hand. 334 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 2: His vision was scrambled. He took a deep breath, swallowed, 335 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 2: looked up and saw the big dude in the store 336 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 2: staring at him. He was holding a bar of artis 337 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 2: amos scented soap made by a coven of. 338 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: Witches in Brooklyn. 339 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 2: He was big, vacant looking, but he immediately reminded Rocky 340 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 2: of the big dude from the showers. 341 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: Back at Riker's fucking creep. Fuck this not again? 342 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,959 Speaker 2: The fuck are you looking at now? Rocky barked at him. 343 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 2: Big dude grinned. Rocky swore he saw it, then he 344 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 2: saw him step to him. No joke, Yes, it happened. 345 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,440 Speaker 2: Something happened. Shit, what the fuck was happening? Rocky didn't think. 346 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 2: He relied on muscle memory. What worked in the showers 347 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 2: would work on the streets or in the boutiques. He 348 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: grabbed the security guard, big dude, and pitched him into 349 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: a rack of thousand dollars blazers, sending the metal hangars 350 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 2: rattling with the sound of a million tiny psychedelic suns. 351 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,479 Speaker 2: Whatever the fuck that sounded like, but it was all 352 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 2: Rocky could hear. The big dude said nothing, stop peeping 353 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 2: my shit. Rocky shouted, and again the big dude said nothing, 354 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 2: just collected himself and began to rise up. Rocky was 355 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 2: through with him, in his word, was staring bullshit. He 356 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 2: shifted his warped vision out the window onto the street. 357 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 2: Now there was a crew of big dudes, must have 358 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 2: been around seven or eight, and they had cameras out 359 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 2: recording the damaged Rocky had just done shit. Every bad 360 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,959 Speaker 2: paranoid drugged out, fused, and Rocky's nervous system ignited all 361 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,719 Speaker 2: at once. He raged out of the store, straight up 362 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: to the too closest amateur paparazzi and they saw mania 363 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 2: and his eyes backed off to run, but it was 364 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 2: too late. Rocky was too fast. He wrestled the cameras 365 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 2: from them, tried smashing one against his knee, tossed the 366 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 2: other to the ground, stomped on it. No visible evidence, 367 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 2: believe nothing the screws could see. Let the purple blood 368 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 2: flow down the drain, and finally, as adrenaline dipped and 369 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 2: he took a beat. What the fuck demanded one of 370 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 2: the photographers, And then the comdown hit him all at 371 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 2: once like a wave. 372 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: What the hell did he just do? 373 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 2: Attempted grand larceny, assault robbery, so said the arresting officers. Anyway, 374 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 2: Rocky copped a plea for the larceny charge in exchange 375 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: for the assault robbery charges being dropped, and the Big 376 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: Dude sued Rocky on his own for assault, a cash 377 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 2: grab that played out in court for over a year. 378 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 2: Rocky claimed self defense and countersued, and the tangle of 379 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: claims dragged on. But by the time they dropped the matter, 380 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: it came to a go away settlement. They did so quietly. 381 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 2: It made no more ways for Rocky's career. Eventually, just 382 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 2: like a bad trip, it all melted away. Asap Rocky 383 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 2: wasn't in the hole anymore. He was at the whole 384 00:20:51,160 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 2: celebrating his album, his number one album, Life Was Good. 385 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 2: Rocky was hungry. He needed some real fuel before a 386 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 2: show that night, so he and his crew, a few 387 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 2: members of ASAP Mob and several enormous bodyguards, decided to 388 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 2: check out max Hamburger's, a sort of bougie Swedish. 389 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: Version of McDonald's. 390 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: The crew made their way through the foreign streets, staying 391 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 2: close together but still throwing off their desired vibe of intimidation. 392 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 2: It's in fucking vincible and they were strangers in a 393 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 2: strange land here in Stockholm on an international tour. 394 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: It was July twenty nineteen. 395 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 2: Asap Rocky had come a long way from the album 396 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 2: release party at the whole in the past six years 397 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 2: after his debut album debuted at number one, his second 398 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 2: full length record, at Long Last Asap, did the same 399 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 2: thing in twenty fifteen, and then his third album, Testing 400 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 2: debuted at number four, making it three top five album 401 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 2: drops in a row. Pretty impressive, but it was bittersweet. 402 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 2: A few months before the release of It Long Last Asap, 403 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 2: Rocky's producing partner and fellow leader of the Asap Mob, 404 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 2: Asap Yams, had been found unconscious in his Brooklyn apartment, 405 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 2: felled by a combination of opiates, benzos and sleep apnea. 406 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 2: Dead for Rocky and the rest of the Asap Mob, 407 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 2: it was the end of an era, and there have 408 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 2: been other rough times too. Had trouble meeting, a few 409 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 2: runs at Sobriety, Pierre trouble due to various alleged desktops, 410 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 2: a brawl in Times Square that led to the canceling 411 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: of his first appearance on The Tonight Show, and another 412 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 2: brawl at a festival where he allegedly slapped a woman. 413 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 2: The Asap denied it and the woman never showed in court. 414 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 2: And of course there was girl trouble, a bummer end 415 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 2: to his relationship with Iggy Azalea, flings with Rhianna and 416 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: Kylie Jenner in Turns with Love and hip hop star 417 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 2: Tyhirie Jones and Victoria's secret model Chanelle Laman all sorts 418 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 2: of trouble, and as is the case with most pop stars, 419 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 2: there was the inevitable and ridiculous media trouble too. In 420 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 2: twenty fifteen, Rocky visited Oxford University in London. It was 421 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,640 Speaker 2: asked if rap artists had a responsibility to speak out 422 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 2: about racial justice issues after the Ferguson riots and rise 423 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 2: of Black Lives Matter. Rocky replied no, elaborating that he 424 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 2: didn't want to rap disingenuously about protests he hadn't participated in, 425 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: and that in his experience, black on black violence was 426 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 2: more common than police violence. Asap specifically said at a 427 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 2: time in twenty fourteen when sixty people were shot over 428 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: one July weekend, quote, why are we exploiting the beef 429 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 2: between the urban community and the police force when sixty 430 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 2: people got shot on Friday and Saturday in Chicago and 431 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 2: black on black crime? So one cop shoots a black person, 432 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 2: that kind of shit is inevitable. Not to glorify it, 433 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 2: but that's nothing new Let's talk about the black on 434 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 2: black crime. If you're not going to talk about the 435 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 2: main topic, then don't talk about it at all. When 436 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 2: asked for a follow up by a reporter from the 437 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:13,919 Speaker 2: Time Out in New York, Rocky replied, who am I 438 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 2: Al Sharpton. I live in fucking soho in Beverly Hills. 439 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,879 Speaker 2: I can't relate. I go back to Harlem. It's not 440 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 2: the same. It's a sad story. In a begrudging apology 441 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: interview with Charlemagne the God Asap finished his thoughts on 442 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 2: the subject, The overall message for me, the most I 443 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 2: could really do is just like encourage everybody. 444 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 3: Man. 445 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 2: We really got to get together, show love, spread love. 446 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 2: Especially with someone like that guy Trump in office. That's 447 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 2: a catastrophe and that's really getting serious. This was the 448 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 2: summer of twenty sixteen. 449 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: Donald J. 450 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 2: Trump, new York real estate mogul, reality talk show host, 451 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 2: part time Barack Obama troll, the Birther in chief, was 452 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 2: now somehow the Republican candidate for commander in chief. Rocky 453 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 2: spoke as if you were already in office. All the 454 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 2: LSD had made him clairvoyant, but half of America was 455 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 2: already freaking the fuck out, particularly the half the controlled 456 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 2: most of the mainstream media, and public pressure on artists 457 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 2: to speak out about politics was at an all time high, 458 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 2: especially in the black community. There was an implied obligation 459 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 2: being signaled to any cultural influencer, regardless of skin color. 460 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 2: You're either with us or with him, and asap, Rocky 461 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 2: was not immune. But it was not a bag you 462 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 2: wanted to carry, and not because of any political ideology, 463 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 2: not because he believed with Trump or believed in his agenda, 464 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: but just because for some people politics it ain't their thing. 465 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: It's a cesspool of snakes who are in it for 466 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 2: the money, to influence, the power, and the ego, four 467 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 2: things Rocky already had plenty of. Once you realize the 468 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 2: politicians in the media are only in it for themselves, 469 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 2: then what's the point. You're either playing the game or 470 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 2: being played by the game. He just soon avoided all. 471 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,959 Speaker 2: After Rocky wrapped the pressatory, he got back to what 472 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 2: most every young male hip hop star wants to get into. Pussy, 473 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 2: money and weed, or put more esoterically in his trippy 474 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 2: track LSD Love Sex Dreams. The lows were one thing, 475 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 2: but the highs were surreal magical. In that same year, 476 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen, an upstart rapper came up on the New 477 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 2: York radio scene with a single titled Don't Run, and 478 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 2: that rapper was Casanova Asaps old guardian angel from Rikers. 479 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 2: It was beyond belief, but they were reunited as friends 480 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 2: and successful rappers randomly a decade later, after Casanova had 481 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 2: finished his seven year stint inside and discovered upon his 482 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 2: release that the first timer he had once taken under 483 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 2: his wing was now the world famous Asap Rocky Damn. 484 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 2: Of course, his now worldwide fame came with its own 485 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 2: set of hassles, fans, bad fans, weirdos. Since the assault 486 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 2: that led to the larceny charges in twenty twelve. Sure, 487 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 2: Rocky and his entourage had their various minor scuffles at 488 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 2: festivals and on tour, but nothing. 489 00:26:59,080 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: Out of the ordinary. 490 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 2: These things happened in supernova hip hop star circles, and 491 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 2: the security cameras at Stockholm's max Hamburgers were about to 492 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 2: show us exactly how. On the street outside Asap Mob 493 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 2: had been followed by an agitated teenage dude, thin with 494 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 2: an arm tattoo middle Eastern complexion. He kept hovering, complaining 495 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: to them, demanding some kind of payback, something about breaking 496 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 2: his headphones. Who the fuck was this guy? Had they 497 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 2: bumped them leaving the burger joined or something? Why wouldn't 498 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 2: he shut the hell up? Rocky flashed back to the 499 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 2: potique in Manhattan, and Rocky flashed back to the showers 500 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 2: at Rikers, New York. Paranoia, zombies creeping cross continental headphones. 501 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 2: Broke my headphones, yelled the guy, insisting in taking another 502 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,199 Speaker 2: run at the mob from his position hovering at the 503 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 2: corner of the block. Jesus Man, fucking chill. The bad 504 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 2: vibes kept vibing. A couple members of the entourage, including 505 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 2: a couple of the girls with them, took out their 506 00:27:57,760 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 2: phones to document what was going on. 507 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 1: Keep the story straight, the theory. 508 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 2: The closed circuit TV camera in the corner of the 509 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 2: burger joint caught the first move. 510 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: Fucked this herb. 511 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 2: Rocky's bodyguard grabbed him and hurled him down the street, 512 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: and the dude tumbled violently on the pavement. Rocky and 513 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,400 Speaker 2: his crew bounced out of view of the burger shop cameras, and. 514 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: The kid followed. 515 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 2: He wouldn't let up, block after block, persistent annoying little 516 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 2: fucker that he was my headphones, this my headphones. 517 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: That, blah blah blah blah. 518 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,479 Speaker 2: The Rocky and his boys ignored him, but kept their 519 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 2: phones out recording. 520 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: This did not sit well with the kid. Now it 521 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: was his turn to be annoyed agitated. 522 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 2: He snapped broke out in a full on sprint at 523 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 2: one of Rocky's bodyguards, who grabbed him and flicked him 524 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: away like he was swatting a fly. And the kid 525 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 2: got up pissed and flung his headphones at Rocky. Rocky 526 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 2: flashed back at the big dude Mike vick wannabe, flinging 527 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 2: the soap and the showers at Riker's. Rocky played it cool. 528 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 2: Rocky's bodyguard did not. He pounced, grabbed the kid and 529 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 2: flung him down the street away from his protected pop 530 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 2: star charge, and the iPhone cameras kept rolling. This was 531 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 2: the American star ASAP, Rocky and this big ass American 532 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 2: crew kicking the shit out of some annoyed European fan. 533 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 2: Halfway down the block, one of the cameras caught one 534 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 2: of ASAP's crew saying, Yo, we're gonna have to fuck this, 535 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 2: but he trailed off The cameras couldn't catch everything, but 536 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 2: that didn't stop Rocky's crew and whoever else might have 537 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 2: been lucky enough to be on the street that night 538 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: to start uploading their videos of what was going down 539 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 2: right away. For those close to Rocky, the live streams 540 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 2: and uploads were a preemptive declaration of self defense. For others, 541 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 2: it was a chance to blow up their social platforms. 542 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 2: Rocky jumped on Instagram live and began streaming. He knew 543 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 2: just what to say. Look just for the cameras. We 544 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 2: don't want no problems with these boys. They keep following us, 545 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 2: and the kid kept after them. ASAP's mob tried talking 546 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 2: him down, asking a couple of young local women to 547 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 2: help translate their desire to be left alone, to get 548 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 2: it through this kid's thick skull that they wanted no trouble, 549 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 2: but the bad vibes kept coming. Four blocks of being stocked, 550 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 2: they were done trying with this kid, annoying fuck that 551 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 2: he was, and they were now on a quiet street 552 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 2: and they had given enough warnings, no more fucking around. The 553 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 2: kid approached again, ASAP's bodyguard lifted him up by the 554 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 2: seams of his T shirt like cheap luggage and launched 555 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 2: him off of the sidewalk and into the road, and 556 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 2: the kid landed by the curb with a crunch. Rocky 557 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: and his crew swarmed. They pummeled him with kicks, fists, stops, 558 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 2: grinding the annoying fan into the broken glass and dirt 559 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 2: on the street, hit after hit after hit, kick after 560 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 2: kick after kick, and then it ended. And for a 561 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 2: minute there Rocky thought that would be it. Dude stepped, dude, 562 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 2: get beat down, end a story. But of course TMZ 563 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 2: did not see it that way, and they had a 564 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 2: salt footage, probably offered up by an entourage hanger on 565 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 2: for a nice payday, and released to the public the 566 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 2: very same day. Then the kid pressed charges, and by 567 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 2: showtime the next night there was a warrn out for 568 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 2: asap Rocky's arrest. Voluntarily headed to the police station to 569 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 2: clear up what he thought was a misunderstanding of who 570 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 2: assaulted who first. He was arrested immediately and thrown in 571 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 2: jail without bail. The bad vibe, the dread in the 572 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 2: pit of his stomach was overwhelming. Now what the fuck 573 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 2: had happened? How would he ended up here in Stockholm 574 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,959 Speaker 2: in jail? The ironic answer was that he damned himself 575 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 2: by proclaiming his innocence. His Instagram videos edited by Rocky 576 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 2: and crew to framed their part of the incident his 577 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: self defense, and posted later the same day. Authorities ruled 578 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 2: the edit was equivalent to tampering with evidence, decided Rocky 579 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: was a flight risk, and decided to keep him locked 580 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,239 Speaker 2: up until the trial was complete. Just like that, rock 581 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 2: Kim Myers was incarcerated again, reduced to his sixteen year 582 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: old patty criminal self. Only this time it wasn't Riker's, 583 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 2: which was at least a kind of hell he knew. 584 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 2: This time. It was half a world away, and now 585 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 2: the world knew him. He was caged alone in a 586 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 2: strange land on confusing charges, at the center of a 587 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 2: media firestorm in a straight up international incident. 588 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: Is ten ten wayams. 589 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 3: He'll give us twenty two minutes, We'll give you the world. 590 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 4: Good morning, eighty two degrees clear skies, nine am. Here's 591 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,959 Speaker 4: what's happening. New York rapper Asap Brockie has been arrested 592 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 4: in Sweden on charges of assault. After We'll be right 593 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 4: back after this word word word. 594 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 2: The way the Reverend Al Sharpton told him he was 595 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 2: the quiet one of the bunch, and that was saying 596 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 2: something given that the one time James brown bag boy 597 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 2: turned FBI snitch turned outsider activists turned cushy Manhattan elite 598 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 2: media pundon. It was one of the biggest bloviating windbags 599 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 2: in America's long history of big bloviating windbags. But Sharpton 600 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 2: was sitting in a helicopter between none other than the 601 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 2: two Dons, Don King and Donald Trump, and all three 602 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 2: of them had mastered the art of using their big 603 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 2: mouths to stir media cyclones that no doubt would have 604 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 2: made P. T. Barnum jealous, But no matter the revenuew it, 605 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 2: the two dons were bigger blowhards, and even himself, Don 606 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 2: and the Donald were yelling over each other, blowing out 607 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 2: the headphones they all wore in order to hear over 608 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 2: the noise of the helicopter wrots churning. 609 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: The air all around them. 610 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 2: The headphone system made yelling completely useless, but the revenue 611 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 2: explaining that to these two was unnecessary listening in the 612 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 2: best of conditions wasn't one of either strong suits. Besides, 613 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 2: it was only a short trip from Manhattan to Jersey. 614 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 2: Soon enough they'd be touching down for the fight in 615 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 2: Atmantic City. The Donald had been courting Don King for 616 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 2: a while, hoping to get more black fighters to book 617 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 2: it Trump Casino, specifically Hot Ticket White Tyson. It was 618 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 2: Don who had insisted that Donald make peace with Al 619 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 2: Sharpton as part of their collaboration in order to build 620 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 2: ties with the black community. Sharpton, for his part, would 621 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 2: later go on record to say that Donald Trump was 622 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 2: basically the white Don King. So if dummying up for 623 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 2: a quick ride meant donations to his causes and to 624 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 2: pull out all the staffs night Ringside inclusive of this 625 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 2: here trip on a Worli burder, well, that was just 626 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: good business. 627 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 1: Sure the rev could sit. 628 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 2: Quiet between the white and black versions of the same carnibarker, 629 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 2: no problem. Sharpton would go right ahead and let Don King, 630 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 2: the legendary black boxing promoter who was a young loan shark, 631 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 2: stomp demand to death on Cedar Avenue in Cleveland, trade 632 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 2: fight predictions with Donald Trump, the pugnacious white real estate 633 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,440 Speaker 2: mogul with a history of civil rights violations and his 634 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 2: rental properties. Al loved telling the story. The irony was 635 00:34:55,840 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 2: too rich especially considering who Donald Trump, that was the 636 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: forty fifth president of the United States, who, while running 637 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 2: for office, claimed he could shoot someone in the middle 638 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,399 Speaker 2: of Fifth Avenue and get away with it. Motherfucker said 639 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 2: this in public and then won the election. 640 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:16,959 Speaker 1: Donald J. Trump, don fucking king gangsters to their core. 641 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 2: ASAP's mother, Renee, stepped into Al Sharpton's office along with 642 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 2: the mothers of the two other ASAP entourage members who 643 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 2: had been detained in Sweden. They had come to ask 644 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 2: for his help in getting their sons free, but after 645 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 2: Rocky's rejection of any responsibility to speak out on social 646 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,800 Speaker 2: justice issues in years passed, the irony wafting through the 647 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 2: room was not lost on any of them. Al Sharpton 648 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 2: knew the score, and so did Renee and the other mothers, 649 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 2: but Sharpton ignored the irony. The opportunity for publicity was 650 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 2: too good. Aligning himself publicly with one of the biggest 651 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,720 Speaker 2: hip hop stars on the planet was a no brainer. 652 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 2: So Reverend Al sharp and released a statement demanding ASAP 653 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,440 Speaker 2: Rocky's release and proposing that he himself should get to 654 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 2: visit Rocky as his minister. Yeah, that's the ticket, Sharpton 655 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 2: then took it a step further and called on the 656 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 2: US Congress to pressure the State Department to act. But 657 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,799 Speaker 2: despite his best intentions, Al Sharpton was once again cut 658 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:23,480 Speaker 2: down to size by an even bigger voice, a familiar voice, 659 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,720 Speaker 2: Donald J. Trump's voice, the President of the United States, 660 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 2: one of the most polarizing and contradictory figures in the 661 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 2: history of the world, a guy who toggled between state 662 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 2: dinners in the mud of modern day digital media with 663 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:42,319 Speaker 2: nonsensical Grandpa Simpson, Twitter rants. A dude who could charm you, 664 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 2: offend you, make a pass at you, insult you. A 665 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 2: dude who could steal from you, provide for you, cut 666 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 2: you off, cut your taxes, grab your pussy, call you 667 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 2: a pussy, bring back Cole, blow off Davos, A dude 668 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 2: who would bate you into an argument over race and 669 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,240 Speaker 2: then sign a prison reform bill while you weren't looking. 670 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 2: This dude had decided to enter into the frame to 671 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 2: help free Asap Rocky. Of course, he did because Kim 672 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:09,040 Speaker 2: Kardashian and her husband Kanye West, who claimed to be 673 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 2: Trump's illegitimate son, who also claimed to be Jesus, which 674 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,359 Speaker 2: would make Trump yahweh. Because the two of them, Kim 675 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 2: and Kanye reached out to the President, using the only 676 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:23,359 Speaker 2: leverage besides money that Trump respected celebrity to press him 677 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,279 Speaker 2: to help get Asap Rocky out of that Swedish jail 678 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 2: cell and back home. Trump didn't need to be asked twice. 679 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 2: He discarded his black hat, donned his red Kate I 680 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 2: mean read tie, and sprang into action using his favorite 681 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:39,360 Speaker 2: weapon of choice, Twitter, and the tweets shot off in 682 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,600 Speaker 2: two hundred and eighty character rounds. Just spoke to Kanye 683 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 2: West about his friend Asap Rocky's incarceration. 684 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: I will be. 685 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,479 Speaker 2: Calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see 686 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,439 Speaker 2: what we can do about helping asaf Rocky. So many 687 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:54,920 Speaker 2: people would like to see this quickly resolved. 688 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 1: End tweet. 689 00:37:56,440 --> 00:37:58,919 Speaker 2: And a few days later, after the very talented Prime 690 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:01,640 Speaker 2: Minister of Sweden did not react the way the President 691 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 2: wanted it, and while Asap remained locked up, Trump fired again, 692 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 2: very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Lovin for being unable 693 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 2: to act. Sweden has let our African American community down 694 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 2: in the United States. I watched the tapes of Asap 695 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 2: Rocky and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. 696 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: Treat Americans fairly. Hashtag free Rocky and. 697 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 2: Tweet, and later that day another shot with another tactic leverage, 698 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,200 Speaker 2: give Asap Rocky his freedom. We do so much for Sweden, 699 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:33,080 Speaker 2: but it doesn't seem to work the other way around. 700 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,839 Speaker 2: Sweden should focus on its real crime problem. Hashtag free 701 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 2: Rocky and tweet. Twitter of course, blew up, as did 702 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:44,280 Speaker 2: the rest of the media. Don King shrugged and tuned 703 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 2: in a Fox al Sharpton called it, but not from 704 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 2: behind his desk as a commentator on MSNBC, but back 705 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 2: in that helicopter before Asap Rocky was even born. Sure, 706 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 2: the rev can wrangle the media circus better than Moe, 707 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 2: But when it came to ring leading the media, Donald 708 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:06,720 Speaker 2: Trump was on some other trip completely and across the globe. 709 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 2: Asap Rocky was tripping the fear fantastic alone in his cell, 710 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 2: and the emptiness, the headspace, the unknown, loneliness fucking with them, 711 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:22,720 Speaker 2: absolute LSD flashbacks, tracers painting the blackness of the cell, 712 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:27,399 Speaker 2: purple thirst, deserted, desolate, words shooting off at him from 713 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 2: the firing squad in his head, a mixed squadron of 714 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:35,520 Speaker 2: dream police and acid memory militia. Rocky tried blocking it out, 715 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 2: focusing on his own words. Shots fired again, fucked that 716 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,960 Speaker 2: hippie rap, and the battle was on asap. Shot back 717 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:50,320 Speaker 2: the memory militia loaded, cocked fired, alone in his cell, 718 00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:52,760 Speaker 2: cut off from the world, but knowing that the world 719 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:55,720 Speaker 2: was watching, knowing that the fucking President of the United 720 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 2: States was trying to engineer his released. The bigness of 721 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,359 Speaker 2: it all felt as though he was about to break up. 722 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:06,720 Speaker 2: The Yogis say that an extended meditation retreats, you should 723 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 2: prepare for a breakdown around day three or four, when 724 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 2: the mind finally quiets to the point of having a 725 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:18,799 Speaker 2: true confrontation with self, ugly memories, hallucinations, repressed traumas you 726 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 2: face everything that you're running from in your own mind 727 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 2: every day in one violent but healing purge. Only Rocky 728 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,760 Speaker 2: wasn't in a pacoda in the Eastland Institute finding his truth. 729 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 2: He was in a Swedish jail, being funneled through a 730 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 2: confusing legal system over ridiculous charges. His mind a scrambled, 731 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:47,560 Speaker 2: desolated mess. His Eastern European and Russian tour dates were canceled. 732 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 2: The cluster fucked up more fucked by the day and 733 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:52,640 Speaker 2: the chaos came at him from all sides. 734 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 1: Or was the world going crazy? Or was he? 735 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:59,439 Speaker 2: In the weeks since Rocky's arrest in Sweden, petitions. 736 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,360 Speaker 1: And hashtags have been launched. 737 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 2: Many of Rocky's music and entertainment industry friends threatened to 738 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:07,880 Speaker 2: boycott Sweden for upcoming shows if Rocky wasn't released and 739 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 2: the tweets from the President had shaken loose to state Department. 740 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 2: Full Core pressed that the good Reverend Al could only 741 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:17,440 Speaker 2: dream of attachs from the embassy visiting Rocky in jail, 742 00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 2: official statements of a swift and independent process from the 743 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,600 Speaker 2: Swedish Foreign Minister, and more eyeballs trained on Rocky than 744 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:28,879 Speaker 2: ever before. Somehow, even in his cage solitude, he could 745 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,560 Speaker 2: feel them. He could sense the Category five media shit storm. 746 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:35,759 Speaker 2: It churned the air all around him like a psychic tornado, 747 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,239 Speaker 2: threatening to lift him off of his feet, impress him 748 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:41,120 Speaker 2: against the jailhouse wall, like the big Dude slamming him 749 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 2: into the showers. Back at Rinkers now fifteen years ago, 750 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 2: in what seemed like another life. The sheer madness of 751 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 2: the situation tripped him out beyond any psychedelic he had 752 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:55,279 Speaker 2: ever used, millions upon millions of eyes and ears more 753 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,279 Speaker 2: than ever before focused on him, learning of him for 754 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:01,200 Speaker 2: the first time, not as an innovated musician, but as 755 00:42:01,239 --> 00:42:02,520 Speaker 2: a fuck up in a cell. 756 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 1: Who needed Donald Fucking Trump to. 757 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 2: Bail his ass out, and the walls of the cell 758 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,400 Speaker 2: pulsed the deep beat, emanating tripped out rays from a 759 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:11,680 Speaker 2: shameful purple sun. 760 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:12,920 Speaker 1: His confusion. 761 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 2: Naked under the fluorescent lights, a rainbow of shadows veiling 762 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,760 Speaker 2: his sight, glittering against the base, bouncing from the walls, 763 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,880 Speaker 2: Rocky was trapped and the trippy suspense thriller of his 764 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 2: own life. 765 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 1: Would he be released or would he rot in jail? 766 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,400 Speaker 2: And then a month after he'd been thrown into a 767 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:35,360 Speaker 2: Swedish prison, he was freed, just like that, Just like 768 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:37,839 Speaker 2: that feeling you have when the ride is over, when 769 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:40,800 Speaker 2: the high the lsd leaves your body, when the lights 770 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:44,080 Speaker 2: turn off, when the blowhord in your brain stops barking 771 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:46,399 Speaker 2: at you, when the big dude takes his foot off 772 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:48,920 Speaker 2: your neck, and when the tracers clear out of your vision, 773 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,000 Speaker 2: and when the air starts to taste like freedom again. 774 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:56,360 Speaker 2: In the end, Rock kim Meyer is Akaasap Rocky was 775 00:42:56,400 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 2: found guilty of the assault on the kid with the headphones, 776 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:02,000 Speaker 2: but set only to the time already served in a 777 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,360 Speaker 2: small fine, and the Swedes insisted the chaos and the 778 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:07,440 Speaker 2: press had no sway on the court. But I mean, 779 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:12,120 Speaker 2: come on, Trump, Kim, Kanye, the rev the State Department, 780 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 2: the entirety of the ship storm had to have had 781 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 2: some effect on Sweden's decision to free Asap Rocky, and 782 00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:22,319 Speaker 2: Rocky was grateful. He said so publicly. It was time 783 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:26,320 Speaker 2: to get the fuck back home, back home to what mattered. Pussy, money, weed, 784 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:30,400 Speaker 2: or put differently, love, sex, dreams, all were possible in America. 785 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:35,439 Speaker 2: ASAP Rocky was humbled, But King Dawn, the White don 786 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 2: King of the White House West Wing, the Emperor, wearing 787 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 2: no clothes, or at least only wearing his pants around 788 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,320 Speaker 2: his ankles while seated on his throne, was pretty fucking 789 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:48,440 Speaker 2: far from humble. With pride, he loaded his favorite weapon 790 00:43:48,480 --> 00:43:52,680 Speaker 2: once again and fired off the following tween. ASAP Rocky 791 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:55,440 Speaker 2: released from prison and on his way home to the 792 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:59,520 Speaker 2: United States from Sweden. It was a Rocky week, get home, 793 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:05,399 Speaker 2: Asa Asap. What a world, what a disgrace. I'm Jake 794 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:23,640 Speaker 2: Brennan in this Disgraceland. Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly 795 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:26,840 Speaker 2: and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for 796 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:29,240 Speaker 2: this episode can be found on the show notes page 797 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:33,160 Speaker 2: at disgracelampod dot com. If you're listening as a Disgraceland 798 00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:35,920 Speaker 2: All Access member, thank you for supporting the show. We 799 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:38,640 Speaker 2: really appreciate it, and if not, you can become a 800 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 2: member right now by going to disgracelamppod dot com slash Membership. 801 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:47,160 Speaker 2: Members can listen to every episode of Disgraceland ad free, 802 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 2: Plus you'll get one brand new exclusive episode every month, 803 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 2: weekly unscripted bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access 804 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 2: to merchandise and events. Visit disgracelampod dot com slash met 805 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:03,000 Speaker 2: membership for details, Rate and review the show, and follow 806 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:07,000 Speaker 2: us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at disgraceslampod and 807 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 2: on YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at disgrace slampod. 808 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:16,439 Speaker 1: Rock a Roller. He's a bad down man.