A$AP TyY Speaks On New Singles ‘1990’ And ‘100 Rounds’

A member of the legendary A$AP Mob that also gave rise to the internationally beloved hip-hop artists A$AP Rocky and A$AP Ferg, Harlem rapper A$AP TyY has a gritty, hard-hitting New York style that dramatically accentuates his lyrical tales of adversity and triumph. Over the years, his work has garnered critical acclaim from HotNewHipHop, Hypebeast, Complex, and other highly respected hip-hop authorities.

A$AP TyY burst onto the music scene in a major way in 2015, when he released the dance club bangers “O Well” and “Chamber Lock” along with his A$AP Mob colleague, the now-deceased A$AP Yams. In 2016, A$AP TyY released Best Kept Secret mixtape, and in 2017 he appeared on the A$AP Mob collaboration Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy, which ultimately rose to the number 6 spot on the Billboard Top 200. Over the next two years. he released both his second mixtape Troubles of the World and his first official studio release Project Rockstar.

While releasing a constant stream of new material, A$AP TyY performed to packed houses around the world, touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe, China, Singapore. He also established himself as a style icon in the fashion world, launching lines of apparel and accessories in partnership with the designer Guntas and the streetwear brand KidSuper. In 2019, he walked the runway for INXX at Shanghai Fashion Week and for Woo Lee Studios at New York Fashion Week.

Photography by Kosten

In July 2021, A$AP TyY released single “1990,” taken from his upcoming album. The track produced by accomplished hip-hop producer Sean Turk, who has previously worked with Lil Tecca and Tory Lanez, is one which connects the rapper’s past to his present.

To explain “1990,” A$AP TyY begins with the year 2020. “Like a lot of people, I struggled at times emotionally through the pandemic, and the thing that really saved me was leaning into the music,” he said. A$AP TyY took solace in the inevitable passage of time while writing “1990,” allowing the track to come together organically. “I knew when writing it that 2020 was going to be one of those years where we’re going to look back and be like, ‘man, we got through that’ and we did.”

Telling the personal story of A$AP TyY’s upbringing and his rise to prominence, the track is accompanied by an innovative music video. Reflecting the stark lyrics of “1990,” this video shows A$AP TyY navigating the once sunny streets of New York as the world around him fades slowly into darkness. Ultimately, this darkness threatens to swallow the rapper completely, in symbolic instance he explains, as “a metaphor for what it’s like to have the world crumble and rebuild around you.”

Never content to rest on his laurels, the rapper quickly followed up “1990,” with new single “100 Rounds,” in August. In tandem with this release, A$AP TyY has been officially announced as the face of Australian streetwear brand, Ksubi’s first gold jewelry line “KSUBI GOLD.” As a long-time fan of the brand, this new line which was launched on in early August could have no better representative, and no better soundtrack that the thrilling stylings of “100 Rounds.”

Photography by Dylan Johnston

Establishing his versatility, the gritty sonics and high-energy of his most recent single offsets the emotive feel of “1990,” offering a vivid backdrop for the Ksubi campaign, which sees A$AP TyY showcase his passion for quad biking as he flees the scene through the streets of Harlem and New York City.

Constantly taking a step further up in his musical journey with narratives of dedication, struggle and the fight to rise above humble beginnings and reach one’s full potential, A$AP TyY is empowerment and tenacity personified. Keep up with the latest news and updates on social media @asaptyy.