Reflecting on his time inside a Swedish cell in 2019, American rapper Rakim Athelaston Mayers, popularly known as A$AP Rocky, has said he was apprehensive that Donald Trump’s involvement in the #FreeRocky cause would make matters worse for him.
In an interview with Samuel Hine of GQ Magazine, the 32-year-old “Praise the Lord” rapper and songwriter said he was grateful but at that time he had concerns about the former president’s involvement in his release from the Sweden prison.
“Even though it was in Swedish, I heard ‘President Donald Trump’ and ‘A$AP Rocky,’ and I woke up out of my sleep, I was like, ‘Oh, f**k!’”
“I was hoping it wouldn’t turn for the worse.”
He cleared that Trump “helped” him get out is a “misperception. He didn’t help—he made efforts and he rooted for me to come home, but he didn’t free me.”
The rapper recalled the time when Mr Trump started tweeting about him, and the Swedes told the L$D singer that he would likely get out soon. However, Rocky was personally worried that the President’s message would make the Swedish authorities keep him imprisoned for even longer.
“Because they felt like they had a point to prove because he kept saying stuff.… We knew what was going to happen, and it happened the same way they said it would weeks prior,” he said.
Donald Trump tweeted at the time: “Just spoke to Kanye West about his friend A$AP Rocky’s incarceration.”
“I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!” he added.
After his release, Rocky said he was appreciative of how Mr Trump went out of his way to help him. “I was mad thankful that he did that because he didn’t have to!” the artist said.
“He took the time out of his day and made me happy while being in there because when you in jail, you feel like nobody cares. You can get lost, and you feel soulless. Like, you feel low, bro,” he said.
The rapper also spoke about his relationship with Rihanna and said: “So much better when you got the One. She (Rihanna) amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones.”
“I think when you know, you know. She’s the One,” the rapper added.
He said his partner has “absolutely” influenced his new album, which will feature English singer Morrissey.
“I think it’s important to have somebody that you can bounce those creative juices and ideas off of,” he said. “It’s just a different point of view,” he added.
Rocky hinted that his relationship has redefined the “vibe” of his new music. Tentatively titled “All Smiles, a ghetto love tale”, the artist described the project to be “way more mature” compared to his earlier songs.
“If I’m still doing the same s**t with the same sounds and the same bars and the same visuals from years ago, what’s the point? You got that catalog. You can go revisit that,” he said.
The new album, which is about “90 per cent complete” could usher in a new phase of Rocky’s life: “Rocky the romantic.”
