A$AP Rocky may hip-hop’s “pretty boi” and a “fashion killa,” but his cool persona and even cooler girlfriend Rihanna still isn’t enough to convince some folks on the internet that he’s worth the hype. And they’re speaking out about it.
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As evidenced by numerous videos and posts on social media, some folks are having a hard time buying into was Rocky is selling. Whether they’re referencing something that happened years ago like his off-putting statements about darker-skinned Black women or something more recent like his gun assault trial and the media frenzy that ensued as a result of it, for some, Rocky’s brand and style of cool just isn’t enough to get them on his side — no matter how famous his girlfriend is.
His Fashion Sense Is Eyebrow-Raising
Though we know when it comes to fashion, there are no real rules, there seems to be some unspoken code about women’s clothes and how men can and should rock them. Unfortunately for Rocky, his latest foray into that territory made him the brunt of jokes on social media when pictures of him sporting ruby red ballet flats hit the internet. Aside from them being clearly feminine, the shoes with his whole look just felt like a blatant and rare miss for the usually fashion forward rapper.
“Some people said he ’bout to tap his shoes twice and teleport to Compton,” said TikTok user Coach Chitown. “Some people said he was wearing the new Dorothy [from “The Wizard of Oz”] 3s. Most motherf*ckers told him to give Rihanna her shoes back.”
He’s A Blight On Rihanna
TikTok user BlissWithBri felt as if the recent trial in February was a bad look for the “Barbadian Bad Gal” and questioned why someone of her caliber would get herself roped up in somebody like Rocky with mess like this.
“This is not holding celebrities on a pedestal. This is me being a girls girl and saying this to any woman, especially women of color that has something going for herself. Why would you be going to court over some sh*t that has nothing to do with you?” she said.
She went on to express her incredulity over the fact that someone as famous and influential as Rihanna would get tied up with someone like Rocky and all his drama. She also said that her love for him and him being the father of her child is a large reason why she’s entangled in all the drama.
His New Music Isn’t Hitting the Same
User MoneyMayClips feels like Rocky has had a hard time translating his fanbase towards the new generation. Specifically referencing his lack of music drops over the years, he explained that the newer generation of hip-hop fans aren’t connecting with him the same way his previous fans were.
“I feel like Rocky doesn’t have the kids on his side. Like, Kendrick is still actively dropping, he’s huge. Drake is still actively dropping. Ye is still actively dropping. I don’t know, I think that’s what’s killing Rocky in the long run,” he said.
He Has a History of Being Slightly Problematic
For TikTok user GraceReport, she provided countless examples of why folks wouldn’t be a fan of the “L$D” rapper. Remember that comment he made about how dark skinned Black women shouldn’t wear red lipstick? What about the time he avoided talking about police brutality and its harmful affects on Black folks? Oh, and then there was also the time he uttered the dreaded phrase “All Lives Matter.”
“A$AP Rocky is problematic because he has a lot of internalized racism going on. He doesn’t really care about anything that doesn’t affect him. He thinks that money somehow made him no longer Black, meant that he no longer had to care about Black issues anymore,” she said in part.
Should We Tolerate Him Because He and Rihanna Are Really More of A Match Than We Think?
To be fair, for those still wondering if Rocky really matches Riri’s fly — specifically when it comes to the fashion game — there’s some evidence that supports that. Not only has he been a consistent face in the fashion industry for years now, in 2016, he became the first Black male rapper to front a Dior Homme campaign.
Over the years, he’s also graced the covers of GQ multiple times, been a regular attendee at the Met Gala since 2014, and worked with numerous high fashion lines. Sure, he’s also had his fair share of legal issues that have landed him a push from the president and gotten him into serious trouble internationally.
But Rihanna is a “bad gal.” Doesn’t it make sense that she’s with somewhat of a bad boy? Either way, whether you respect him for his swag and aura or tolerate him because he’s the father or Rihanna’s adorable kids, we can almost guarantee it won’t phase him in the slightest. He’s one of the most self-assured rappers in the game, love him or hate him, he’s still gonna stay fly and unbothered regardless!
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