A$AP Rocky – Angels

• Song: A$AP Rocky – Angels
• Album: Long.Live.A$AP
• Director: Luke Monaghan
• The release of “Angels” was created to signify the childhood of A$AP Rocky, which was filled with the hustle of selling marijuana and crack at the age of 15. Being a small time drug lord at a young age and being able to come up as a notable rapper allows A$AP Rocky to title himself as a “God” and inspiration for young people who are in the situation he had as a child. A$AP Rocky calls these children who also hustle “Angels”.

The video is set in a busy city, complete with towering apartments, police sirens, and bustling streets. A$AP Rocky lived in such an area as a child during his hustle. This screenshot shows an upward cast look into a mauve pink sky with a bird, which could signify an Angel, flying over apartments. The bird or “angel” represents A$AP Rocky in his childhood looming over the gloomy cityscape; a tone also meant to capture the feelings of his childhood.

A$AP Rocky is seen in this shot wearing an old varsity jacket that says “High School Was Cool” in bright, different colored lettering. This shot references the life A$AP Rocky lived through high school, which likely didn’t revolve around academics or athletics due to A$AP Rocky selling and living off of drugs. The fact that he describes high school as “cool” means it was an important period in his life he proudly references to and likes to display.

A group of delinquents on bikes posing menacingly is shown. They wear streetwear, flash gold jewelry, and hide behind white masks. They look young in order to reference back to what his gang went around looking like. A$AP Rocky traveled in such groups in his childhood. They traveled in these groups when performing crimes or doing drug exchanges.

A$AP Rocky spreads out his arms and dances to look like he’s flying, representing a winged figure or an “angel”. Behind him are his other gang members, or “angels”, likely the ones he went through the struggle with in his childhood. They wear the same type of clothing and gold jewelry, but this time they wear no masks as if they’re not afraid to hide from their crimes now. This shows that A$AP Rocky and his original gang still live the life of selling drugs and hustling years later as if it’s now a lifestyle, but this time, as the music references, with the riches he earns from being a prominent rapper.