A$AP Rocky live at SXSW 2012

Flanked by a 50-strong crew, A$AP Rocky started his set at the Spotify party at SXSW in darkness as a tape of what felt like every diss he’d ever received broadcast into the night. Then the whole stage exploded into light and life as A$AP launched into Pretty Flacko. The crew filtered off stage at the end of the song, leaving A$AP to philosophise on stage. “This era, this is the era of youth,” he shouted as his face was projected onto the building behind. It wouldn’t be a show without the big dollar features, and A$AP had a couple up his sleeve: a shout to his homie Timbaland in the crowd, and a brand new song with Theophilus London who joined him on stage. The hook was a Shirley Bassey sample; Hey Big Spender, no less. It was big but I’m not yet sure it was good. By that point my phone was full so I missed that but check A$AP rolling out Wassup below too.