A$AP Ferg, part of well-known hip-hop ensemble A$AP Mob, performed at Mississippi State University’s Horse Park Friday evening.
The show, hosted by Music Makers Productions, had over 2,300 in attendance, and Ferg managed to mesmerize every one of them.
Holly Beats, a DJ duo from Jackson, preceded Ferg’s performance with a 45-minute set which included a range of catchy, upbeat tunes from the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Kodak Black. The duo kept the crowd fully engaged by swiftly transitioning between songs as each melody hit its peak, filling the crowd with energy before Ferg graced the stage.
When he did face his crowd, Ferg did so unannouncedly. Without a warning, he calmly entered center stage while performing “Trap and a Dream,” the first track on his most recent album, “Still Striving.” With lyrics to detail gratitude for his roots, a thematic of his entire performance, “Trap and a Dream” proved the most personal anthem of the night.
After the first song ended, Ferg let the last bass drop resound into silence. Wordless, he walked to the edge of the stage, observed the people before him and inhaled. From the media pit, I saw a slight smile break loose and spread gingerly across his face. It was as if he was breathing in the aura of his experience and reserving it for his own self-reflection later.  
While he noticed the crowd, the crowd noticed him. There he stood in fullness, a simple man dressed in nothing more than a baby blue windbreaker, a t-shirt and white sneakers. His t-shirt featured a spray-painted design of A$AP Yams riding a Pegasus, and from his right wrist hung a thin bracelet of tiny silver stars. He looked as normal as anyone else in attendance, perhaps even more casual than some, and yet he projected a certain glory reserved only for the top-tier.
Once he finished thanking the crowd, he delved into “Aww Yeah,” sans Little Yachty who is originally featured on the track. The song features a melody undercurrent which is slowed and softened as if it were placed underwater, making the perfect room for an encore from the crowd. After each line of the chorus, listeners called back ‘aw, yeah’ in confirmation of the “Trap Lord” A$AP Ferg, as he refers to himself in the song.
This confidence and crowd control, however, extended into an expectation of respect. When the crowd lacked enthusiasm, he challenged them: “Oh, so you are tired, right?” And when the spotlight was not literally on him, he gestured to the tech booth and demanded his deserved recognition. A$AP knew his crowd, but he also knew his value.
During the last quarter of his show, he performed “Choppers on Deck,” one of the first tracks A$AP released. With a slow, rhythmic sound, he channeled the vibe of R&B artists like Nelly, and it was here he paid respect to supports that knew him pre-Nicki-Minaj-remixes and Fader articles.
“If you know this song,” A$AP Ferg said, “then you know me.”
This gratitude for his day-one followers, for his career, for his crowd flowed through every transition, empty space or pause. He connected with the audience by making it his joy to see them and his pleasure to stand before them, not vice versa. By humbling himself to their level, he deftly garnered their enthusiasm and trust, and this shared human experience sets him above so many other artists of his genre. He holds onto to his humanness while fully acknowledging he is one of this generation’s most valued trap artists.
So, in the fashion of gratefulness, he gave one more sincere thank you to Mississippi State University. Before riling up the crowd with “Plain Jane,” the most anticipated song of the night, he said, “I love each and every one of y’all. You showed up to my art show, and I love you for that. You’re my family. Until next time — peace, love and A$AP.”

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