A$AP Ferg and His Father Darold Fergeson/Tumblr
HHW: Since you brought up family. Talk to us about your father. Fellow Harlem resident Cam’Ron has spoke on him in interviews, saying he was a G.
Ferg: What ever you see in me, he was the original. He came from South Carolina when he was a kid and was self-made. He became a prominent figure in Harlem through helping the community and doing events for kids. He had three businesses; the clothing store he was mostly known for, a restaurant and a game room. He helped a lot of people coming up. He designed the Bad Boy logo and showed Puff around Harlem and introduced him to a lot of people. He helped Russell Simmons make the cologne for Phat Farm. He did the Uptown Records caps for Andre Harrell. He worked with Teddy Riley. He was the person to go to if you need shirts printed. These record labels, when they were coming up, they couldn’t walk into these Jewish factories and get a gazillion shirts made. So they went to my father. Plus he was getting you the shirts with the glow in the dark paint, the glitter. Prints on the sleeves and on the back. He was being innovative. He became known around the world and the industry.
See that’s the thing about me. None of this rap sh*t is new to me. Living this lifestyle and flying everyday, that’s different. But as far as being around celebrities and seeing money and lavish things, I grew up in that. That’s why I can be innovative, because I’ve seen all of that already. All of the things kids are praising, getting the Jordans and all of that, I did that already. I want to see something new. I’m getting bored, we got to turn it up. My father was a king. Ask anybody in Harlem about Ferg Sr., everybody is going to have something good to say about him. He either did something for them or gave them money when they came home. He was like a Bumpy Johnson, he helped his community. He’s why I am the way I am.
HHW: You were out on tour with G-Eazy earlier this year. Talk to us about that experience.
Ferg: That was dope. It wasn’t my core or demographic, but I feel like I grabbed a lot of new fans. Now when I go to these cities people recognize me more. They tell me they came to see G-Eazy but loved my show too. It’s important that we stay connected with these kids. Because when you think about it, A$AP been in the game for about four years. The people we came in with, they’re grown now just like us. I need to start reaching out to the younger generation and let them know what’s going on because they are going to be making moves in this world. I’m going to keep my core, but always pay attention to the next generation too. I keep an open door policy.
HHW: Explain the front and back album covers.
Ferg: I am getting baptized. I actually lost my A$AP championship ring doing that shoot. A$AP Rocky and A$AP Yams gave me this A$AP championship ring the night we rocked Madison Square Garden. It had diamonds, my face on it, “Trap Lord,” everything. I lost it during the baptism. I guess that’s symbolic in a way, saying it’s my rebirth, or God telling me not to cherish things. The whole baptism thing is just the rebirth of who Ferg is. It’s a new day for me to get more hands on and letting these kids know what’s cool and giving them all of me and not just one side of me.
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