“You can hear the desire crackling out of every line, the urge to be great with each passing bar within the first verse.”
A$AP Ferg’s latest mixtape, Still Striving, offers a variety of hits to keep you going into the Fall time but the one song that stands out to me is “Plain Jane.” Naming the song after a line within the song where he references his “plain jane” Tourneau presidential watch. Later going on into detail over at Genius, he mentions how putting diamonds on a watch actually lowers the value and instead of doing so, he treats his watch like an investment. I didn’t have this in mind when I first listened so it adds an extra depth to the song that wasn’t needed but is welcomed.
In “Plain Jane” Ferg comes off as grittier and darker than what I would expect from him. Swift mentions of suicide and childhood trauma blended in with bars decorated with his cocky flare leave me as a listener picturing a more complex character in A$AP Ferg within the exclusivity of the song. You can hear the desire crackling out of every line, the urge to be great with each passing bar within the first verse. Granted, the hook is obviously a tribute to Three 6 Mafia, specifically Juicy J’s “Slob on My Knob,” there’s still a cutting tone behind it due to the energy of the actual song.
Honestly, this is the most I’ve ever been invested in understanding A$AP Ferg as an artist. Don’t get me wrong, I love listening to him but this exact song makes me want to understand him on a personal level which is an effort most artists can’t get out of me right now. I don’t expect, or want, him to come out with a super personal project but I wouldn’t mind a few songs or an album that makes me want to invest my time into getting to know A$AP Ferg.
Link: A$AP Ferg’s Genius breakdown of “Plain Jane” from Still Striving
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