Ferg has answered A$AP Rocky’s admission that the name change bothered him, telling Complex’s In Motion With Ashley Nicole Moss that the whole A$AP thing is over. The Harlem rapper dropped the mob handle earlier this year, and now he says the crew has simply grown up.
Rocky told Apple Music’s Ebro that he felt “bothered” by Ferg dropping the A$AP from his stage name. “I ain’t gon’ hold it against him, and I wish him the best,” Rocky said. Ferg responded by explaining that the change was about growth and that the group was never really a fixed identity anyway.
Rocky’s Honest Admission
Rocky opened up about the split during an interview with Ebro, where he was asked about his current relationship with Ferg. “I haven’t seen Ferg in a minute, man,” Rocky said. “I’mma be totally honest. I haven’t even been living in New York. I always love Ferg. Ferg, he got a good heart.”
He then addressed the name change directly. “I saw a couple interviews where he was just like, he ain’t A$AP and he dropped A$AP from his name. That sh– bothered me but I ain’t gon’ hold it against him, and I wish him the best.”
Rocky’s honesty is the story’s hook. He admits the change upset him, then immediately says he won’t let it get in the way of wishing Ferg well.
Ferg Explains the Growth
Ferg sat down with Ashley Nicole Moss for the Complex interview and explained why he decided to drop the A$AP. “I feel like that’s a personal thing for him,” he said. “You could feel how you want to feel, but at the end of the day, it’s like I got to follow my truth for sure and how I feel. And there’s nothing wrong with growing.”
He then doubled down on the idea that the change was about becoming his own man. “I got A$AP tatted on me. I’ve always been Ferg. I’ve always been Ferg growing up,” he said. “When I came to work with the mob, that’s when I became A$AP Ferg. So now I’m just going back to who I am.”
The tattoo detail is telling. Ferg has the name on his skin, but the choice to stop using it onstage was about shedding a label that had become too limiting.
The Mob Is Dead
Ferg’s argument is that A$AP Mob was never a fixed entity. He framed it as a label and a collective rather than a tight-knit group. “We’re not mobbing anymore. Like we’re grown,” he said. “Let me show people what Ferg is about.”
He also warned that staying tied to the mob’s identity could hold him back. “Imagine if I’m moving around with them everywhere and going on Rocky tours and doing that thing, it’s like I’m not able to even bump into my blessings because I’m following somebody else’s dream,” he said. “It’s like I got to go and do Ferg. People got to know who I am before I leave this earth.”
The comparison to a blessing getting blocked is a striking image. Ferg sees the mob as a dream that was holding him back from his own destiny.
What Rocky Said About Ferg
Rocky’s comments were brief but telling. He said he loves Ferg and that the rapper has a good heart. He acknowledged the change bothered him, but he refused to hold it against him.
“I ain’t gon’ hold it against him, and I wish him the best,” Rocky said.
That’s a remarkable position for someone whose career has been built on shared branding. Rocky is saying he respects Ferg’s decision even as he feels the sting of it personally.
The January Statement
Ferg’s decision to drop the A$AP name was confirmed through Touré. Back in January 2025, he spoke about the change during a conversation with Touré. “Well, I don’t think there is A$AP anymore,” Ferg said. “There’s not a Cozy Tape out; a new one. There’s not an office, there’s not a record label, A$AP Worldwide. I think it’s a thing of the past.”
The Cozy Tape reference is significant. Its absence signals a break from the past. Ferg also noted the lack of an office and a label, suggesting the infrastructure that held the crew together is gone.
The Timeline of the Split
The split unfolded in stages:
- Ferg dropped the A$AP from his stage name.
- Rocky told Ebro that the change bothered him.
- Ferg spoke to Complex’s Ashley Nicole Moss about the decision.
- Ferg discussed the change with Touré in January 2025.
Each step shows a different angle on the same event. Rocky felt bothered, but he refused to hold a grudge. Ferg framed the change as growth and independence. The timeline suggests a quiet process rather than a sudden rupture.
Key Facts Box
- Name change: Ferg dropped A$AP from his stage name.
- Date of discussion: January 2025, via Touré.
- Interview platform: Complex’s In Motion With Ashley Nicole Moss.
- Quote from Rocky: “That sh– bothered me but I ain’t gon’ hold it against him.”
- Quote from Ferg: “We’re not mobbing anymore. Like we’re grown.”
The Bottom Line
Ferg has moved on, and Rocky respects that. The name change is done, and the mob is dead. For now, the split stands. Rocky is bothered but not bitter. Ferg is grown and free. The mob is history.
The video is available for anyone who wants to hear Ferg explain his decision in his own words. It’s worth watching for the full context of his reasoning.
See the video the story is built around at Billboard.
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