1. It was definitely a spectacle.
ASAP has a history of starting shows late, but his latest Vegas set began two and a half hours after doors opened, sans an opening act.
He finally appeared far up in the nosebleeds, accompanied by extras dressed like a SWAT team. A banner above the stage read: “Big Brother Is Watching,” while ASAP would later parade around with other surveillance-state-themed props like a bazooka and a mic fastened inside a megaphone.
Next, Rocky reappeared in a moveable helicopter set piece dangling from the ceiling as a second inflatable helicopter also made rounds. It kicked off the show in grand fashion, but the accompanying audio loops of actual spinning helicopter blades and air sirens would become a lingering distraction all night.
I know he was probably trying to communicate a dense artistic message, but I think the kids just liked the vibes.
ASAP Rocky at MGM Grand Garden Arena
2. The crowd skewed young.
When I got to MGM, I was joined in the elevator by five older teens who were wearing white t-shirts over their faces—echoing Rocky’s signature balaclava look.
“We’re not going to rob you,” they said in jest. I wasn’t worried.
I later realized this was a reference to the “Shirthead”—one of the Tim Burton-drawn alter-ego characters from Rocky’s new album cover. Throughout the show, Rocky would order them to “wave your t-shirt in the air like a helicopter.” It was objectively hilarious.
Indeed, the crowd skewed incredibly young. I found it strange that, as a 32-year-old who actually lived through some of ASAP’s biggest moments, I was the one who was out of the loop. Was this a TikTok thing?
Rocky, for his part, did his best to welcome everyone. At one point, he saw a woman yawning near the stage and brought her up to dance alongside him as he hit “Wild for the Night.” The experience left her speechless.
3. Flavor Flav!
Rocky tapped fellow ASAP Mob member ASAP Twelvyy to assist on “Yamborghini High” and “Hella Hoes.” His other surprise guest—unique to Vegas—was Flavor Flav, the founding hype man of legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy and former reality TV star. The pair united for a cover of “Fight the Power,” and the irony of bringing out a 67-year-old in front of a crowd young enough to be his grandchildren wasn’t lost on the headliner.
“I know a lot of y’all are too young. But y’all don’t know how much of a legend that man is,” Rocky said. “That was so unexpected.”
Later, on Instagram, we saw a shot of him mingling backstage with both Flav and Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Walsh. Had he not brought out Tyler, the Creator in LA just one day after the Vegas show, I probably wouldn’t have wished for a bit more star power.
4. The setlist was dense—and he took a request.
The sound quality was fairly rough at times, and I suspect the venue may not have suited Rocky’s music as well as others. However, his 34 song setlist was undeniably well-crafted and deserved some kudos.
The night started primarily with Don’t Be Dumb entries like “Order of Protection,” “Helicopter” (duh) and “Stole Ya Flow,” plus a standout in the 2024 Jessica Pratt collaboration, “Highjack.” But the show didn’t really come into its own until midway through, when he hit older favorites like “Sundress” and “Praise the Lord (Da Shine).”
He also adjusted on the fly after a guest held up a sign requesting “Distorted Records,” the introductory track on his 2018 album, Testing.
“I like your poster. Let me see that bro,” he said before directing his sound crew to download the audio, as he hadn’t played it live since 2019.
The best selections came in a late run of legacy hits like “Purple Swag,” “Peso,” “Goldie,” “F---in’ Problems,” and “Fashion Killa.” For their part, the young audience ate it up—almost as if they’d been there right alongside my generation as we ripped shots at our local college bars back in 2014.
ASAP Rocky at MGM Grand Garden Arena
5. Plenty of drama.
Rocky’s tour has already been plagued by heavy online criticism. One night earlier, in Phoenix, he singled out a group of women in the crowd and commented on how he’d pursue them if he were still single. Some saw that as a line crossed, as he just welcomed his third child with Rihanna last year.
At another earlier stop, he was pictured wearing what appeared to many to be a thong. If that’s true, who cares? But instead of brushing it off as the price of fame, Rocky and his team pushed back heavily on that narrative. And he just couldn’t stop himself from addressing all the buzz here in Vegas.
“F--- the internet. First they say [I] was wearing thongs. Then they said [my] shows wasn’t selling out….[They] was saying I was disrespectful to my wife,” he said, followed by expletives I couldn’t possibly paraphrase.
More drama ensued midway through “Wild for the Night,” when ASAP attempted to dive into the crowd and was met with fans reaching out to grab him or angling themselves for selfies. A few of them fell over and risked being trampled, prompting Rocky to stop the show for nearly five minutes to restore order.
As some continued to paw at him, he even appeared to swipe back once. While it didn’t appear to be a full fist, I’d hate to have been his security team at that moment.
“Y’all gotta help each other in the mosh,” Rocky said, asking one fallen fan if she was okay. “Y’all don’t know how to mosh or party. Y’all gotta redeem yourself by the end of the night. They acting like they just turned 11 or some s---.”
These incidents left a mark on an evening that could have been so much more. I walked away conflicted, while others seemed to have had the time of their lives. Perhaps things would have been different had I also brought a white t-shirt to wave around like a helicopter.
