ASAP Rocky initially garnered mainstream attention after releasing his singles "Peso" and "Purple Swag" in summer 2011.

Initially hesitant on signing to a major label, he eventually signed with record executive Bryan Leach's Polo Grounds Music (an imprint of RCA Records), after developing a close relationship with the fellow Harlem native.

Rocky became notable for his music incorporating stylistic and production elements of East Coast hip hop and Southern hip hop, heavily utilizing the latter's woozy soundscapes, low/mid-tempo instrumentation, and chopped and screwed choruses.

His lyrics dealt with themes about moral decay, including promiscuity and drug use, expressed through a boastful, tempered flow.

It was preceded by the single "Fuckin' Problems" (featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar), which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.