Musical Red Bull: Great for the Gym, Mid for the Playlist

Released: November 28, 2025

Easily the 2nd most commercially successful member of A$AP Mob, Ferg has recently struggled a bit to replicate the mainstream success of his early releases. Last year, we were hit with Darold, which showed a more mature and introspective side of the rapper. With his current release, Flip Phone Shorty, Ferg seems to have ditched that previous direction to give us a more fun, energetic, and somewhat nostalgic project. While one can appreciate the diversity, Ferg definitely seems more comfortable in that high-energy lane. While this project could definitely liven up a gym playlist, it falls a bit flat in its execution, landing as nothing more than “mid” for the casual listener.

As mentioned earlier, the strength of A$AP Ferg—and his music—has always been the infectious energy he delivers in each track. While far from the most lyrical of his crew, Ferg has always brought enough fire to make up for what he may lack in traditional boom-bap lyricism, and this album is no different. From beginning to end, this project keeps the heart rate going. However, this recipe doesn’t always make for a good listening experience. The track “Fisher Price,” for instance, is a prime example; it is full of random ad-libs, a subpar hook, and chaos that even the nostalgia of a Lil B feature couldn’t save. Speaking of which, it seems Ferg mailed it in on many of these hooks, such as on “Uptown Baby,” where the man is literally just making random sounds. I feel that on an album devoid of much lyricism, a catchy hook is almost as important as a thumping beat, and sadly, this project falls short in that department.

The production is pretty uniform throughout this project: high BPMs and thumping bass—musical Red Bull. Despite the shortcomings I highlighted, this project does have quite a few good features. Gucci Mane, Big Boss Vette, Denzel Curry (appearing on 2 tracks), and even French Montana gave a throwback performance. Dare I say, Denzel and Ferg’s chemistry may call for a collab project. There are times when some of the beats sound a bit similar, but with a less diverse, somewhat conceptual project like this, that is to be expected to a certain extent.

To wrap it up, this project provides some enjoyable performances; however, as an overall body of work, it leaves a bit to be desired. Tightening up some of the hooks and adding a little diversity to the sound would have elevated this project. While I hate to compare artists, particularly those of different eras, I feel like Ferg could benefit from taking a page out of the Juicy J playbook. To me, Juicy has mastered the art of providing energetic music with just enough soulfulness to stave off that mundane feeling. For what it’s worth, though, I’m sure many personal records will be crushed listening to “Ferg Strong.”

Standout Tracks: Big Dawg, Young OG, Ferg Strong

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑 (5/10)