Few artists can boast a hype-to-releases ratio as extravagant as A$AP Nast. With only a few sporadic releases to his name (his last song as a lead artist was 2020’s “Designer Boi”), the Harlem-born rapper has managed to stay firmly atop the putting-that-shit-on rapper pyramid for over a decade. Today, he released the first single off his upcoming album. Titled “No Hammer,” the track sees Nast sitting back on a beat that invokes a bygone era of hip-hop, brought to fruition with a cinematic music video helmed by Dexter Navy. 

A few weeks ago, a track featuring Playboi Carti—and allegedly produced by The Alchemist—leaked, sending hip-hop fans into a frenzy awaiting the release of the song and its corresponding album. When I ask Nast about the album, he keeps it intentionally vague, but is clearly eager to get it out: “I have been in the studio with this body of work for over a year, it’s now at the final stages. I can’t wait to share it.” 

Nast tells me that his inspiration for “No Hammer” is largely “‘90s rap and hip-hop,” something that listeners will garner as soon as the beat drops. Over Drumatik’s pared-back production reminiscent of some of the era’s greatest emcees, Nast’s trademark braggadocious lyricism is on full display, always orbiting around his (and many of the A$AP Mob’s) commitment to simply dressing better than everyone else. The single is anchored by a cinematic music video directed by Dexter Navy, sending Nast on a mission to retrieve his briefcase of cash. “Dexter is a master at his craft,” says Nast. “After playing him the track, he came back with the perfect treatment, and from there we creatively built [the video] together.”

Aside from his single, Nast is also about to release a collaboration with Comme des Garçons Shirt. When he spoke with Adrian Joffe for VMAN 54 late last year, he described the Japanese label as “my all-time favorite”—something most fans would know from its prevalence in his closet. Understandably, the collaboration is an exciting opportunity to cement his long-standing partnership with CDG. “Honestly it’s surreal to work with the brand that has my heart,” Nast tells VMAN, going on: “CDG is a part of my lifestyle and the majority of my wardrobe, designing and now being able to wear my own Comme de Garçons Shirt pieces feels great, but I don’t think this will feel totally real until I see other people wearing them!” The capsule with CDG SHIRT will feature 12 styles across t-shirts, cardigans, and shirts to launch globally across all Dover Street Markets starting on May 8th in New York (in-store only), then at all DSMs and online on May 15th.

There are few people alive more qualified to describe the symbiotic nature between getting dressed and making music than A$AP Nast. “When you’re getting dressed and selecting the music you want to listen to each day, the process is almost identical. You’re dressing for your mood or you’re selecting music and clothing to set the tone for your day.” He concludes with a nice synopsis of their relationship—and likely the secret that has made him so successful in both worlds for so long: “Fashion and music are a feeling.”

Photography Alvaro Beamud Cortes

Fashion Anna Trevelyan

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Grooming Taiba Akuhetie (Keash)

Prop stylist Josh Stovell

Digitech Sacha Phillips

Production The Production Factory

1st Photo assistant Simone Triacca

2nd Photo assistant Oran Eggerton

Stylist assistants Leonie Dennett, Keisha Adams, Nkechi Managwu, Timmy Taiwo

Prop stylist assistant Dan Wilson

Retouching Camillo Bernardi Studio

Videographer Matthew Iabudda