Damn Ferg, where you been? It's been three years since we last heard of Fergstein and he's back with anticipated sophomore effort "Always Strive and Prosper."Ironically enough the album title is what Ferg crew name stands for and believes.

Ferg is the A$AP Mob version of Schoolboy Q. He's very wild, animated, stays up to date on fashion and has a flow that is unique compared to other rappers in the game.

I wasn't a fan of his debut album Trap Lord even though the production was well executed. To be honest, I liked five songs on it. For me, Ferg is a hit or miss with me, but I'm interested to see what he drops this time. The singles leading up to this album have been monster banger. "New Level" featuring Future is triumphant street anthem and "Let It Bang" featuring Schoolboy Q is an abstract banger.

The arrival of this new album, "Always Strive and Prosper," feels like a crossroads. If he's going to ever stand shoulder to shoulder with Rocky, or even surpass him (a real possibility), this will be the album that sets that foundation.

And with that, let's get to work...

1. "Rebirth"

And it begins. This beat can only be described as a creepy 50s horror movie, and now things are getting kind of Outkast-y with some strange beings saying gibberish. He's making music for everyone who didn't make it out the trap like he did he states. This is just an intro with voice switches, monologues, anything can happen after an intro like this.

2. "Hungry Ham" ft. Skrillex & Crystal Caines

Right into a spoken word-esque intro from Crystal Caines, waiting for this beat to drop... still waiting. Beat's doing that escalating claps thing that EDM DJs always do. And there's the bass (yes), but it sounds like....shooting a laser beam off one of those super bouncy balls. This album's really going to test my music description skills it sounds so left field. The second verse has some good storytelling. This is the type of song that's going to ring off at a carnival, but doesn't necessarily translate via headphones.

3. "Strive" ft. Missy Elliott

I've been anticipating this collab for so long. I'm all in on anything that involves the return of Missy. She could do a remix with MC Hammer and I'd listen to it, that's how much I love Missy. Ok, some real house-revival vibes, apparently I just accidentally turned on a flux capacitor and traveled back to the '90s. Three tracks in and this is an album to be listened to in large groups at maximum volume. I like it.

4. "Meet My Crazy Uncle (Skit)"

It's a skit. I assume that's his Uncle who doesn't sound crazy.

5. "Psycho"

For a track called "Psycho" this has a pretty mellow vibe, almost souled out. We've already heard a staggering range of beats on this album. OK, now here's the full range of his uncle's craziness, don't sleep on Ferg's storytelling abilities. And now there's a sax playing in the background, more nuance than he gets credit for. Great second verse describing how he wanted to follow his uncle to the darkside.

6. "Let It Bang" ft. Schoolboy Q

Ah, now the talking on the beginning of this makes sense, it's his Uncle Psycho. Nice album sequencing. Not the complete felony banger I expected with from these two, but it has its own menace. I'm not saying I've drawn up intricate plans for how I'd rob a bank, but if I were going to plan a bank heist, I'd have "Let It Bang" playing on repeat. Oh yeah, Q's got his own crazy uncle stories. Really, in a lot of ways Ferg and Q are east coast/west coast mirrors of each other.

7. "New Level" ft. Future

I find it weird that all of A$AP mob endorses Future's fake drug addiction when A$AP Yams died from a very real drug addiction, but whatever. Less intellectually, if you can listen to this and not at least consider sparking a riot, you might want pulse. You might be dead.

8. "Yammy Gang" ft. ASAP Mob and Tatianna Paulino

There had to be at least one posse cut on the album, great opportunity to test my theory that Ferg's actually the most interesting personality in the entire Mob. Side note, this beat is low-key crazy. Oh..still haven't left Ferg's opening verse and this is my favorite track on the album so far. Rocky's verse is fine, and then honestly it all just kind of rides out. Meh, I get why the whole Mob had to be on this conceptually, but I would have rather had just Ferg and Rocky. Closing words by Yam's mother, very powerful. This is a real family album.

9. "Swipe Life" ft. Rick Ross

I'm nervous to hear Rick Ross on this. This beat sounds like an angel who crash landed from Heaven at Coachella and is tripping balls on Acid. This is the kind of beat that made Ferg who he is, but Ricky Rozay can't complement Ferg on this one. And....here's Ross. Verse is actually solid, but not feeling this as much. Looking ahead. I should probably also admit that I'm not 100 percent sure what swipe life means. Credit card scams?

10. "Uzi Gang" ft. Lil Uzi Vert & Marty Baller

Did they get Lil Uzi and then decide to title the song "Uzi Gang" or vice-versa? Even with Ferg's super high-pitched bars this is feeling like the most formulaic song on the album so far. Between this and "Swipe Life" it feels like we're in a bit of a lull. I already miss some of the adventurousness of "Psycho" -- songs that should be bangers, but somehow end up feeling a little dull are the worst because there's that extra "what could have been, should have been" factor.

11. "Beautiful People" ft. Chuck D & Mama Ferg

Chuck D is on an A$AP Ferg album?? Just let that sink in for a moment. Chuck dropping jewels of some production that sounds like it's off a Marvin Gaye album. This is actually great. Again, like Q, Ferg's music can be a real oxymoron in the best way possible. Crazy, this is more straight up "concious" than a lot of the "concious" rappers who probably look down on Ferg ever rap. Goddamn. It's not just impressive that this song exists, it's impressive that it exists on the same album as "Let it Bang." With song titles like "Strive" and "Beautiful People," Ferg lowkey made an inspirational rap album. And his Mom's on the song - this truly is a family affair.

12. "Damn Not Again (Skit)"

Note to self: We need to do a collection of Angry Voicemails From Girlfriends on Rap Albums.

13. "Let You Go"

Back to the real storytelling, he's trying to reconcile the man that a public rap life often makes him and his better intentions. Really interesting perspective. Hard to make songs about fucking groupies and then come home to a partner that you have to convince that the lyrics aren't real, just entertainment. Not necessarily the kind of song I'll personally come back to, but I can see how it could be really powerful for some.

14. "World Is Mine" ft. Big Sean

If Ferg does want to make the leap from Mob member to legitimate solo star he could really use a radio crossover joint, and who do you call when you need a radio crossover joint? None other than the 'boiii' Big Sean. Ferg's singing here just not working for me. If this was going to be a big hit it needs more of a stand-out chorus. There's essentially no difference between the beat on the verses and the chorus. Again, not a song that I'm personally connecting to, but it's solid, easy to understand why it's here.

15. "Phone Call With Breezy (Skit)"

Essentially a shout out to Ferg's fashion designer roots.

16. "I Love You" ft. Chris Brown & Ty Dolla Sign

Speaking of crossover records, this is the full court press for radio spins. I'm not mad at it, but I'm not particularly interested in it, even though Ferg's "No Limit" soldier reference just made me laugh out loud. And now we get a rap verse from Brown with some Charmin punchlines, I'm checking out on this song like it's almost noon at a hotel. Ty really comes through with the old school Boyz II Men vibe on the end of the song, definitely it's most redeeming section, but this one's definitely getting skipped on future listens.

17. "Grandma (Skit)"

Another reference to his time serving ice cream. More talk about how his family, they're a constant presence on this album like no other album I can think of right now.

18. "Grandma"

Oh, wow, he's basically telling the story of A$AP signing to Polo Grounds. Ferg almost signed to Universal solo, but decided to trust Rocky and move with him, I'd say overall history's proven that was the right choice. From Chance's "Sunday Candy" to this song this is a banner time for grandma songs in hip-hop. Really powerful lyrics, how his grandfather cheated on his grandmother when she was disabled. Hate to use terms like "under-rated" but I don't have time to think of a better term, so I'm going with "Ferg's pen game is very under-rated." Background vocals, now a trumpet in the background, some real musicality on this album. "To Pimp a Butterfly" influenced?

Generally speaking, this album was a huge step up from his debut. I like Ferg as insane as possible, but this is often a surprisingly subdued album and one that really highlights his storytelling abilities and the larger mission driving his music-- to reach back and help his family and those who grew up with him. I suspect this won't become an album that truly vaults Ferg to a new level, but it does establish him as a hip-hop voice that demands to be taken seriously. There's some filler, but on the whole, this is an album I can play for those who doubt Ferg, and even if I can't manage to convince them, that's fine. I'll still be here, listening.