A$AP Mob co-founder A$AP Yams, real name Steven Rodriguez, 26, has passed away. Members of ASAP Mob confirmed his death on Twitter. There have been no details released about the cause of his death.
Rodriguez battled an addiction to Codeine and Xanax. In July he did a stint in rehab in an effort to beat the addiction. Only one day before his passing he took to his Twitter (@ASAPYams) tweeting “Bodeine Brazy”.
Whether you may know it or not, Rodriguez played a vital role in the foundation and success of A$AP Mob. The group was formed in 2007, in Harlem, New York by member A$AP Yams, A$AP Bari, and A$AP Illz. Rodriguez was only 17 at the time. The group is lead by its most prominent member A$AP Rocky.
By 2010 Rodriguez Tumblr started to draw attention and pick up followers. A year later A$AP Rocky released two songs entitled Purple Swag and Peso which lead to mainstream recognition and a major label deal. In a 2013 interview with Vibe, Rodriguez stated “My role is everything that comes out from Rocky or anything we make I put stamp approval on it. That’s from a musical standpoint to a business standpoint. I make sure everything is right.”
A$AP Rocky’s album Long.Live.A$AP debuted at number 1 on the charts in 2013. The New York Times profiled Rodriguez around this time comparing him to legendary Hip Hop moguls like Irv Gotti, Damon Dash, and Diddy. A$ap Rocky told The New York Times that A$AP Yams was “the mastermind behind the scenes and “the Hip Hop encyclopedia”.
The staff at Inyaearhiphop would like to send condolences to A$AP Yam’s family and the entire A$AP Mob.
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