A$AP Rocky has spoken out for the first time since the death of friend Steven Rodriguez, better known to many as A$AP Yams.
In an interview with Billboard on Friday, the Harlem rapper spoke briefly about his fallen friend after a performance during the Sundance Film Festival. Rocky performed two songs during the after-party for the premiere of his new film, Dope. The film stars Chanel Iman, Workaholics' Blake Anderson, Kimberly Elise and Zoe Kravitz.
Rocky dedicated his short performance to Yams and spoke about how he's dealing with his loss.
"That performance -- that was just going to stop me from crying," Rocky said. "I had to address it, because the whole time I was rapping and I wasn't into it, which is sad, but I just gotta keep it real. I can't front. It's even harder knowing that I gotta fly out in less than an hour just to go bury him. That's the part that eats at me."
Rocky went on to support A$AP Ant's claims that the rapper didn't die due to a drug overdose. Ant spoke with VladTV following Yams' passing and called out critics for assuming the 26-year-old overdosed on lean. Yams previously battled with the popular drink and was clean for several months before his passing.
"People were saying that Yams overdosed on drugs -- he didn't overdose on any drugs," Rocky said. "I feel like people feel that way because that's all he's in pictures doing. When you see A$AP Yams you see Hennessey or purple drink, you see some type of controlled substance or illegal narcotic."
The "Pretty Flacko" rapper says he'll feel normal soon, but with all of his prior commitments, he hasn't been able to digest everything at one.
"I'll be back in my zone in a bit," he said. "I just got it get it together. This all happened and the timing is so wrong, with me doing Sundance and Mens Fashion Week in Paris. I'm a happy spirit, man, and I feel like time heals. "It's all about good people with good energy, and the universe keeps producing them to me. I'll be fine. God is good and I keep all hope and faith."
Source: Billboard
