According to A$AP Rocky, people have been asking “nonstop” about the Mostro 3.D spikey sneakers since he unveiled his inaugural ready-to-wear collection in Paris over the summer. And last week (September 26), the rapper released the highly-anticipated shoe in a footwear, accessories and apparel collection with Puma. The new drop included his take on Puma’s Inhale Sneaker, reengineered with an allover distressed treatment inspired by the grease stains on the clothes of car mechanics at the end of the long day. There were even more car references in the collection, too – including knee pad pants, an F1-style team zip polo, two belts (one of which resembles a seatbelt), and a balaclava (that mimics a racer’s helmet) – all of which draw from Rocky’s mission to bridge Formula One and street car culture. 

Here, A$AP Rocky chats to Dazed about the inspiration behind the collection, his upcoming album, and why he’d never drive an F1 car.

What was the first car you owned? 

A$AP Rocky: The first car I owned was a Ferrari 488. 

Did you have a nickname for it?

A$AP Rocky: It was a corny nickname, man. It was a speeding bullet.

Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind this collection?

A$AP Rocky: The inspiration behind this collection is just an assortment of how I see and perceive the world. Everything within my ethos of creativity and spontaneity, absurdity, and absurdism. I think just the way that the “Tailor Swif” video looks, if you guys ever had a chance to check that out, represents and reflects how I design and approach designs. When you have two different shoes that can co-exist and come out at the same time, but live and cater to two different worlds – I think that’s a win-win.

What music were you listening to when creating it?

A$AP Rocky: I was listening to all sorts of shit. I was listening to my shit. I was listening to some old Miles Davis. I was listening to Portishead. I was listening to Stevie Nicks and, of course, golden hip hop. You can’t do it without hip-hop. I love what even some of these youngsters are doing, like my boy Lucki is bodying shit right now.

And, of course, you have an album coming out this fall. What can your fans expect from it?

A$AP Rocky: I think my fans can expect the unexpected with me. I got a chance to reassess the bit and do some finishing touches before we actually put it out, and I just wanted to release the music and content in the meantime. So that’s what we're in the process of right now.

You said that you wanted to bridge street car culture with Formula One. Have you ever driven an F1 car yourself?

A$AP Rocky:  Hell no, I ain’t drive no F1 car. I ain’t trying to die. That shit is way too fast, man. It’s technical.

The A$AP Rocky x PUMA collection is available now on the brand's website, as well as select retailers globally, including KITH, Dover Street Market, Maxfield, SNEAKERSNSTUFF, SlamJam, Nubian and more.