ASAP Rocky is keen to keep his children with their feet on the ground. In an interview with Billboard, the rapper spoke about how fatherhood changed him and what he desired for the upbringing of his sons. He wants his kids to experience the Harlem life like he did, despite them being two global superstars’ children and living a life of luxury in the public eye.
Asap Rocky says his sons will live the same childhood life he lived in Harlem during his interview with Billboard PIC.TWITTER.COM/AXTI59TFXH
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To ASAP Rocky, Harlem doesn’t depict a neighborhood but an identity. His experiences in the colorful streets of Harlem, growing up, drove into him a certain character that would feed his creativity and artistic soul.
“Harlem taught me resilience, how to hustle, and how to stay true to myself,”
he shared. These values are what he credits with his success and ability to stay grounded through life’s ups and downs in the public eye.
To Rocky, Harlem means much more than a region—one that is full of culture, artistry, and history. It is a place that taught him the strong message of staying close to one’s roots, no matter how high one goes in life. And that is exactly what he wants for his children: Not just an understanding but appreciation, too, of where they come from—even when their circumstances are vastly different from his.
He does agree that raising children amidst all the money and fame comes with its challenges. His kids are going to grow up in a world totally different from the one he came from, which means they’re going to grow up surrounded by all sorts of luxuries and opportunities that, as a boy, he could only dream about. But Rocky is resolved to ensure they do not get too removed from the real world.
“It’s important they know where they come from, know the struggle and beauty of Harlem,”
Rocky explained. He wants his kids to experience the same sense of community and resilience that Harlem gave him, even if it means taking them out of a comfortable comfort zone:
“So I took them back to the-block-to show-them-where-I-came-from … so that they understand what I went through, but also what my life is like now.”.
ASAP Rocky isn’t alone in terms of ensuring his little ones have a piece of Harlem wherever he goes. On the overall level, many celebrities face the problem of raising offspring amidst all the glitz while trying to keep them humble and grateful for their roots. For instance, Jay-Z and Beyoncé both speak on enlightening their children about their heritage and what goes into it.
This, however, is a fine line to tread with the advantages of such a privileged life. While some celebrities have opted to raise their children away from the public eye, others like Rocky choose proactively to integrate the heritage into the life of the kids.
