That Time A$AP Rocky Took LSD with a Psychedelic Scientist
An LSD trip with a neuroscientist turned Rocky’s London sessions into one of his biggest creative experiments.
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Meet the Psychedelic Scientist Who Took LSD With A$AP Rocky While He Made A Global Hit
When rapper A$AP Rocky met psychedelic researcher Dr. Leor Roseman, it sparked a yearlong friendship that led to one of his biggest hits, “Praise the Lord.”
By Mattha Busby
When psychedelic scientist Dr. Leor Roseman saw rapper Rakim Mayers, better known as A$AP Rocky, outside an art gallery in central London and decided to introduce himself, he had no idea he was about to become the artist’s de facto trip sitter and help craft “Praise The Lord (Da Shine),” a massively popular global hit single. But that’s exactly what happened.
“He went in with all of his bodyguards as I was coming out, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I have to speak with him’,” recalls Roseman, a big fan of the Harlem, New York-born artist. Wracked with anxiety, he waited for Rocky to come out of the exhibition, a powerful show which showcased photographs documenting the perilous journey of refugees from Africa to Europe.
When Roseman got the chance to present himself, Rocky was delighted to meet him. “He was like, ‘What, you’re a psychedelic researcher?! Oh, that’s cool. Come to the studio tonight.’”
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