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"1Train" is the 9th track by American hip-hop recording artist A$AP Rocky from his debut studio album, Long. Live. A$AP. Featuring a slew of then-upcoming popular MCs over a beat crafted by Hit-Boy—the producer behind “Niggas in Paris”—"1Train" was the most anticipated track for many prior to the release of LONG.LIVE.A$AP. Hit-Boy also produced Rocky’s first single from the album, “Goldie,” and the featured artist Kendrick Lamar can be heard on another of the album’s songs.
The song is a posse cut created to feel like an "original '90s underground track." Upon the release of the album, high downloads resulted in the song peaking at number three on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
The song's title is a reference to New York City's No. 1 subway line. Rocky elaborated saying, "When you think about New York, you think about things like the subway, and I needed to bring it back to that essence," he said. " when I'm rapping and mentioning 'anything is better than that 1 train,' it's the truth." He also said, "I was just thinking of each artist as a different train stop, and when you hear that beat, it just brings me back to like - well, for me, it brings me back to being at the bus stop or being on the train early in the morning, cold, mad at life on the way to school late. I'm showing up third period - that's the 1 train. Anything is better than the 1 train."
In an interview with Peter Rosenberg and Hot 97, Rocky explains why he chose these features, who had his favorite verse, and the significance of the track’s title.
The song hit the internet on December 18, 2012, the same day the entire album leaked and nearly a month prior to the actual release date.
As of May 16, 2019, “1Train” has received a gold certification. It was given the certification on October 29, 2018.
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