After nearly a decade of delays, one-off singles, live performances, and personal controversy, Harlem native A$AP Rocky has finally released Don’t Be Dumb, the long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s Testing, via his own label, A$AP Rocky Recordings LLC.
Harlem’s boundary-pushing cultural juggernaut A$AP Rocky has returned with his first album in 8 years: Don’t Be Dumb.
The album, which for a long time seemed destined to exist alongside other notoriously canceled albums such as Dr. Dre’s Detox, came as a complete surprise to everyone in the hip-hop space when announced at the beginning of this year.
Forwarded by two seemingly antithetical singles, “Punk Rocky” and “Helicopter,” and several loosies throughout the years from 2024’s “Highjack” with Jessica Pratt, to 2023's “Same Problems,” many were left to speculate on the sonic and lyrical direction of the project and if Harlem’s visionary could balance the spectrum of sounds while once again asserting his dominance in the culture after nearly a decade-long hiatus.
Opening the album is “Order of Protection,” a track that feels like a fitting introduction to a listening experience that’s equal parts experimental and abrasive as it is lush, vibrant, and beautiful. The song begins with a glistening synth sound laced between a bright chord progression and the sound of rain. Rocky jumps in as a bass line, and keys are introduced:
“It's been a lil' while since I been in the league / A couple lil' trials, couple of leaks,” he raps, immediately acknowledging both his 8-year absence and the reason behind it, which has included two momentous court cases and a slew of song leaks.
As the chorus concludes and the first verse begins, the production further builds with the addition of thunder sounds and the introduction of deep 808s with backing choir vocalizations.
Finally, the beat drops, introducing thumping kick drums, stabbing hi-hats, and a snare drum, as Rocky addresses his relation to music, describing it as “the game that [he] can’t divorce,” and that he leaves fans “screamin' encore [even] when [he’s] long gone.”
Outside of the boasts and recapping the last few years, Rocky does some foreshadowing, specifically of the track ‘Stop Snitching,’ with bars like “Kick that boy out the section, he talk to police / Gangsters move in silence, talkin' is brief.”
The song ends with the choir vocalizations from earlier set behind a militaristic march to keep time before jumping headfirst into the hard-hitting and tumultuous “Helicopter.”
Continuing the vibe that began on “Order of Protection,” “Helicopter” is an unabashed banger set to aggressive trap-inspired production. The blaring synths throughout the track feel like a security alarm going off and add an element of chaos to the already chaotic track.
Lyrically, the song finds Rocky discussing the level of influence he’s been able to amass during his tenure within the rap game, all while paying homage to North Carolina rapper Petey Pablo’s 2001 track “Raise Up,” even dropping the emcee by name during its chorus.
“Take my white tee off, spin it like a helicopter / Take my wife beat' off, spin it like a helicopter / F**k with young Pretty Flacko, I Petey pop you / F***in' with that Pretty Flacko, might Petey pop you,” Rocky confidently gloats.
Following “Helicopter” is a quick interlude skit which seems to reflect Rocky’s opinions regarding his critics and provides a brief reprieve before the bombast continues on “Stole Ya Flow,” which many have come to interpret as a Drake diss.
With production built atop manic synths and distorted bass that could easily house a Tyler, the Creator performance, Rocky manages to bring his own unique flair to the beat with both his lyrics and his performance.
All while maintaining a cool, calm, and collected demeanor, Rocky drops bars like “You just a sensitive ni**a, still in his feelings / You bit the image, my ni**a, I had to switch it,” or “Ni**as gettin' BBLs, lucky we don't body shame / Throwin' dirt on Rocky name, turn around and copy game.”
As aforementioned, many have interpreted these lines to be direct shots at Drake, especially after 2024's beef and tracks like the viral “BBL Drizzy.”
As if anticipating the controversy this song would invoke, the outro of “Stole Ya Flow” is a skit which seems to outline Rocky’s aversion towards explaining his art, saying that he doesn’t owe an explanation to anyone at all.
After “Stole Ya Flow” is the first real break from the verbosity of the previous songs. “Stay Here 4 Life” features R&B darling Brent Faiyaz and is a smooth and slick love song about wanting to hold on to a moment in time forever, specifically a moment in time with a lover.
“Baby, look at the sky / The moon shining bright tonight / I wish that I could stay here for life,” Faiyaz croons over the sultry, subdued production.
Rocky’s pitched-down vocals are then introduced, laced between Faiyaz’s performance and set over a bass line that feels like it could fit nicely on a Brent Faiyaz or Sonder song. Rocky’s vocals return to their original pitch with a smooth flow to start the verse. “It's so hard to think about us, say goodbye, don't want the day to end,” he raps; a sentiment anyone who’s ever been in love can probably relate to.
Following the smooth and consultative “Playa,” in which Rocky attempts to advise listeners about the pitfalls that come with a player lifestyle as well as what it actually means to be a player, the album returns to the abrasion and intensity of the first few tracks with “No Trespassing,” “Stop Snitching,” and the Slay Squad assisted “STFU.”
However, the latter seems to dip into more experimental territory for the first time on the album, culminating in a headbanging refrain of “Shut the f**k up!” over production that sounds like it could be on a JPEGMAFIA album; heavy, distorted bass combined with an industrial snare sound and synths that sound like lasers firing off. This is an apt start to the experimental leg of the album, and segues perfectly into the following track, “Punk Rocky.”
Drenched in Alt/indie elements and layered falsetto vocals, “Punk Rocky” has garnered comparisons to 2018's “Sundress” and is a song about love had and love lost.
Accompanied by a music video starring Winona Ryder and Rocky himself upon its release, the song acted as a fitting introduction to the world of “Don’t Be Dumb.”
The experimentation continues on “Air Force (Black DeMarco)” With production that sounds like it could easily be the soundtrack of a boss battle from an early Sonic the Hedgehog video game.
With accents of booming 808s and erratic hi-hats, Rocky is given possibly the most chaotic backdrop on the album over which he can continue taking subs, flexing his status and influence, and threatening to eliminate anyone who dares to test him.
However, the song's chorus switches things up entirely, adopting glossy indie synth pop production that lends credence to the “Black DeMarco” title by seemingly drawing inspiration directly from Mac DeMarco, both sonically and in the Spencer Sutherland-assisted performance.
It’s a jarring shift that somehow manages to function a lot better than it probably should on paper. This happens during both choruses, but on the second one, there’s an additional vocal accent that feels like it's taken straight out of the playbook of an 80s arena rock act and fits the vibe really well. These choruses are genuinely some of the most beautiful moments on the album.
From the chaos of “Air Force (Black DeMarco)” comes the subdued melancholy of “Whiskey (Release Me).”
Opening with a smooth, natural drum pattern and emotional auto-tune-drenched crooning from Rocky, the song immediately curates a drunken energy that’s only emphasized by Rocky’s slurred and mumbly performance as he sings about not being the one to burn bridges or sabotage his relationships.
The sentiment seems to juxtapose the nature of intoxication, often being a catalyst for the destruction of friendships. Looking at it through this lens, it almost feels as if Rocky is trying to convince himself that he doesn’t burn bridges or friendships. Unfortunately, after the beat fully drops and the chorus begins, Rocky does little in the way of furthering this concept, instead opting to return to flexing and sex talk.
The last three songs on disc 1 of the album, however, consisting of “Robbery,” “Don’t Be Dumb/Trip Baby,” and “The End,” are real standouts and mirror the three-track run at the beginning of the album in terms of quality and intentionality.
The Doechii-assisted “Robbery” is a bluesy jazz cut that sounds like it should be played at a piano bar. The smooth and seductive performances by both Rocky and Doechii fit the song’s production perfectly, and even the skit at the climax of the song, playing out a scene of an active robbery, manages to match the tone of the song perfectly.
“Don’t Be Dumb/Trip Baby,” the penultimate track, feels cathartic, with production that feels like the end of a long journey; bright synth chord progressions and a slow, steady drum loop accentuate Rocky’s lyrics professing his willingness to do anything to see the face of his lover; to “stay in [her] graces.”
He’ll give up the cars, chains, and women if it means he can stay with her. This sentiment persists on the second leg of the song, in which Rocky raps over similarly bright production.
Finally, “The End,” the last track on the main album, opens with a haunting, pitched-up refrain that persists throughout the song: “This is the way the world ends,” before will.i.am opens up the first verse, spitting over deep ambient bass and retro synth stabs about global issues ranging from war and bombs to police brutality.
Rocky takes the second verse and follows Will’s lead, penning bars about issues ranging from the prison-industrial complex to the sustenance of the food that’s served to children in school. Finally, after a moment of silence, the sultry, isolated vocals of Jessica Pratt come in to close the song out, repeating the “This is the way the world ends” refrain over soft acoustic guitar and a snare that sounds like a ticking clock.
Overall, A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb is an enjoyable listen that has little in terms of a dull moment. The production does a lot to keep things lively and interesting, and the sequencing works quite well.
However, much of the content matter on the album is recycled, with Rocky rarely getting introspective or digging beyond the surface when discussing subjects like his relationships, court cases, or anything else that kept this album in development for nearly a decade.
Even when Rocky does get introspective, it often seems to merely scratch the surface of the issue; such is the case with both “Don’t be Dumb/Trip Baby” and “The End.”
While both of these songs are genuinely enjoyable listens, the sentiments of each feel shallow. “Don’t Be Dumb/Trip Baby” specifically feels unearned when the same things Rocky says he would give up to be with his lover are the subject matter of the majority of his album.
This isn’t a dealbreaker per se, but the lack of any significant arc renders the sentiment a bit hollow. Given how forward-thinking and ambitious the production is, it would have been nice if the lyrics and content matter reflected this as well.
Don’t Be Dumb is by no means a bad album, but it falls short of its fullest potential despite being quite a solid listening experience for the most part.
