The years of fake drop dates and leaks are no more. A$AP Rocky’s long-awaited fourth studio album finally dropped.
In the nearly eight years since his last studio album, Rocky has put his rap career on the back burner in order to focus on other ventures.
Although fans have seen Rocky in commercials for Gucci or checked out his latest line of Puma clothing, there has been a limited number of singles or even a song with a Rocky feature.
On Jan. 16, the music drought ended with “Don’t Be Dumb,” a 17-track album with a nearly hour-long runtime.
It did not disappoint; there’s a little bit of everything. From chill vibes to punk rock, Rocky continues to show his versatility.
It may not be his greatest work, but even at his, arguably, “worst,” it’s still better than a lot of artists’ best.
Rocky sets the tone early
On Jan. 6, Rocky dropped the album’s lead single, “Punk Rocky.” It’s not so much a rap song but something closer to alternative rock, and is quite catchy.
This track is reminiscent of his 2018 single, “Sundress.” Similarly, “Punk Rocky” is a slower song talking about his love life.
He followed that up a few days later with “HELICOPTOR,” which also came with a visually stunning music video.
The single established more of a familiar Rocky vibe, having a sound that is nearly impossible not to bop your head to.
As far as the album as a whole, he starts off with a perfect opener, “ORDER OF PROTECTION.”
It builds up to a beat drop where he talks about where he is in life and within the music industry, concluding that “last time I checked, we still in the lead.”
The song features a choir, a sound you could imagine hearing in the score of a Tim Burton film. Fittingly, Burton designed the album’s cover art, and Danny Elfman, a common composer of Burton films, is featured on the album.
Carefully chosen features
Half of the tracks on the album have features, but they aren’t just thrown out for no reason.
On “STAY HERE 4 LIFE,” Rocky brings in Brent Faiyaz to talk about relationships over a sample from Ken Carson’s track “mewtwo.”
“STOP SNITCHING” has an eerie melody in the background, adding to a strong bass with a feature from Sauce Walka. The two further the message that people talk too much.
Artists like Doechii, Damon Albarn, will.i.am and Tyler, The Creator are each featured once on the album.
Westside Gunn is featured on “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME),” adding his famous ad-libs for the outro, something reminiscent of Kid Cudi’s hums on “A$AP Forever (REMIX).”
Experimenting with new sounds
Throughout his career, Rocky has never been scared to experiment. His latest album keeps this statement true.
There are splashes of old Rocky throughout the album while also adding something new.
Songs like “STFU” and “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” sound similar to the punk rap heard in Playboi Carti’s “Whole Lotta Red.”
Then there are slower songs like “DONT BE DUMB/TRIP BABY,” that sounds like it could have been on his 2018 album, or “ROBBERY,” which takes a jazz route.
What’s his best work?
The album mixes head-nodding bangers and relaxing melodies.
The song that stood out immediately on first listen was “PLAYA.”
It’s a chill song that Rocky is still able to make hard-hitting with his lyrics of “balling” in the music industry.
Thundercat sets a calm tone with the intro, which is followed by a wavy melody. Ad-libs like “player” and “try not to stare” carry the song even further.
Final thoughts
While a nearly eight-year gap is certainly too long, it is understandable why it took so long. He’s much more than just a rapper from Harlem, but a true artist.
It seems that everything Rocky does is with purpose.
Hopefully, this is the start of a true return to music and not his swan song. Either way, fans will be waiting for more.
Whether this is the start of something new or the conclusion of a career, it’s simple. Listen to the album.
Don’t be dumb.
