A$AP Rocky fans have been impatiently awaiting a new album for more than half a decade, but the wait will soon be over.
The Harlem-bred rapper will release his fourth album, Don’t Be Dumb, later this month, capping a six-year hiatus that began with his 2018 effort TESTING.
Despite minor commercial success and the transatlantic smash “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” featuring grime kingpin Skepta, the album split both fans and critics, receiving a 2.9 out of 5 rating from this very website.
The lukewarm reception highlighted a sense that New York’s most stylish sonic innovator may be losing touch, especially when compared to peers like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Future, and Tyler, The Creator, all of whom have seen their careers skyrocket since their respective breakthroughs in the late 2000s and early 2010.
All that being said, A$AP Rocky’s next album has a lot riding on it. Will Don’t Be Dumb live up to the expectations and usher in the return of Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye? Or will it fail to fulfill expectations, proving Drake’s previous “Family Matters” dig (“I ain’t even know you rapped still / ‘Cause they only talkin’ about your ‘fit again / Probably gotta have a kid again / ‘Fore you think of droppin’ any shit again.”)
The outcome will be determined only by time. In the meantime, here’s all we know about Don’t Be Dumb.
When Will Don’t Be Dumb Be Released?
Don’t Be Dumb is scheduled to be released on August 30. A$AP Rocky revealed the date in June when presenting his AWGE “American Sabotage” apparel collection at Paris Fashion Week, holding up a white banner that simply read: “Don’t Be Dumb.” “August 30, 2024,” he said as he walked the runway alongside his girlfriend Rihanna, Pharrell, Pusha T, and others.
Rocky has yet to explain the significance behind “Don’t Be Dumb” or disclose the album’s cover.
The album was earlier speculated to be titled All Smiles, however Rocky clarified in a 2022 interview with Dazed magazine: “One thing I can tell you is that the name isn’t gonna be All Smiles.” I never officially said that my album was titled All Smiles! That one is more of a conceptual project, including music and other elements.”
Rocky blames leaks for part of the album’s delay. “They have to stop leaking it!” “These dummies need to stop leaking shit,” he told Complex last year. “Every time, we have to go back to the drawing board, but right now I think it’s in a place where we tightened it up and we really can’t make or break anything right now.”
How Many Singles Has A$AP Rocky Released From Don’t Be Dumb?
Rocky has so far released a few potential singles from Don’t Be Dumb, beginning with “D.M.B.” two years ago. The song’s stunning, colorful video features an appearance by his leading lady Rihanna and depicts the power couple getting married – ‘hood style.
In early 2023, Rocky released the melancholy, stripped-down “Same Problems?” before ramping up the excitement with “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n),” which sounds like Master P’s No Limit tank in song form.
Rocky recently released another Don’t Be Dumb sample, “HIGHJACK,” which recalls his early career’s hazy, Houston- and Memphis-influenced style.
“Shittin’ Me,” published in 2022, may also make the cut, however it was primarily created for the computer game Need for Speed Unbound.
Despite the wide collection of tracks, none of the singles have matched Rocky’s biggest hits, with “D.M.B.” reaching No. 32 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop tracks list.
The A$AP Mob leader has also previewed a variety of unreleased songs throughout various gigs, including the supposed Travis Scott diss “Taylor Swift.” However, in a recent interview with Zane Lowe, he stated that these tunes will not appear on Don’t Be Dumb: “Most of the songs that I normally perform and shit like that, muthafuckas leak them. And once it’s leaked, it’s like, ‘Nah, it’s not part of the project.'”
Who Are the Features & Producers on Don’t Be Dumb?
If all of the aforementioned singles make the cut, Don’t Be Dumb will feature vocals from Lil Yachty, Miguel, Jessica Pratt, and Jon Batiste, as well as production from Tyler, The Creator, Pharrell, Skepta, Thundercat, Hitkidd, Hector Delgado, Greg Kurstin, Shlohmo, Kelvin Krash, Jordan Patrick, Zach Fogarty, and A$AP Rocky himself.
Aside from these names, Flacko just confirmed an especially exciting collaboration with Busta Rhymes, Slick Rick, Flavor Flav, Fatman Scoop, and Morrissey titled “Hood Happy.” Rihanna, J. Cole, Tyler, and Peso Pluma have all been teased by either Rocky or others who have heard the album.
Behind the boards, Hip Hop’s premiere hitmaker Metro Boomin is set to play a significant role, with Rocky telling GQ: “This next album needs to be simply called Flacko Boomin, you hear me? Most musicians want to make [collaborations simply because they are popular]. For us, it’s like, “That’s my n-gga.”
In a separate interview with Complex, he revealed that the album will also have production by The Alchemist, Madlib, Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, Mike Dean, Swedish House Mafia, and Dean Blunt.
How Has A$AP Rocky Described Don’t Be Dumb?
The mixed reception to TESTING has not diminished A$AP Rocky’s faith in his craft. “I’ve been really experimenting as usual, and what I like about this is that it feels like my best work yet,” he said to Dazed magazine last year.
In a separate interview with the same journal in 2022, he revealed the sonic direction of Don’t Be Dumb, saying: “I don’t want to be cliché or sound like a salesman, but I’ve pushed myself to the maximum on everything. After transitioning from the industrial, subversive sound of TESTING to a more refined sound, the artist enjoys the current direction.
While it’s unclear whether Rihanna will perform on the record, she appears to be participating behind the scenes. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight earlier this year, the Bajan beauty said that she and her lover were helping each other choose “hits” for their separate albums. (Rihanna is now working on her highly anticipated ninth album.)
What Will A$AP Rocky Talk About on Don’t Be Dumb?
If these early singles are any indication, the music reflects the brashness of the title, Don’t Be Dumb. “D.M.B.,” A$AP Rocky appears to make a hidden reference to Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who infamously assaulted her in 2009 during their widely publicized relationship. “I don’t beat my bitch; I need my bitch,” he rapped.
On the recently released “HIGHJACK,” Rocky appears to mock another of RiRi’s (rumored) past flames Drake by saying: “These n-ggas want my wife bad, the people want my next track.”
Tensions between the two have been brewing for months, ever after Drizzy appeared to criticize Rihanna on his 2023 album For All the Dogs. Rocky responded to Kid Cudi’s “WOW” and Future and Metro Boomin’s “Show of Hands,” saying on the latter that he once slept with the 6 Gods’ baby mother Sophie Brussaux.
Drake responded to “Family Matters” with a long reply that mentioned his supposed connection with Rihanna as well as Rocky’s head injuries from a scooter accident in 2020.
According to Hot 97’s DJ Kast One, A$AP Rocky’s song “Don’t Be Dumb” addresses current issues, potentially causing further controversy for Drake. He’ll be permanently on [Drake’s hit] list after this.”
Outside of rap feud, “Same Problems?” is probably A$AP Rocky’s most poignant song sees him criticizing society’s problems while examining his own weaknesses. “N-ggas dyin’ every other night / N-ggas cryin’, that’s a part of life / Lyin’ to my face, tryna say that it’s all good / No, I’m not alright,” admits the rapper.
When he launched the song during an Amazon Music Live performance, the 35-year-old stood in front of photographs of rappers who died too young, including 2Pac, Biggie Smalls, and DMX, as well as Nipsey Hussle, Mac Miller, and Pop Smoke.
The weight of death in Hip Hop is offset by the birth of new life in A$AP. Rocky’s personal life includes the birth of two children, sons RZA and Riot, with Rihanna since the release of his last album. While “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)” is a clear reference to his youngest son, it remains to be seen whether Rocky will discuss parenting on Don’t Be Dumb.
In the six years since TESTING, Rocky has faced some major legal issues. In 2022, he was jailed on felony gun charges for reportedly shooting former buddy A$AP Relli following an argument in November 2021. Rocky has pled not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in November.
He has also faced numerous civil claims over the purported shooting, including slander. Rocky’s lawyer has described the charges as “false” and a “extortion” effort.
