Album of the Week: A$AP Rocky returns with ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ after eight years
Don’t Be Dumb, the fourth studio album from A$AP Rocky, had been in the works for so long that it seemed like it might never be released at all. It became a myth that fans quickly grew tired of hearing about.
Almost eight years have passed since the Harlem rapper dropped his last project, Testing. In the years since, he’s released countless singles, such as ‘Highjack’, ‘Tailor Swif’, ‘Ruby Rosary’, and ‘Pray4DaGang’. There’s also been ‘DMB’, an ode to his partner and the mother of his three children, Rihanna.
With his latest effort, Rocky ditches all of those singles for an entirely new project and a clear vision of his artistic approach. Don’t Be Dumb, released on January 16th, moves through a variety of genres, including jazz, hip-hop, metal, indie, and R&B, equipped with a wide range of features. Whether it’s Tyler, The Creator, Westside Gunn, Doechii, Gorillaz, Thundercat, Brent Faiyaz, or Sauce Walka, he’s constantly in good company while remaining in control of the show.
Both recent releases, ‘Punk Rocky’ and ‘Helicopter’, appear on the body of work, with other notable titles including ‘Stop Snitching’, ‘STFU’, and ‘No Trespassing’. On the song ‘Stole Ya Flow‘, Rocky appears to take aim at Drake with references to Rihanna, his once secret son, and alleged cosmetic surgery.
One of the driving forces behind the album is Danny Elfman, the former member of Oingo Boingo, known for scoring movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. “Working with @asaprocky was a great experience,” Elfman said. “Just hanging out and listening to his new tracks… He’s an amazingly creative artist and I was really impressed with how diverse his influences and inspirations were. He’s truly a one-of-a-kind.”
Elfman’s longtime collaborator, Tim Burton, the filmmaker behind classic films like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, designed six album covers for Don’t Be Dumb. He’s behind the entire artistic rollout, depicting six alter egos for Rocky through various illustrations.
“I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was fucking with it heavy,” the rapper told Billboard in 2024. “He was rocking his head, and he’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”
Rocky has gone through a variety of legal issues since Testing, being arrested for assault in Sweden and facing a gun assault trial against his ex-friend. With Don’t Be Dumb, he puts all of the chaos behind him with defiant tracks like ‘STFU’ and ‘No Trespassing’. It’s an album brimming with confidence and a reminder of what hip-hop has been missing in his absence – as far as projects are concerned.
His ability to switch between sounds is effortless, going from rapping over a jazzy piano instrumental on ‘Burglary’ to the thumping ‘Helicopter’. Rocky has always been willing to go outside the box in all avenues of his career, as evident in his acting career with roles in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Highest 2 Lowest. He recently described the album as a “true masterpiece,” but only time will tell if his statement will hold weight.