After nearly eight years since his last full-length project release, A$AP Rocky is back with an evolved sound. His new album “Don’t be Dumb,” released on Jan. 16, features seventeen tracks exploring revival, ambition and contemplative love — all of which parallel Rocky’s growth as an artist.
“Don’t Be Dumb” is a testament to Rocky’s developing style and creative maturation. The album mixes fast beats with slow, airy lyricism and unconventional sound effects, highlighting a shift towards further experimentation in Rocky’s discography. The record doesn’t cater to any specific audience, instead relying on universally appealing raw emotion and artistic grit.
The album opens with “ORDER OF PROTECTION,” a steady-rhythmed, matter-of-fact commentary on Rocky’s significance in the music industry despite his hiatus from releasing longer projects. While slightly underwhelming, “ORDER OF PROTECTION” introduces a theme of resilience later woven throughout the rest of the album. As the song winds down, it offers an ethereal chorus — an identifiable transition away from the otherwise dominating pace.
The second track “HELICOPTER” — one of two singles released prior to the record — extends the themes of “ORDER OF PROTECTION.” Electric energy, a techno-fusion score and powerful beat drops send a clear message: Rocky is back and stronger than ever.
By the album's third track — “INTERROGATION (SKIT)” — Rocky’s experimental, unconventional work on the album is in full swing. A short spoken-word-style piece, the track is a bold statement on Rocky’s overall intention with the album — to subvert his own standards and those of mainstream hip-hop or, as he says, to “put out staticky good shit.”
While the album’s experimental overtone often sacrifices track-to-track flow and thematic consistency, it makes the album thoroughly dynamic. From an alleged Drake diss track, “STOLE YA FLOW,” to airy, R&B reminiscent love songs like “STAY HERE 4 LIFE (feat. Brent Faiyaz)” and “PLAYA,” Rocky’s comeback album rocks listeners with tonal changes sharp enough to cause whiplash.
“PUNK ROCKY,” the album’s lead single, released on Jan. 5, is a stellar and critical transition from the eccentricity in “STFU (feat. Slay Squad)” toward a deeper, more emotional set of themes. In other songs, including the album’s titular track, “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY,” Rocky’s exploration of emotional volatility mirrors his jarring musical choices.
“Don’t be Dumb” isn’t without its flaws. In “THE END (feat. will.i.am & Jessica Pratt),” Rocky’s attempt at a political statement — addressing institutional oppression, inequality and societal decline — is well-intentioned but shallowly delivered. Rather than a clear call to action, the song feels like an afterthought tacked onto an album otherwise centered around Rocky’s personal narrative.
Though unconventional, undefinable and incomplete in several aspects, “Don’t Be Dumb” is a provocative reintroduction into the music industry for Rocky — and a welcome celebration of musical experimentation.
