If the name A$AP Rocky sounds ancient, I wouldn’t blame you.
Don’t Be Dumb was produced by A$AP Rocky, and it can be found on all music platforms. Although the album isn’t revolutionary enough to justify its eight-year wait, it’s still more than good enough to cap off a music career spanning fifteen years.
Rakim Mayers sure jumped through a lot of hoops in the years leading up to the release of Don’t Be Dumb. Between being arrested in Sweden, starting a family with R&B star Rihanna, and a court case resulting in a not-guilty verdict, fans have been waiting for a new album for years now.
His debut projects, Live.Love.A$AP and Long.Live.A$AP, both put Rocky on the map. These were followed by another successful album in At.Long.Last.A$AP, which made him a staple in the music industry.
The release of TESTING, although well-received, was not to the standard we had become accustomed to. That being said, as the name suggests, TESTING was an experimental project, leading up to what we hear in his latest release.
A song that immediately stands out is “PUNK ROCKY”. It was announced as a teaser a week before the album’s release, and it featured a very upbeat tempo, similar to “Sundress” from 2018. While it’s clear this song was only meant as a showcase to build hype for the album, it set an eccentric tone for the release.
On the other hand, “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” is a prime product of TESTING. Here, we see Rocky opt for an experimental melody. The song itself is all over the place, and in a way, it stresses you out just by listening to it. There are breaks in the song where the entire vibe switches, almost as an attempt to let the listeners catch their breath.
Definitely a fan favorite is the title track, “DON’T BE DUMB/TRIP BABY”. It also includes a unique beat, held entirely up by a chorus repeating, “Don’t be dumb.” The switch of the beat also works really well and makes it all the more enjoyable to experience. I believe this song is influenced by the court case mentioned earlier, where Rocky faced twenty-four years in prison. As one of the lyrics implies, he was ready to trade his entire identity to stay together with Rihanna.
The last song that caught my attention iss “STFU”, but for the wrong reason. This has been almost universally accepted as the album’s worst track. Fans like the new and unique style Rocky has created for himself, but this is simply doing too much. Slay Squad is featured on this song, but their work here is really weak, making the whole thing hard to listen to. The track itself isn’t all bad, but it is noticeably weaker compared to the others found on the album.
Don’t Be Dumb has broken the record for most-saved rap album of all time. It has a very distinct, recognizable style, and anyone with even the slightest interest in rap should give it a try.
Although it doesn’t satisfy the eight-year wait, nor is it the artist’s best work, Don’t Be Dumb has the potential to be the rap album of the year. And if you like A$AP Rocky, don’t forget to tune into his upcoming world tour in 2026!
