In the scene of modern hip-hop, where releasing an album or even multiple albums a year is viewed as normal, A$AP Rocky decided to take a different path in his career. After his 2018 album “Testing,” Rocky ended up being in a relationship with Rihanna, a father of 3, acting in multiple films, and adding a couple more singles to his discography. When the summer of 2024 arrived, “Don’t Be Dumb” was announced and initially set to release in August 2024. However, after multiple delays and the release of singles such as “Riot,” “Highjack,” and “Ruby Rosary,” the official release date ended up being January 16, 2026. 

Rocky’s balance of his soft voice against the crazy production is perfected on many songs, such as “ORDER OF PROTECTION,” “PLAYA,” and “NO TRESPASSING.” Rocky also stomps with confidence on “HELICOPTER,” “STOP SNITCHING,” and especially “STOLE YA FLOW,” a diss track that describes how he “stole” Rihanna from Drake, her former relationship.

Though A$AP Rocky builds on what he’s already done, he has many songs that heavily diversify his discography. “PUNK ROCKY” gives a, ironically, punk rocky feeling. “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” brings an extremely fast-paced production that switches to a heavenly chorus at times. “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME)” gives a much calmer feeling alongside vocals from the Gorillaz, with the song interrupted by Westside Gunn’s famous “BOOM!” adlibs.  “ROBBERY” is a funny, jazzy song with fast vocals from the singer Doechii. Rocky’s self-titled track is by far the favorite on the album, giving a slightly psychedelic yet calm production that also brings out his singing.

Overall, the album is abundant in genres and is some of the best from A$AP Rocky’s discography. This album not only brings hope for the future of Rocky, but for the future of music, as many artists have unexpectedly released albums. 

If you’re interested in seeing A$AP Rocky on tour, he will be coming to the Mortgage Matchup Center (formerly PHX Arena) on June 23.