As the release date for A$AP Rocky’s fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, slowly approaches, more details have come to light. It’s been six years since the Harlem, N.Y. rapper dropped his album Testing, which features the certified double-platinum single “Praise Da Lord (Da Shine).” Rocky initially teased the arrival of his new album in 2022 when he revealed a full-length project was on the way during a performance for Amazon Music Live. He announced the album title that December and said the project was complete Yet, in the past two years, details on the projects have been sparse.
However, he’s ramped things up in 2024. The album was scheduled to debut on DSP on Aug. 30 but has since been pushed back to this fall, according to Billboard. As fans patiently wait for Don’t Be Dumb, here’s everything we know about the project so far.
The Cover Art
Although A$AP Rocky has revealed a rudimentary cover art, he recently revealed a concept he had in mind for it to Billboard. While speaking to the publication in a cover story released on Thursday (Aug. 22), Rocky revealed that he played the album for director Tim Burton in an attempt to get the director to assist with the artwork. But due to time restraints, the two couldn’t collaborate. He explained Tim Burton’s reaction after giving Don’t Be Dumb a spin.
“I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f**king with it heavy,” A$AP Rocky told Billboard. “He was rocking his head and he’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!'”
The album is currently being promoted with the black words “Don’t Be Dumb” on a white background but that will likely change before the album is released.
A$AP Rocky Don’t Be Dumb
The Singles
So far, the rapper has debuted the Jessica Pratt-assisted record “Highjack.” On Aug. 2, he sat down with Apple Music’s very own Zane Lowe to give more insight about the song.
“I feel like the real is back, man, and it’s just like, this sh– is for the taking,” A$AP Rocky states at the 1:39 mark of the interview. “It’s a highjack. Not only that, it’s just we coming with a whole new aesthetic on everything, especially with German expressionism and the whole ghetto futurism grim thing. So that’s just what the sound sounds like and whatnot. The sonics of it.”
During the aforementioned interview with Billboard, Rocky also spoke about two songs off the project, “Shroom Cloud” and “Grim.”
In the discussion, he described “Shroom Cloud” as an experimental track that addresses societal issues.
“At times like this, only two types of people strive and survive,” Rocky told the publication. “I’m not trying to sound like I’m glorifying wars, but I think artists and druggies, they make it through. I mean, what was the hippies doing? They was getting high at Woodstock and f**king and having a great time and having these hippie babies who subsequently had us.”
As the conversation continued, he said that he currently resonates with “Grim” and explained the meaning behind the song’s title.
“In this very moment, it’s very grim,” he stated. “That’s an abbreviation,” he explains. “It’s infusing German expressionism with ghetto futurism.”
The Collaborators
Although A$AP couldn’t get Tim Burton on board for the album’s creation process, he was able to work alongside Tim’s right-hand composer Danny Elfman. Rocky also enlisted The Alchemist, Tyler, The Creator, Pharrell Williams, Mike Dean, Hitkidd, Madlib and Metro Boomin, to name a few, for guest appearances and production on Don’t Be Dumb.
On July 26, Hot 97’s DJ Kast One went on the Ebro in the Morning show and also revealed more musicians who will make a potential guest appearance on Don’t Be Dumb.
“I heard songs being played. I heard Slick Rick [on it],” he expressed. “That was amazing. I also heard A$AP Rocky definitely addressing a lot of the main topics that are happening out here right now. Let’s just say, the list keeps going on strong.”
The Release Date
Although Don’t Be Dumb was scheduled to drop on Aug. 30, it has now been pushed to the fall. According to Flacko, leaks and sample clearances are the reason for the delay.
