The pretty motherf***er A$AP Rocky returns with his first album in eight years since TESTING (2018): DON’T BE DUMB.
First, let’s talk about the album cover, apparently illustrated by Tim Burton. A mashup I never thought I’d see, and honestly? I like it a lot. I had hoped for a more cohesive cover that aligned with his other iconic B&W covers, but with a new sound comes a new cover. Rocky used to own his sound. Trippy beats, hazy atmospheres and chopped-up samples, that was his spiel. I had high hopes for this album after seeing Winona Ryder jamming in the “PUNK ROCKY” music video. But after a few listens, it’s clear production is under new management.
Rocky has always experimented, but with “PUNK ROCKY” he really ventures outside his genre. Rock and rap are no strangers. But even with this ‘new-year-new-Rocky’ era, you shouldn’t completely abandon your sound. I also laughed a little when I saw “I Smoked Away My Brain” — a very obvious TikTok bandwagon moment (no shade…). I personally only enjoyed a handful of songs. The rest? It’s giving The Life of a Showgirl to pay Rihanna’s wedding bills. I had to play “Fashion Killa” afterward just to cleanse my ears. It’s selfish to want an artist to stick to the sound that made me fall in love with their music, but a lot of this album sounds like Baby Keem-coded hype beats. “NO TRESPASSING,” especially — very “Orange Soda.” I always saw Rocky as an indie-adjacent rapper, especially with his SoundCloud-era roots. Now it feels like he’s trying too hard to break out of his genre. He sprinkles in bossa nova and reggaeton, and misses. I find myself comparing this to Travis Scott. UTOPIA was completely new, but it was still unmistakably his. Rocky attempts the same thing here — and for me, it just doesn’t work.
Now, what I did enjoy:
“HELICOPTER” was good. Not great — but solid. Crisp production, repeating melodies and high-pitched cowbells. It had that foreboding energy similar to “Frankenstein” or “r-Cali,” which I love.
“STOLE YA FLOW” If anything, I kind of even cringed. It's the type of song that would be played over a slow-mo walk-out scene of Suicide Squad or another mass media action-packed movie.
Thankfully, my sugary-voiced king, Brent Faiyaz, came through on “STAY HERE 4 LIFE” and saved my ears. This song feels like the first day of summer, when you know warm weather and good things are coming, especially after this winter (brr). I loved the outro too, it gave old-school Project Pat vibes. Slow, trippy, OG Rocky. The Rocky I miss. Sigh.
“PLAYA” was decent but clearly aimed at modern rap trends, once again abandoning his signature sound. “STOP SNITCHING” was fine, but basic. It didn’t stand out. I could hear it playing among 100 other party tracks. It had a similar aggressive energy to “HELICOPTER,” but without the personality.
“STFU” and “PUNK ROCKY” are what make this album stand out — and I’m still unsure if that’s a good thing. The 1:20 mark on “STFU”? Hello?? Did we just get cursed? There’s a difference between punk vocals and a gremlin muttering into a mic. I get the genre-bending attempt, but to the trained ear, it sounds like Rocky trying to imitate JPEGMAFIA … and missing.
“Be My Angel” is to “Fade Into You” as what “PUNK ROCKY” is to “Sundress.” Rodrick Heffley to Greg Heffley. Edgier, rockier — but way less feel-good.
I will say the “PUNK ROCKY” music video was entertaining, and I like where his artistry is headed visually. But after eight years and a supposed rebrand? I don’t know …
We get another Suicide Squad walkout beat with “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO),” but I appreciated the beat switch around the one-minute mark, even if it wasn’t executed perfectly. At this point, it’s the thought that counts.
I was pleasantly surprised by “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME)” with Gorillaz and Westside Gunn. Loved the slow-build into trap elements, Damon Albarn’s vocals and Westside’s little trills and “boom boom boom boom!” That alone almost made up for … the rest of the album.
“ROBBERY” was fun; syncopated drums, mischievous bass, smooth horns introducing Doechii’s soft kisses. “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY” was another highlight: bittersweet, end-of-summer vibes. The signature drums popped out and suddenly it felt like 2018 again. “TRIP BABY” especially had cool sound effects that almost made me sad the album was already ending when it was just getting good. The outro with Jessica Pratt was a nice send-off: gentle strumming after a rollercoaster of an album.
Quick disc 2 thoughts: “FISH N STEAK” felt reminiscent of old A$AP Mob and Odd Future, always fun with Tyler, The Creator on a track. “FLACKITO JODYE” was pretty fun, too. That 123-12 beat was definitely enjoyable.
Final thoughts: I’m giving the album a 6/10.
There are only so many Imogen Heap songs to sample, I guess. Rocky is obviously a great artist, which is why I’m being harsh. He had eight years, and this was the “big” return. When I listen to his old stuff like “Houston Old Head” or “Angels,”, I can’t help but ask, what went wrong? Those tracks were a song-induced high.
DON’T BE DUMB was full of something … but it lacked vigor. It lacked substance.
And that’s the most disappointing part.
Hosannah Choi is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at hyc25@cornell.edu.
