On January 26th, the rap artist A$AP Rocky released his highly anticipated album “Don’t Be Dumb”, ending a long eight years of not releasing any new projects. With this long hiatus, fans expected an outstanding album, especially since many singles had been released throughout the years prior, with many initially intended to be a part of the album. While many won’t think A$AP Rocky did as much as he could have with the time, he still managed to deliver a pretty fun project with many highlights throughout.
The album starts with an energizing start with the track “Order of Protection”. Throughout its runtime, Rocky delivers some catchy bars surrounding his return, all while a ghostly synth fills in the background. I don’t see many negatives to the track, 9/10.
Following the strong start is “Helicopter”, which was one of two singles Rocky released prior to the album’s release. While the beat is pretty repetitive, the harpsichord that plays throughout makes up for it. The song really picks up at the end and has some nice verses throughout, making for a catchy, aux-worthy, 8/10.
Before the next track is a short skit entitled “Interrogation skit”. While I don’t have a rating for it, the skit adds some humor to the album and makes for an overall better transition.
“Stole Ya Flow” is next, and it just so happens to have one of the hardest flows of the album. The instrumental contains some screaming synths that are consistent throughout, but it loses some energy in the middle of the song. However, it picks back up for a strong finish with some nice choral additions, making for another 8/10
A$AP Rocky diverts from his traditional sound with “Stay Here For Life”. The hook present in the beginning is catchy, and it’s especially great laid on top of the airy instrumental. The second verse is a standout moment, and the melodic vibes of the song make it a 9/10.
The following track “Playa” has some nice keys throughout, reminiscent of the early 2000s. Rocky delivers another good rap performance, but it doesn’t stand out as much as some other tracks. Still, it’s a chill listening experience, allowing for an 8/10.
A$AP Rocky continues his streak of exceptional flows on the cut “No Trespassing”, but it’s not quite enough to make up for the lacking instrumental. I am a sucker for a good beat, and the lack of vibrancy beyond the drums makes it a 7/10 for me.
“Stop Snitching” is another track that doesn’t quite stand out to me. Like “No Trespassing”, it lacks melodies and feels a bit repetitive. Rocky’s performance on the song is once again pretty great, making it another 7/10 in my eyes.
The following track, “STFU”, has a harsh instrumentation and vibe in general, if you couldn’t guess by the title. I’m not a big fan of the feature from Slay Squad, but the track has a humorous reference to the album taking a long time to release. “STFU” likely sounds the best when you’re angry. Regardless, I give this track a 6/10.
“Punk Rocky” is a clever title, and A$AP Rocky’s attempt at punk rock. The track was one of the singles that got people excited for the project. The beat is atmospheric and enhanced by a pleasant guitar, along with crooning vocals from Rocky in the chorus. There’s not much of a progression during the song, but the pleasant sound allows it to be an 8/10.
Nasty bass and a digital sounding synth are both present throughout the verses of “Air Force (Black Demarco). Rocky’s flow over these sounds is pretty sweet, allowing the verses to be a highlight. They are interrupted by a very atmospheric chorus with some singing from A$AP, along with female vocals. This allows for a really nice contrast that makes the song another 8/10.
“Whiskey (Release Me)” starts out relaxed and atmospheric, but picks up midway through its runtime with a nice high hat and drum pattern that really enhances the vibe. A$AP Rocky starts making a lot of sound effects with his mouth at the end, which is interesting, but it loses a little bit of steam toward the end, so it’s a 7/10 to me.
The rhythmic drums of “Robbery” are its best feature, which are accompanied by a piano and string bass, making for a relaxing vibe. Doechi adds to the mix with a nice feature. The middle of the song is interrupted by what sounds like an actual robbery, so an 8/10 for creativity is only fair..
“Don’t Be Dumb/Trip Baby” appears to be two songs in one. It starts with a catchy sample of a repeated vocal, sharing the atmospheric present in much of the album. Rocky sings some nice lyrics about longing for someone, which reflects the sound of the beat. Although it switches halfway into a less exciting, simpler beat, it’s still kind of awesome. 9/10.
A child repeats “this is the way the world ends” throughout the first half of “The End”. A$AP Rocky partakes in some social commentary throughout as well, which contains lyrics targeting school lunch. Luckily, Liberty High School has good school lunches. It switches up halfway through with a guitar and a strange voice singing about the end of the world. It’s interesting, but not my favorite, so 7/10 it is.
“Swat Team” appears to be a bonus track as it follows a song literally entitled “The End”. THe beat is hard, but sounds very similar to other songs on the album. I suppose as a bonus track, it’s still good for a 7/10.
“Fish N Steak (What It Is)” appears to be the true end of the album. It starts out with an interesting instrumental highlighted by a flute, switching up about half way through with Tyler, The Creator’s verse, which is pretty relaxing. It breaks down a little towards the end, leading to what I believe to be 7/10.
Overall, “Don’t Be Dumb” is an album that I expect to grow on me the more I listen to it, and one that should (hopefully) hold over A$AP Rocky fans for the next eight years. Speaking of eight, 8/10 is the score that I believe best represents this album in its entirety. It contains multiple standout tracks throughout, and is overall just a fun project that has a nice balance between high and low energy. Rocky delivers solid verses throughout, and everything else delivers most of the time throughout. However, it’s got Wabi-sabi. In the end, that’s all that really matters to me.
