Harlem-born rapper A$AP Rocky, on a six-year hiatus, delayed his highly anticipated new release to a to-be-determined date. Rocky attributes the pushback to leaks and sample clearances. His fourth studio album “Don’t Be Dumb” excited his massive fanbase because of a formidable lineup of featured artists: J. Cole, Rihanna, Metro Boomin’, Tyler, The Creator and Jessica Pratt. Initially scheduled to drop back in August, the launch is postponed for later this year, supposedly….
“Don’t Be Dumb” puts fans on edge — including me. When he dropped “Highjack” a couple of months ago, it immediately hit my heavy rotation playlist. It featured singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt and broke ground for fans of both artists. Some background on Pratt: her musical influences, such as the “girl groups” of the 1960s or the angelic voice of harpist Joanna Newsome, sound lightyears away from her strange bedfellow. A$AP, on the other hand, produces psychedelic and hazy hip-hop. The collaboration seemed as unlikely as mixing lemons with milk, but was incredible.
Before I heard about Jessica Pratt’s participation, I mistook her misty vocals for a sample. It wasn’t as conspicuous but coherently blended in. Plus her vintage voice sweetens the outro and leaves a gentle aftertaste. It further enriched Rocky’s classic style.
Additionally, this served as Rocky’s response to the infamous feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar in April. Previously, Drake, famous for conventional songs like “God’s Plan,” “One Dance,” and “Passionfruit,” changed course and unleashed diss tracks aimed toward fellow rapper Lamar. The rivalry ended with a supposed ‘win’ for Lamar, with his retort “Not Like Us” that accused Drake of conveying harmful intentions toward minors.
In “Family Matters,” Drake wrote bars that slammed Rocky and his girlfriend, Rihanna. In response, Rocky referenced the complicated relationship between him, Drake and Rihanna in “Highjack.” Further, Rocky frequently ended his rhymes with the phrase ‘like that,’ an allusion to Future and Metro Boomin’s duet “Like That” — another major diss that targeted Drake.
After a month of “Highjack” on repeat, I fervently rushed to hear his second single “Tailor Swif.” Swift’s concerned fans reported that Rocky used the pop star’s name for clout. However, this is not the first time a male rapper used Taylor Swift in their lyrics: Drake’s “Red Button” mentions the icon as well as Kanye West in “Famous” from 2016’s “The Life Of Pablo” where he reignited his conflict with Swift. “Tailor Swif,” on the other hand, doesn’t hold many implications for the pop star.
A week after “Tailor Swif” dropped, Rocky followed up with “Ruby Rosary.” The song featured J. Cole, the artist behind the hit “Power Trip.” The song perfectly captured Rocky’s trademark downbeat and psychedelic style as it elicits an uncanny midnight cityscape illuminated by a broken red neon sign. The beats reflect the flow and atmosphere of an urban downtown, while the verses guide the listeners through Rocky’s journey. J. Cole’s verse, on the other hand, brings us back to reality, with his insane rhyme schemes.
All these singles build-up to the forthcoming album, “Don’t Be Dumb.” But despite fans’ excitement, it was pushed back to late 2024 — with six years of hype, Rocky took a supposed respite. A$AP Rocky slid under my radar until a couple of months ago when I switched it up from my Frank Ocean binge. Ocean – an artist infamous for no new music in almost a decade – wore me out as I kept the same three albums on a constant loop. Therefore, I felt the devastation Rocky fans felt when he postponed the release date indefinitely.
A$AP Rocky continues to surprise his fanbase through unexpected maneuvers — the release of promotional singles, unforeseen collabs, and the aforementioned album delay. If I were to rate his singles released in 2024, I give a four out of five for “Highjack,” three out of five for “Tailor Swif”, and another three for “Ruby Rosary.” But living up to the media buzz, on the other hand, would be a two out of five. I hoped to see new releases, rather than such disheartening delays.
