A$AP Rocky Took Eight Years to Say Don’t Be Dumb — Was It Worth the Wait?
Photo curtesey of Tarık Aynagöz @tarikaynagoz | Mixed media remix by Emily “Mily” Ward @mily_media
The Long Road to Don’t Be Dumb
Don’t Be Dumb has been years in the making, and not in a lazy, mysterious-artist way. A$AP Rocky originally said the album was supposed to be finished in 2022, but a lot of people forget just how much life happened to him in the eight years since Testing dropped in May 2018.
In that time, Rocky was arrested overseas in Sweden, lived through a global pandemic, became a father, dealt with a high-profile gun case, had more kids, supported Rihanna through pregnancy and a Super Bowl halftime performance, scrapped and restarted the album after leaks, and even stepped into acting alongside Denzel Washington. Add in the production of high-concept music videos and a full album rollout, and suddenly the wait doesn’t feel so unreasonable. When people complain about the wait, I think they’re missing the bigger picture. Albums don’t cook themselves when your life is on fire. And to Rocky’s credit, he never pretended this was some overnight process.
Don’t Be Dumb serves as Rocky’s fourth studio album and his first full-length release since Testing. The project was teased as far back as 2018, when he used the album’s title as captions on now-deleted Instagram posts. Hype slowly built as Juicy J confirmed his involvement, calling Rocky “super talented” and hinting that more was on the way.
Rocky also teased the project visually — wearing smiley-face imagery long before the title was officially confirmed via a Selfridges article. Fans originally believed the album would be titled ALL $MILES, continuing Rocky’s tradition of replacing “S” with dollar signs, but Rocky later shut that down. Other theories followed, including “GRIM,” fueled by the unreleased track “GRIM FREESTYLE.”
In a 2021 GQ interview, Rocky described the album as “about 90 percent complete” and referred to it as a “ghetto love tale,” a theme that traces easily back to his relationship with Rihanna, especially following his 2022 single “D.M.B.”
By late 2025, things finally started moving. Merch dropped. Promotion ramped up. The album leaked in early December, forcing Rocky’s hand yet again. On December 16, 2025, he posted what appeared to be the official cover art with a message thanking Tim Burton for helping him “make this movie.”
By December 2025, he finally said it outright: SORRY 4 THE WAIT DON’T BE DUMB FINALLY HERE!
Cool. We’re here. Let’s talk about it.
The Production Is the Best Part — But is it a Problem?
I liked this album on first listen when I was high as shit smoking a J after work. On second listen (and sober), I liked it less. On third listen, the holes started staring back at me.
Production-wise, this is a VERY strong project. The mixing is intentionally gritty, rough around the edges, static-y in a way that feels deliberate instead of sloppy. I actually loved the little pops and imperfections that poke through. It gives the album texture and keeps it from sounding sterile like we see in a lot of newer HipHop records.
But as a body of work? It’s lopsided a bit. The beats often outshine Rocky himself, which is not something I ever thought I’d say about an A$AP album. This is a production-heavy project in the truest sense and when it works, it works really well. When it doesn’t, the flaws become impossible to ignore and that’s exactly what’s happening here. It seems like the message of the album is unclear and with storytelling being all over the place – it kind of becomes a mess.
Rocky sometimes just… cruises along for the ride on this record. Based off the themes on this record, I’ll say that it’s honestly okay that the production outshines A$AP here – it’s a fun, “cocky” album and insane lyricism isn’t necessary here.
Lyricism, Flow, and Ego Checks
Lyrically, Rocky spends a lot of time reminding listeners exactly who he is — and who he thinks fell off.
There are shots at Drake’s alleged cosmetic surgery, jabs related to Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw drama, and repeated references to the fact that Rocky ended up with Drake’s dream girl, Rihanna. Sometimes it lands. Sometimes it feels tired.
Rocky’s flow, once his most defining weapon, feels inconsistent. There are flashes of brilliance, but much of the album lacks the unique rhyme schemes and effortless swagger that made LIVE.LOVE.A$AP, LONG.LIVE.A$AP, and AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP so impactful.
Standout Tracks: Where the Album Shines
Track 2- “Helicopter”
This track feels like Rocky reminding the newer generation who set the trends in the first place.
“From the internet, niggas set the trend, now the trend is set / Then they run and do it and then forget who did it best”
It’s confident, sharp, and effective. This definitely should have been one of the singles.
Track 4 - “STOLE YA FLOW”
Rocky goes straight for Drake here, accusing him of stealing flows, aesthetics, and even getting a BBL which made me almost spit my water out. And A$AP didn’t think that was enough – he continues flexing his relationship with Rihanna.
“First you stole my flow, so I stole yo’ b*tch.”
It’s petty, loud, and undeniably entertaining.
Track 5 - “STAY HERE 4 LIFE”
A mellow, soulful contrast to the album’s chaos. Brent Faiyaz floats effortlessly, and the Hit-Boy production adds warmth and grace to the track. Rocky’s verses are serviceable but forgettable unfortunately. This track belongs to the mood more than the bars.
Track 6 - “PLAYA”
Hot take: this one’s for the girls and gays. The fun, danceable production, Thundercat’s presence, and playful energy make this one of the album’s most enjoyable tracks. Not everything needs to be deep and this track understands that. It’s almost “girly” which I personally enjoy.
Track 7 - “NO TRESPASSING”
Pure fucking vibe. Rocky’s flow is locked in, the beat is mean but smooth, and the confidence feels earned. It’s one of the few moments on this record where everything aligns perfectly.
Track 8 - “STOP SNITCHING”
This is where Rocky truly snaps back into form. The storytelling, delivery, and flow are all on point. Sauce Walka doesn’t get walked on in the track, but Rocky dominates. The beat feels custom-made for him, and it really shows.
Where It Starts to Fall Apart
After “STOP SNITCHING,” the album begins to unravel. It becomes messy, unclear, and honestly, lazy.
Track 9 - “STFU”
This track had me thinking “what the fuck did I just listen to” but not in a good way. A noisy, Death Grips–inspired misfire. Overstimulating in the worst way, with awkward delivery and little substance. It feels like an attempt to be abrasive without purpose. Rocky’s lyricism isn’t engaging and I didn’t appreciate his style on this. A$AP is almost rapping too “normally” for a beat this chaotic – this track definitely deserved some funky, unique vocals and to be honest, the beat feels wasted.
Track 10 - “PUNK ROCKY”
Easily one of the album’s biggest disappointments and hardest listens. It feels like a failed attempt to recreate the magic of 2018’s “Sundress,” borrowing indie aesthetics without the songwriting to support it. Royel Otis already gave us a toothless, soulless indie record – we don’t need more. The visuals for the video are stunning and nostalgic — the song itself is not.This had potential to be the next big inde/hip-hop hit, but it just didn’t land.
A Strong Finish, at Least Conceptually
Despite the midsection slump, Don’t Be Dumb closes on a powerful note.
“The End” stands out as a haunting reflection on the current state of the world. Rocky doesn’t get overly specific or preachy, but the themes hit hard. On the track A$AP touches on mass incarceration, climate collapse, systemic failure, and cultural numbness.
The final spoken words —
“No kids play in the streets, no smiles showing their teeth / No books for them to read, we’re all stuck to our screens”
— feels chillingly accurate.
Disk two adds four more tracks, including collaborations with Tyler, The Creator, Tokischa, Imogen Heap, and Clams Casino, rounding out the project with more experimentation than cohesion.
Final Verdict
Don’t Be Dumb isn’t strong enough to fully reestablish A$AP Rocky as the cultural force he once was but it does prove he’s far from washed.
It’s a fun, production-heavy record with moments of brilliance and long stretches of missed potential. Was it worth the eight-year wait? Not entirely. But it’s still a solid release with several standout tracks and flashes of the artist Rocky can still be. I enjoyed more than half of the songs so I definitely will be attending one of his U.S Tour stops.
Rocky will always be capable of popping back out with hits whenever he wants. This just wasn’t the definitive return many hoped for. I’m excited to hopefully receive a more impressive record in the near future because was this worth the wait? I don’t necessarily think so but it’s still a great record with many catchy tracks.
Favorite Tracks: Order of Protection, Helicopter, Stay Here 4 Life
Worst Tracks: Punk Rocky, STFU
And because mainstream media refuses to credit artists for some reason, here is every credit on the album:
ORDER OF PROTECTION (prod. by Kelvin Krash & Soufien 3000)
HELICOPTER (prod. by A$AP Rocky, Kelvin Krash, Soufien 3000 & MIKE DEAN)
INTERROGATION (SKIT) (prod. by A$AP Rocky)
STOLE YA FLOW (prod. by Kelvin Krash, ICYTWAT & Danny Elfman)
STAY HERE 4 LIFE (feat. Brent Faiyaz) (prod. by Hit-Boy & Brent Faiyaz)
PLAYA (prod. by Cardo Got Wings, Johnny Juliano, Yung Exclusive & Thundercat)
NO TRESPASSING (prod. by A$AP Rocky)
STOP SNITCHING (feat. Sauce Walka) (prod. by Hitkidd & Kelvin Krash)
STFU (feat. Slay Squad) (prod. by A$AP Rocky & Cristoforo Donadi)
PUNK ROCKY (prod. by A$AP Rocky, Cristoforo Donadi, Ging & Zach Fogarty)
AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO) (prod. by A$AP Rocky & Manny Laurenko)
WHISKEY (RELEASE ME) (feat. Damon Albarn & Westside Gunn) (prod. by T-Minus)
ROBBERY (feat. Doechii) (prod. by Loukeman)
DON'T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY (prod. by Clams Casino & Harry Fraud)
THE END (feat. Jessica Pratt & will.i.am) (prod. by will.i.am)
SWAT TEAM (prod. by Kelvin Krash, KayCyy & SpaceGhostPurrp)
FISH N STEAK (WHAT IT IS) (feat. Tyler, The Creator (prod. by Tyler, The Creator)
FLACKITO JODYE (feat. Tokischa) (prod. By A$AP Rocky, Leo RD, Jordan Patrick & Zach Fogarty)
I Smoked Away My Brain (featuring Imogen Heap and Clams Casino) (prod. By Clams Casino and Zanthin)
written by Emily “Mily” Ward | January 24th 2026
