A$AP Rocky’s ‘DON’T BE DUMB’: All 16 Tracks Ranked

Can you believe that it’s finally here? After what feels like years of pump-faking, A$AP Rocky dropped his fourth studio album and his first project since 2018. Don’t Be Dumb clocks in at 17 tracks, including a skit, with Tim Burton providing the album artwork and Danny Elfman lending his expertise behind the boards on a couple songs. The project boasts production from the likes of Cardo Got Wings , Hit-Boy , ICYTWAT, SpaceGhostPurrp, Clams Casino and Harry Fraud . And when it comes to features, Brent Faiyaz , Sauce Walka, BossMan Dlow , Slay Squad, Westside Gunn , Gorillaz , Doechii , will.i.am and Jessica Pratt all make appearances. As far as the sound, it’s sort of all over the place - but in a good way. The project is a rollercoaster from beginning to end where the listener hears Rocky address his trial and the betrayal of his former friend and A$AP member Terrell “Relli” Ephron, the mother of his three children in Rihanna , his influence on the game, swagger jackers, and fake friends over an eclectic array of production and genre-bending. He’s also already released two great music videos in “ Punk Rocky ” which star Winona Ryder and took us into a video game with “ Helicopter$ ,” and hopefully there are more visuals to come because we all know he never misses when it comes to that medium. In short, Don’t Be Dumb might’ve been worth the long eight-year wait and that is an accomplishment in itself. With all that being said, please check out Billboard’s ranking of Rocky’s highly anticipated album below. “Air Force (Black DeMarco)” I’m not sure if I’m 100 percent into this beat, however, Rocky does his best of trying to keep up with it. I fear this track may be too futuristic and forward thinking for ya boy. Maybe I’ll learn to appreciate it as this album ages, but I can’t fully cosign it at this very moment that we find ourselves in. “Punk Rocky” Rocky chose to go left when he dropped this as essentially the lead single to his long-awaited return, and while I may not really rock with it, the music video makes me like the song more than I want to. Rocky always delivers when it comes to the visuals, so that comes at no surprise. “Punk Rocky” also works better when playing the album in its entirety, even if you might not be into it as a standalone track. “No Trespassing” This track has a Bay Area bounce to it that I can see being used as a soundtrack on someone’s social media feed. The chorus is especially catchy and infectious. “Don’t Be Dumb / Trip Baby” This song feels like it’s about Rihanna and the anxiety he was feeling during his trial. This rings even more true when he refers to friends not wanting to see him win during the “Trick Baby” section of this track. Maybe naming the album Don’t Be Dumb...

Preview: ~500 words