A$AP Rocky, one of rap’s biggest names, dropped his fourth studio album “Don’t Be Dumb” Jan 16. after a historic near-decade long wait. 

The rapper, now 37, has been in the game for almost 15 years now. His run started in 2011 with his debut mixtape “LIVE.LOVE.A$AP,” which redefined the cloud rap subgenre. Throughout the rest of the 2010s, Rocky became one of the most influential figures in mainstream rap, with his followup albums “LONG.LIVE.A$AP” and “AT.LONG.A$AP” becoming modern classics. 

In 2018 he dropped “TESTING,” which, as the title suggests, was a pure effort toward experimentation. Rocky threw things at the wall, and for many people, they didn’t stick. Then, nearly eight years passed until the release of “Don’t Be Dumb.” 

Rocky stayed busy though. He raised two kids with his wife, Rihanna. He made an entrance into fashion and acting, collaborating with Dior and Spike Lee. Most significantly, he was embroiled in a lawsuit with former collaborator A$AP Relli, in which Rocky was accused of felony assault and ultimately found not guilty.

“Don’t Be Dumb” has the mark of someone who’s lived a life in between albums. On the first track, “ORDER OF PROTECTION,” Rocky owns up to his absence, saying that “It’s been a lil’ while since I been in the league.” Rocky asserts his return over an atmospheric track, with the sound of light rain streaming through the background as acapella voices support his boastful raps. 

On “HELICOPTER,” Rocky raps over a menacing trap beat. He talks about the usual: money, designer clothes, sports cars, but there’s an underlying critique of modern culture that informs the direction of the whole album.  With the brief “INTERROGATION (SKIT),” Rocky directly condemns critics of his work, declaring that his artistic vision isn’t meant to please anyone. 

This transitions into “STOLE YA FLOW,” where the album really gains momentum. Rocky is at his most energetic, rhyming over a crunchy, rage-rap inspired beat. While the song is centered around a diss at Drake, it has Rocky pushing back against all of his haters, and those who have wronged him.

On this track and throughout the album, Rocky uses his security in life, being a husband and father, as a flex. It’s a break from conventional rap flexes, and represents a level of maturity in his music that wasn’t present, and maybe wasn’t possible, eight years ago. 

“STAY HERE 4 LIFE” is a highlight of the album. Brent Faiyaz’s singing and Rocky’s raps blend into a romantic, lively RNB cut. This track, like the last, reveals a more mature and vulnerable side to Rocky’s music. 

After this, “PLAYA” and “NO TRESPASSING” act as notably lighter-weight tracks, but replayable nonetheless. The former is a pop-rap hybrid with a delightfully fun attitude. 

“SNOP SNITCHING” and “STFU” are two of the most aggressive cuts on the album. Intense features from Sauce Walka on “STOP SNITCHING” and Slay Squad on “STFU” highlight this attitude. The latter verges into screamo territory, with Slay Squad and Rocky both chanting the title of the track. 

Then comes “PUNK ROCKY,” a mellow indie-rock cut that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the album. The song is fine on its own, serviceable but mostly meant to be a needed breath of fresh air after the previous track. 

More importantly, “PUNK ROCKY” acts as the bridge between the traditional comeback album of before, and the five experiments that follow up until the album’s end. After this point of no return, no song sounds like it came from the same project. Still, jumping from track to track is somehow a seamless experience. 

“AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” is another high octane rage-rap song, but one of the album’s best offerings. The track cuts abruptly into reflective RnB interludes, and Rocky serves a standout lyrical performance going from rapping into singing. If there was one song that could somehow describe “Don’t Be Dumb” as a whole, it would be this one. 

Following this is “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME),” which experiments with a long ambient intro and outro. At the end, Gorillaz headman Damon Albarn sings while Westside Gunn adlibs, spewing bullets all over the outro. This song achieves the balance of beauty and violence that Rocky attempts throughout the album by organizing different musical styles together. 

“ROBBERY” is the most unorthodox song on “Don’t Be Dumb,” but possibly the best. The track has Rocky and Doechii trade risqué bars over a sparse, Duke Ellington sample. Their lyrics create a story of the duo committing a robbery, and the music channels the energy of “Sinners” and 1920s speakeasies. 

The penultimate title track “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY” starts with Rocky singing about his unnamed lover — probably Rihanna — over a dramatic and cinematic vocal arrangement. Behind Rocky’s own singing are background vocals, including the infectious chanting of “Dumb, dumb, dumb.” 

Comparatively, the second portion of the song feels like a breezy, laid back excursion, but just as great. 8-bit sounds pop and crackle as Rocky continues his love story started earlier in the track. 

“THE END,” as the name suggests, is haunting and foreboding, ending the album with a dark message. On this genre fusion, Rocky collaborates with will.i.am and Jessica Pratt to condemn parts of society from phone addiction and school shootings all the way to systemic racism.  Overall, the song gives “Don’t Be Dumb” yet another meaning: don’t be dumb to realize the problems society faces.

Don’t be dumb, don’t listen to the haters. Don’t be dumb, keep evolving your music. Don’t be dumb, prioritize the ones you love. Throughout the album, Rocky has attached all of these meanings to the simple phrase “don’t be dumb.”

Don’t be dumb, pay attention to “Don’t be Dumb.” It’s A$AP Rocky’s comeback album; his most anticipated, his most complex and one of his strongest to date.