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A$AP Rocky has been prominent in recent headlines, though often not primarily for his musical output.
His relationship with global icon Rihanna, alongside his ventures into fashion and a highly publicized legal battle, have maintained his presence in the cultural conversation.
After a hiatus of 2,793 days since his last full-length release, the New York-bred hip-hop artist has returned with his fourth studio album, “Don’t Be Dumb.”
The 17-track project showcases a diverse exploration of genres, seamlessly blending elements of punk, trap, and indie music.
The album also boasts an impressive roster of featured artists, including Tyler, The Creator and Doechii.
Furthermore, the project incorporates the creative influence of acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton, known for “Beetlejuice.”
Burton’s signature eerie, gothic cartoon style is featured on the album cover, depicting six of A$AP Rocky’s alter-egos – personas the artist reportedly embodies throughout the album.
The music video for the psychedelic lead single, “Punk Rocky,” also includes appearances from Burton collaborators Winona Ryder, portraying a friendly neighbor, and esteemed film composer Danny Elfman, who contributes on drums.
Kyann-Sian Williams of NME told BBC Newsbeat the record feels “very grown, very mature and very much what you would expect from A$AP Rocky as the man he is today”.
“Nobody wants to wait eight years, but I feel like it’s really stood the test of time through all the changes. It still feels very current, very modern,” she says.
Robin Murray of Clash gave the album an 8 out of 10 rating, praising its “pleasingly eclectic” and “frequently ambitious” style, as A$AP Rocky delivers verses over diverse soundscapes ranging from trap beats to jazz piano.
Shaad D’Souza of The Guardian awarded the album three out of five stars, noting it as the artist’s strongest work since his 2013 debut, “Long. Live. ASAP.”
However, D’Souza observed that the album’s “sharper moments bump up against lyrics that can sometimes feel purely lazy.”
A$AP Rocky fan Lee told Newsbeat he “wanted something different” from the album but feels it is “a bit safe”.
However, he still believes the wait was worth it overall for its “energetic” and “consistent” style, and says he appreciates its departure from 2018’s Testing, which divided critics with its experimental approach.
A significant amount has changed for A$AP Rocky since his last release, including becoming a father-of-three with his partner Rihanna.
Speculation about a relationship between the two stars began as early as 2013, when A$AP Rocky supported Rihanna on her Diamonds World Tour.
The rapper confirmed their relationship in 2021, describing her as “the love of my life” in a GQ interview.
He recently revealed his mum encouraged him to pursue things with Rihanna after the pair had been friends for years.
“My mother used to say ‘I know you like this girl that you with right now. I ain’t going to say no names, but I want you with Riri’,” he told the New York Times’ Popcast earlier this week.
A$AP said he would tell her that the singer “don’t even want me like that” but admitted that ultimately “mothers know best”.
The couple welcomed their first son, RZA, in May 2022 and their second son, Riot, was born in August 2023.
Their daughter Rocki, who was born last September, was given her father’s stage name with one letter switched.
Rihanna’s fans may be disappointed that she does not appear as a featured artist on the new record.
When asked if he would be taking on stay-at-home dad duties so the singer can release new music of her own, A$AP simply told Popcast: “No comment.”
The rapper has also faced legal challenges on multiple occasions over the past decade.
In 2019, he spent nearly a month in custody in Sweden after becoming involved in a street fight in Stockholm alongside his entourage and two other individuals.
Six weeks after his initial arrest, A$AP Rocky was found guilty of assault and received a suspended sentence.
The case garnered international attention at the time, with then-US President Donald Trump intervening, asserting that the rapper was being treated unfairly.
A$AP Rocky also faced trial in the United States last year on felony assault charges.
Terell Ephron, a former friend, alleged that the rapper fired a gun at him during a heated argument on a Hollywood street in November 2021, with one of the shots grazing his knuckles.
A$AP Rocky denied the charges, claiming the weapon was a prop gun and that Terell, also known as A$AP Relli, was motivated by financial gain.
After a highly publicized legal battle, A$AP Rocky was found not guilty on two criminal counts that carried a potential 24-year prison sentence.
The rapper also expanded into acting last year, starring opposite Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” and appearing in the dark comedy “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”
A$AP Rocky has undergone significant personal and professional growth in recent years, which appears to have influenced his artistic development and the expansive direction of “Don’t Be Dumb.”
Having already secured the title of the first major hip-hop release of the year, and with the album reportedly achieving over a million pre-saves on Spotify, he is poised for significant chart success on both sides of the Atlantic.
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