Ronan O'BrienA$AP Rocky returns with his highly-anticipated fourth studio album. Almost a decade since his last release, this one has divided fans and critics alike.
Lord Flacko Jodye II
Rakim Athelston Mayers goes by many names — Lord Flacko, Jodye, “that pretty muthafucka” — but most widely known as A$AP Rocky. A native of Harlem, New York, his music career began as part of A$AP Mob. A hip-hop collective whose past members have carried the “A$AP” moniker through their entire career.
Making moves on the New York rap scene, Rocky quickly turned heads. Following a leaked single, Rocky released his mixtape LIVE.LOVE.A$AP in 2011 to critical acclaim. Labels were quick to react, signing Rocky to a $3 million contract. Coming off tour with Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Rocky’s debut album LONG.LIVE.A$AP was released in 2013 to further acclaim.
2015 saw the release of Rocky’s second studio album, AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP, where his dazzling display earned him inclusion into conversations about New York’s finest rappers. The 2018 follow-up, TESTING, saw a different approach and certainly divided fans. While I like it, many found it forgettable. However, hits like “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)“ and “ASAP Forever“ are staples of the rapper’s discography.
Mayers has a very active life outside of music. From fashion collaborations to whiskey, his business ventures can be blamed for the long wait when it comes to new music. Rocky is also in a relationship with pop superstar Rihanna, with whom he has 3 children. Clearly a man who is very busy, he can be forgiven for the 8 year wait for a new album. With cover art designed by Tim Burton and a world tour announced upon release, Rocky intends to flex his reach and status with Don’t Be Dumb.
THE BUZZ IS ABOUT ME
Addressing the long wait from the start, Rocky opens “ORDER OF PROTECTION“ earnestly with “It’s been a lil’ while since I been in the league / A couple lil’ trials, couple of leaks”. A heavenly instrumental with heavy trap beats accompanies Rocky’s flows, navigating the beat between rapping and singing. The choral backing vocals provide an angelic effect and the sounds of marching boots indicates Rocky is out for war, not peace.
A much heavier trap beat follows in “HELICOPTER“. Totally bass-boosted, it’s a deviation from Rocky’s usual product and pays homage in many respects to Petey Pablo’s “Raise Up“. Interpolating this track, the repetitive refrain of “Take my white tee off, spin it like a helicopter” gets a bit tiring. Lyrically it’s another boastful display, with Rocky flexing his cars, shoes and getting “more pussy than a lesbian”, which did evoke a chuckle.
Rocky follows this up with a skit titled “INTERROGATION“, in which his braggadocio continues. He firmly declarrd he doesn’t care what online critics have to say about him and his art. Point received Rocky, fair enough.
COME KISS ME
Taking direct shots at Drake, Rocky furiously cuts through with “STOLE YA FLOW“. A really cool synth arrangement creates a monumental sound, almost in an unsettling way. Given Drake’s obsession with Rihanna and the many shots he has taken at Rocky and his compatriots, he firmly grabs the mic and lays it down for Drake. Lyrically it’s a minefield; nearly every line is directed at Drake. So many slick shots are taken, like “You just a sensitive n***a, still in his feelings” and “First you stole my flow, so I stole yo’ bitch”, it makes for a great hate listen.
Brent Faiyaz joins Rocky on “STAY HERE 4 LIFE“, which changes the mood completely. An incredibly sweet instrumental is so pleasing on the ears, as is the serenading voice of Faiyaz. Rocky ditches the self-centred attitude to now direct his attention to his lover. Addressing the valuable time he has for Rihanna, there are some beautiful lyrics throughout, namely “Boys don’t cry, but, boy, that girl turn boys to men”. The track transitions towards the outro, with Rocky returning to giving the middle finger back to any haters.
Trap beats and flaunting attitude returns in “PLAYA“. Really smooth bass is provided by the maestro that is Thundercat. Rocky’s flows are silky and ironically owns the same rumours about him being a player dispelled in the previous track. Using basketball as sort of a double entendre, he turns comparisons to players like Steph Curry into cocky remarks. The outro sees the instrumental turn chunky and opens the gates for further experimental tones used throughout the remainder of the album.
MAMA I’M NOT COMIN’ HOME
The dark tones continue immediately into “NO TRESPASSING“. A slick drum beat accompanied by so many little snippets and samples of unsettling sounds makes this a turning point in the album. Not in a good way that is. I think from here is where a lot of people start getting alienated and find it tough to digest. Lyrically Rocky is flexing on his possessions and achievements once again, but there is a really high-pitched siren that repeats throughout the track that really takes me out of enjoying it as much as I should.
Another odd soundscape follows in “STOP SNITCHING“, which again has this annoying horn synth at the end of every bar. Experimental rap is always welcome to see, but the dark instrumentals with Rocky’s cloud rap style seems to not meld for me. It’s aggressive and direct, especially through the guest features. Again, not sure how to digest this one.
Another insanely vicious beat rips through in “STFU“, which blurs the lines between trap and hyperpop instrumentals. The guest features add a lot more uneasiness to the track, giving the track a great horrorcore vibe. Brahim Gousse is especially notable, with an expertly delivered line in “They say Haitians eatin’ cats, I make sure my dogs eat”. The song is chaotic with buzzing sounds and booming beats, and the iteration of “shut the fuck up” is bound to make your head keep spinning.
WE HIGH
Guitars and washed acoustic drums open the somewhat aptly titled “PUNK ROCKY“. More of a pop-punk-inspired instrumental, the track sees a more vulnerable Rocky who expresses abandonment following a (hopefully fictional) break-up. His lyrics are more earnest, even admitting “She ain’t gon’ be in my life no more / Got me crying in the microphone”. It’s definitely another experimental track deviating from his usual style, but it fails to do much for me.
“AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)“ returns with some glitchy instrumentals at the beginning with Rocky’s flows fitting like a glove. The song undergoes a huge transition in the chorus, changing mood and tempo completely. A technique seen by Rocky before, it can sound a bit off-centre at first glance, but it creates a totally unsettling mood despite the sweetness. It almost reflects the fast life Rocky lives between coming home to some real love, I think it’s beyond cool.
A smooth swing opens “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME)“ where Rocky is joined on the mic by Damon Albarn. The chorus opens into a cool trap beat where Rocky is addressing the high-end life he lives and the stresses that come with it. Albarn retreats as a backing vocalist but adds little more than filler. A further transition comes with the introduction of Westside Gunn, whose ad-libs completely ruin anything built on. While I am familiar with his style, there was absolutely no need for the inclusion of his ridiculous gun and car imitations. A long fart would have provided more to the outro.
THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS
Another left-field turn comes in “ROBBERY“ which opens with an incredibly smooth jazz instrumental. Rocky references this well in his opening lines “Superstar, jazz man, no guitar, rockstar” and the walking bass, twinkly keys and raspy vocals make this enjoyable. Doechii is a welcome feature too, whose animated flow really makes this a theatrical piece. The song even changes pace with an included interlude turning this smoky cocktail bar into a full-blown heist. The imagery is wonderful and the two rappers bounce off each other incredibly well.
The two-parter “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY“ opens with blissful instrumentation and a sample of Clairo’s “Sinking“. Rocky returns to exposing a softer side, yearning for his love before the song takes a smooth transition into a more upbeat style. Lyrically it changes again, with Rocky closing up and a cynical, hardened approach returns. Although his life has changed for the better, the rapper is quick to remind his audience of his upbringing; “I was thirteen with a brick”. Again, it’s another track with a transition that works so well and takes the listener by surprise every time.
The album closes with the bleak outlook of the state of the world in “THE END“. A repetitive loop samples Nancy Priddy’s “Ebony Glass“, which can take away from the solemnity of the lyrics. Features from will.i.am and Jessica Pratt sound a bit disarranged but still convey the message. Rocky is by far the star of the track, with moving lyrics like “Newsflash, we at war, a global warning / I don’t know if public schools servin’ real food to the students / Shit taste like institution”, but again I think the features let this one down.
Final Thoughts
It’s been an incredibly long wait for a new album from A$AP Rocky, and while this one had its moments, I don’t think it has quite satiated that thirst for me. There are many highs on this record with Rocky experimenting with new sounds and reminding the audience why he is on his pedestal. There are some really great features and transitions throughout, which definitely add a lot to it.
The issue I have is it feels messy. Although intended to be somewhat experimental, I think after 8 years it should have come across a bit cleaner, a bit more rounded. Some of the features were subpar at best too. Rocky’s own style doesn’t deviate a lot throughout the album either, which can make some songs a total mismatch.
The expectations were undoubtedly high for this one, given the wait and Rocky’s pull, I was certainly expecting more. There are tracks here that will be in my rotation, but for a lot of it I think it’s mostly forgettable.
