A$AP Rocky returns with Don’t Be Dumb, a playful but uneven fourth album

A$AP Rocky has returned with his fourth album, Don’t Be Dumb, his first full-length record in eight years. The gap follows 2018’s Testing and a period in which Rocky remained a public figure through high-profile relationships, fatherhood and acting work. He has released a few one-off singles such as the Tame Impala collaboration "Sundress" and last year was acquitted of firing a gun at a former friend; he has also acted opposite Rose Byrne and Denzel Washington, according to the review.

Don’t Be Dumb, at an hour-long runtime, attempts both a retrenchment toward more straightforward rap and some experimentation. The review says it sheds Testing’s ponderous avant-garde samples, reignites some of the fiery attitude of his 2013 debut Long.Live.A$AP, and features guests from Hans Zimmer to Tyler, the Creator and Jessica Pratt — but it is not without flaws, with some tracks feeling lyrically phoned-in or overstuffed and an edit feeling necessary.

The record’s highs include sharper, playful moments: "Stole Ya Flow" is described as ostensibly a Drake diss that works because Rocky sounds like he’s having fun, while tracks such as "Playa" and "Air Force (Black Demarco)" show variety.

Key Topics

Culture, A$ap Rocky, Don't Be Dumb, Testing, Hans Zimmer, Rihanna