A$AP Rocky’s fourth studio album, “Don’t Be Dumb,” came out on Jan. 16. This marks his first album release since “Testing” in 2018. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200. Being a Grammy-nominated artist and a big name in the music industry, this was a highly anticipated release. 

The album’s lead single was “PUNK ROCKY,” featuring a familiar A$AP sound, comparable to “I smoked away my brain.” The music video sparked interest, with actress Winona Ryder, who was most recently in the beloved show “Stranger Things,” starring in the video. 

The rest of the album is a mix of old A$AP, featuring new genres and experimentation with newer and story-telling lyrics. 

The album also has a lot of different features, including Tyler, the Creator, Brent Faiyaz, Doechii, Gorillaz, will.i.am, Jon Batiste, among many others. Rocky’s wide array of collaboration and artistry on the album contributes to the unique new sound that “Don’t Be Dumb” features. 

“Don’t Be Dumb” creates a space for A$AP to explore a variety of genres, ranging from jazz, to rap, and R&B. 

Standouts from the album include “STAY HERE 4 LIFE” featuring Brent Faiyaz, “PLAYA,” “PUNK ROCKY,” “ROBBERY” featuring Doechii, “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME)” featuring Gorillaz and Westside Gunn, and “FISH N STEAK (WHAT IT IS)” featuring Tyler, the Creator and Jozzy. These are among the most exploratory songs on the album, with the Doechii feature being a slow jazz, and each song exhibiting qualities from all kinds of genres.  

Within the album, Rocky also includes small speaking clips, where he talks about things like his relationship, his outlook on life, and overall adds to his lyricism. He not only revives transparency in lyricism, but does it while creating his own aesthetic, which is extremely different from his albums’ past. He even had legendary animator and filmmaker Tim Burton created the art for the album. 

There is no doubt that A$AP Rocky is influential, and this album only adds to that reputation.  

“I think that we’re supposed to inspire,” he said in an interview with The New York Times. “I’m glad that I get to be the guy that people reference or go to or see some type of inspiration in, because I feel that way about me, too, you know what I’m saying?” 

For anyone looking for a huge genre blend, raw lyricism, or even a nice jazz song, “Don’t Be Dumb” by A$AP Rocky could be your next listen.