A$AP Rocky’s ‘DON’T BE DUMB’: All 16 Tracks Ranked

I’m not sure if I’m 100 percent into this beat, however, Rocky does his best of trying to keep up with it. I fear this track may be too futuristic and forward thinking for ya boy. Maybe I’ll learn to appreciate it as this album ages, but I can’t fully cosign it at this very moment that we find ourselves in.

Rocky chose to go left when he dropped this as essentially the lead single to his long-awaited return, and while I may not really rock with it, the music video makes me like the song more than I want to. Rocky always delivers when it comes to the visuals, so that comes at no surprise. “Punk Rocky” also works better when playing the album in its entirety, even if you might not be into it as a standalone track.

This track has a Bay Area bounce to it that I can see being used as a soundtrack on someone’s social media feed. The chorus is especially catchy and infectious.

This song feels like it’s about Rihanna and the anxiety he was feeling during his trial. This rings even more true when he refers to friends not wanting to see him win during the “Trick Baby” section of this track. Maybe naming the album Don’t Be Dumb is in regards to putting himself in that precarious decision in the first place.

Like “Whiskey,” Rocky brings together two unlikely guest features in will.i.am and folk singer Jessica Pratt for this socially conscious record about how dystopian things feel these days as the world grows addicted to their screens. “The End” serves as a good track to close things out when you listen to this album front to back. On first listen, I was drawn to Jessica Pratt’s contribution, because she sounds like a spooky witch giving a warning.

Rocky starts things off by bringing up the long road he’s taken to get this project finished as he references the many leaks he’s had to deal with and his much publicized trial where he was found not guilty of shooting former A$AP member Relli as he raps, “It’s been a lil’ while since I been in the league/ A couple lil’ trials, couple of leaks.” The beat knocks and he’s giving fans relevant bars about being a superstar rapper in the digital age. Don’t Be Dumb is off to a good start here.

“Robbery” sounds like it could be a song that’s played during an episode of Cowboy Bebop with its smoky jazz club production and Doechii shines in her guest appearance. This song gets a standing finger snap applause ovation.

First of all, the music video to this song is incredibly fun (he shut down the AI rumors) and second of all, the song is a banger. Rocky washed away any skepticism with that punk rock song by dropping this immediately after. Also, shout out Petey Pablo.

You know that age-old adage, “Pimpin’ ain’t easy”? Rocky breaks down one of the world’s oldest professions over some smooth Cardo production. The second verse, though, flips the script as he tells the younger generation that one loyal spouse is more playa than having a harem of hoes. I’m curious to see the legs this song has because it’s perfect riding around music, especially when the sun is out.

The Gorillaz and Westside Gunn on the same track? Who would’ve thought? This definitely feels like a throwback to his AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP era and I’m not mad at it. “Whiskey” is one of the more interesting songs on a project chock full of ’em and it still manages to keep that signature Rocky sound.

This beat sounds like a GTA mission and would fit perfect in the “Helicopter$” visual world. Word on the street is that SpaceGhostPurrp has a production credit so that means that nature is finally healing. He’s become underrated in the grand scheme of things and is responsible for a sound that a lot of guys took and ran with. It’s good to see him and Rocky working together again.

With Rocky finally dropping this tape and returning to making music, maybe this means we can finally get a collab project from him and Tyler. Their chemistry is undeniable.

Rocky has always been known to experiment and this track, along with “Punk Rocky” are proof of that. Here he’s joined by Cali’s Slay Squad for an electronic, industrial, hip-hop amalgamation that makes for something that’s pretty interesting. Give us the video A$AP or STFU.

Is this song about Drake? Rocky essentially told The New York Times Popcast that if the shoe fits, wear it. “It’s for whoever feel it’s about them,” he told Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli. There’s also a line about an alleged BBL and another one about a certain lady that was stolen. I guess we can all connect the dots when it comes to those bars. You gotta give credit where it’s due, because Rocky has indeed been a trendsetter for quite some time now. He has a right to feel like his style has been bitten into oblivion. Actually, this song might also be a shot at Travis Scott as well.

Brent Faiyaz on the track is a cheat code at this point. His vocals and with the screwed up slash Memphis nods provided by Hit-Boy really bring this track together. Expect this to not only be a fan favorite, but also a hit.

There’s two versions of this song: one that features Sauce Walka and another that features BossMan Dlow. Both versions are pretty good, but I might lean more towards the BossMan one. Regardless of how you feel, though, this is probably the best track on the project — and I will be looking forward to playing this in the whip at ignorant levels. As one YouTube comment said, “This that Flacko.”