After a long eight years, A$AP Rocky finally returned to music with his album “Don’t Be Dumb,” with features from Doechii, Westside Gunn, Brent Faiyaz, Gorillaz and Thundercat.
In the last eight years, a lot has happened in A$AP Rocky’s life. He was a target in rapper Drake’s “Family Matters” diss, became a father of three and beat a high-profile shooting case.
“ORDER OF PROTECTION” serves as the introductory track. A$AP Rocky gives hints at some of the topics that will be discussed in the album, such as his shooting case as well as his beef with Drake. The track also hints at Rocky addressing his ex-friend A$AP Relli, who testified in court saying that Rocky shot him.
Track four, “STOLE YA FLOW”, stands out as a very blatant and direct diss aimed at Drake. Lyrics such as, “You stole my flow, so I stole ya b---h,” address Drake head-on for hijacking Rocky’s style and flow. This isn’t the first time this claim has been made against Drake, as Kendrick Lamar called him out for stealing other rappers’ styles during their infamous beef. This also hints at the rumored relationship Drake attempted to have with Rihanna, who is now married to A$AP Rocky.
This album features many other artists, but standouts are Brent Faiyaz, Doechii and Sauce Walka. Faiyaz provides vocals on “STAY HERE 4 LIFE” a track where A$AP Rocky and Faiyaz talk about wanting to exist in a moment with someone you love forever.
Presumably, the song is about his and Rihanna’s relationship and being able to exist privately and enjoyably with her. Brent’s signature tone makes the chorus addictive, as he desperately pleads to keep his perfect moment perpetual.
“STOP SNITCHING” also takes shots at Relli. It features BossMan Dlow and Sauce Walka. One interesting line, “Caught a case and did a deal with Satan,” references President Donald Trump’s intervention to get A$AP Rocky released when he was detained in Sweden for assault charges. Sauce Walka’s verse features his signature Houston flow, as he also addresses A$AP Rocky’s situation.
“How could you snitch on your brother when that was the person keepin’ your rent paid,” Sauce Walka raps on the song.
“STFU” further addresses rumors and brazenly tells anyone questioning him to stop speculating and asking. Lines such as, “When are you and Rihanna— (Shut the f--k up) … When’s the new album— (Shut the f--k up),” address the questions of marriage, a debate that sparked online during his 2021 shooting trial when people realized he and Rihanna were not legally married.
As of October 2025, he seemingly hinted at having tied the knot. He also addresses his annoyance with people questioning the last eight years.
“ROBBERY” featuring Doechii is another standout track. The production is more jazzy, which is a new approach for the artist, and both Rocky and Doechii almost take on a Bonnie and Clyde-type persona as they rap. Doechii’s smooth, melodic and jazzy flow proves once again that the rap star is versatile and capable of providing out-of-the-box verses, a testament to her creativity and ability.
“DON’T BE DUMB/TRIP BABY” addresses difficulties relying on the “brothers” or friends in his life, while also realizing the things and people that matter most right now. Throughout the song, he realizes that Rihanna is more loyal than the men in his life.
“Every Barbie needs a Ken, she's more realer than the men,” A$AP Rock said in the song.
He also asserts that he’s done mixing friendship with business.
Though the project is loaded with tracks, those tracks stand out the most in addressing the overarching narrative of this project. A$AP Rocky’s return shows substantial personal growth achieved through the many intense events of the past eight years.
Love, loyalty and life encapsulate the main themes of this project. It's mature while also maintaining an authentic, out-of-the-box, A$AP Rocky approach to experimentation and creativity.
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