Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky is directly collaborating with Houston artists on his latest album, don’t be Dumb, a move seen by many as an attempt too reckon with past criticisms of his sampling practices.
A Reckoning with the Past
A$AP Rocky’s new album, “Don’t Be Dumb,” marks a shift towards collaboration and a potential attempt to address past controversies surrounding his musical influences.
- Don’t Be Dumb, released after a four-year gap as 2018’s TESTING, showcases a more chaotic yet heartfelt approach to music-making.
- The album features collaborations with Houston artists Sauce Walka and DJ Slim K, a departure from Rocky’s earlier practice of sampling their work.
- Rocky’s past comments regarding political activism and his initial rise to fame through sampling have been points of contention.
- The album’s sprawling nature, clocking in at a full hour, reflects Rocky’s desire
Tracks like “Playa,” dedicated to his partner Rihanna, stand out as some of Rocky’s most honest lyrical offerings. Both songs incorporate unexpected beat switches that initially feel jarring but ultimately enhance the album’s diverse atmosphere. “Air Force (Black DeMarco)” seamlessly transitions between a frenzied hyper-rap soundscape and a dream-pop aesthetic, further demonstrating Rocky’s resistance to being confined by genre.
What prompted A$AP Rocky to collaborate directly with Houston artists on this album? Rocky’s decision to collaborate with Sauce Walka (“Stop Snitching”) and DJ Slim K (“fish N steak [What It Is]”) represents a shift from his earlier practice of sampling Houston hip-hop. This move is widely interpreted as an attempt to acknowledge and rectify past criticisms regarding his musical influences.
Addressing Past Controversies
A$AP Rocky’s career has been marked by both acclaim and controversy. From the moment he burst onto the scene with “Purple Swag,” a song that heavily borrowed from Houston’s regional hip-hop sound, questions about his authenticity have lingered. With Don’t Be Dumb, Rocky appears to be addressing those concerns head-on.
Rather of simply sampling Houston artists, he’s now working directly with them. This collaboration is seen as a way to honor the city’s musical legacy and engage with its culture in a more genuine way. On the dense and disorderly “STFU,” Rocky raps, “Is there heaven for a pig?/ Might spray paint that on my van,” a line that suggests a more direct engagement with issues of police brutality than he’s previously shown.
This shift is particularly notable considering Rocky’s past reluctance to address political issues publicly. In 2015, he told Time Out, “Why would I feel compelled to rap about Ferguson? I’m not about to say that I was down there throwing rocks at motherfuckers, getting pepper-sprayed. I’d be lying.” He continued, “I wanna talk about my motherfuckin’ lean, my best friend dying, girls, my jiggy fashion, and my inspirations in drugs. I live in fucking Soho and Beverly Hills. I can’t relate.”
He added, “I go back to Harlem, it’s not the same. It’s a sad story. I gotta tell you the truth. I’m in the studio, I’m in fashion houses, I’m in thes bitches’ drawers. I’m not doing anything outside of that. That’s my life.These peopel need to leave me the fuck alone.”
