A$AP Rocky returns after 8-years of acting and doing other stuff…Is his album any good?
Yes. Most certainly.
Let me also say: I’m that rare person who thinks Testing is A$AP’s best album–and I still think that. Don’t Be Dumb doesn’t unseat it from the throne. I’ll also admit that DbD is uneven and that it’s annoying that he didn’t give feature credits to the many superstars who helped make this a great album. Westside Gunn, Doechii, Will.i.am, Gorillaz, and many others appear, uncredited.
The album is completely unpredictable. Live guitars, political raps,
It’s hard for rappers to grow up, but Rocky shows it CAN be done. Artists can change and mature, and their work can retain an experimental edge even as the creator moves away from partying and rapping about drugs. Not that he doesn’t also do move-the-crowd songs here, like Helicopter and Order of Protection. He also does dirty south, a dis track (although it’s not clear who STFU is actually aimed at), pimpin’ instructions…This album has it all. And that’s precisely why many people will criticize it as unfocused or uneven. And again, I admit that it IS uneven. But from my point of view, that’s part of its charm.
