ASAP Rocky has to go back to basics with ‘Don’t Be Dumb’

ASAP Rocky’s latest album, Testingreminds me a lot of The Bear. In the recently concluded third season of the genre-defying FX restaurant drama, Carmen, the owner of the titular beef sandwich stand turned hopeful Michelin star hotspot, pushes for an ever-changing menu of experimental and strenuous dishes. It’s a strategy aimed at generating enough buzz and critical acclaim to make The Bear one of those generational, culture-changing eateries that will define the shape, look and taste of fine dining for the next decade. It shouldn’t be a spoiler to point out that this strategy doesn’t work well.

Likewise, ASAP Rocky really swung for the fences in 2018, doing his best to both subvert and redirect the flow of hip-hop from crowd-pleasing but repetitive Atlanta trap productions to something more psychedelic and vibrant, like Grateful Dead for heads. who grew up with The Notorious BIG and Three 6 Mafia. As with Carmy’s restaurant ambitions, it seems Rocky’s reach exceeded his grasp.

In an interview with GQhe admitted he was “emotionally discouraged” by the initial lukewarm reception among fans, while expressing belief that his hardcore followers would grow into it. While the album wasn’t a complete disaster (nor was The Bear), it didn’t prove to be the paradigm-changing success Rocky apparently believed it would be.

Now, with Don’t be stupidhis first album in six years on the launch pad and ready for release, there’s one item on Rocky’s readiness checklist that’s absolutely non-negotiable: he needs to get back to basics, or watch his comeback album also get stuck in the inner atmosphere, and falls far short of its cosmic goals.

When he first burst onto the national scene with his 2011 breakthrough single “Peso,” Rocky enamored rap fans with a clever, unexpected blend of Memphis trap aesthetic, East Texas swagger and Uptown New York swagger. While the seeds of his future sonic experimentation could be heard in the druggy, slowed-down swamp of his UGK and Three 6-inspired sounds, those sounds were familiar enough to rap fans of all stripes that they were immediately accessible in the melting pot atmosphere. that bubbled up from the digital underground of the late nineties. It launched him into the stratosphere, putting him on par with fellow breakouts like Big KRIT, Big Sean, Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Meek Mill, Pusha T, Tyler The Creator and Wale.

In the years since, however, he has taken a number of detours through the worlds of fashion and television – and a Scandinavian prison – while becoming only a fraction as musically productive as his former colleagues. At the time of writing, he only has three full-length albums to his name, along with his debut mixtape: Live. Love. As quickly as possibleand his contributions to the handful of releases from his former clique, ASAP Mob. While he’s had a few high-profile collaborations with the likes of Japanese designer/part-time DJ Nigo, Tyler, and producer Metro Boomin, Rocky’s focus seemed to be on building a family with a longtime girlfriend/possible relationship. wife Rihanna.

That explains the hype Don’t be stupidRocky’s first album since the misunderstood and often maligned Testing. DMB represents not only his first real music collection since 2018, but also his chance to recognize and return to the qualities that made his work so beloved in the first place. He’s always been a great rapper, but rap has had enough; what stood out to him was his willingness to combine unexpected elements to create alchemical results that were more than the sum of their respective parts. Consider the ingenious invention of Chef Roy Choi of the Los Angeles food truck, Kogi BBQ, who combined taco truck staples with the Korean cuisine Choi grew up with in LA’s Koreatown.

It’s understandable why Rocky, someone so praised for his own unusual combinations, would want to prove he could continue to push the boundaries with Testing. As he told New York radio station Peter Rosenberg for Complex’s Opened late“I want to take a different approach, and I want to challenge the viewer who is tired of hearing the same old shit… I’m just trying to test my viewers and listeners and see if they’re ready to evolve and grow with me .”

But what made his first experimental musical dishes successful was their simplicity. They answered simple questions: What if Big L had tapped “Sippin on Some Syrup”? How about a Mase guest spot on “Pocket Full Of Stones?” It turns out that these are things that work together. TestingHowever, combined far too many elements without considering whether this made these things work better than they would on their own. While we love surprise and innovation, by and large people don’t necessarily want their tastes challenged.

Testing tried a lot – maybe too much – to impress fans who never really wanted that from Rocky. He had gone from serving roast beef and peppers on baguette to a full French fusion menu. Of Don’t be stupidfans may be ready for palate-expanding fantasies, but honestly, many (most, in fact) want Rocky to feel the feeling that made him a superstar in the first place. Late-career resurgences aren’t all that uncommon in hip-hop anymore, but they’re all based on meeting fan expectations without the demands — think Nas and Hit-Boy’s stellar run, Rick Ross’ brilliant upscale rap, or Lil Wayne’s brutal punchline. attack.

Rocky can also experience such a renaissance. It’s clear that his vision as an artist should be the only thing that matters to him, although it sounds like he’s focusing on making good rap records again. Maybe he can surpass himself. Maybe he can figure out a way to refine the ideas he was referring to Testing and really lets them fly. But if he wants the praise, accolades and appreciation that comes with being a fan favorite, he’s going to have to undermine some of his ambition. Foundations are not called that for nothing. The basics work; Sure, good food is fun every now and then, but no one ever turns down a really good sandwich.