Author: Alaia Zavala
It is without question that A$AP Rocky fans have been patiently waiting for one of the most hyped albums of the year, Don’t Be Dumb, which is an 18-track album including artist features such as Brent Faiyaz, Gorillaz, Doechii, Westside Gunn, Tyler, the Creator, and many more. After his last album, Testing, which was released in 2018, it’s safe to say he paused his music career and pursued other interests. During that break, it allowed Rocky to become a father of three, get appointed creative director of Ray-Ban, become a brand ambassador for Chanel, and even enter into a partnership with Puma—clearly diving deeper into the world of fashion, which he is already held in high regard for. With his return to the studio, Rocky did not just deliver one of his most authentic albums but also brought in artistic genius Tim Burton to reveal another side of his personality through the album. In this album, Rocky plays with many different musical genres, but something that stood out to many listeners is the album’s cover art.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon had A$AP as a guest to talk about his new album. Rocky explains how he basically had to stalk and harass Tim Burton for a few years for their schedules to align, but once they did, there was no regret. Rocky also shares how he has been a big fan of Burton for years, saying one of his favorite movies of all time is The Nightmare Before Christmas. But with all their hard work, what does it mean when one of the most influential rappers in the music industry brings in one of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers? It further shows how both worlds are able to blend so fluidly, but what listeners didn’t know is that this collaboration had been in progress for about a year.
In an interview with Billboard, Rocky says, “I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was fking with it heavy. He was rocking his head and was like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’” (Revolt TV). In that same meeting, when Rocky was a guest on The Tonight Show, he says that when he and Burton met that day to play him the album, he noticed drawings on the table. When he asked Burton about them, Burton told Rocky that he and his daughter start some type of art every day and the other completes the rest of it—which Rocky loved and knew right then and there that he had chosen the right person for the job. During a Vanity Fair interview, Rocky says, “I think what he does with claymation and how he transcended into live-action movies, and the parallels between them—and how he seamlessly included everything from matte painting to German Expressionism. I think he’s a fking genius” (Revolt TV). But if Rocky was going to have Burton do art for his album, Danny Elfman had to be a part of it. Elfman is a longtime collaborator with Burton and has worked on projects such as Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as he did all the scores for the films and also had a role in the development of Rocky’s album.
When the album was finally released, Rocky announced it on social media with an Instagram post, with the caption reading, “SORRY 4 THE WAIT. DON’T BE DUMB FINALLY HERE! THANKS TIM BURTON FOR HELPING ME MAKE THIS MOVIE! COMING SOON,” and with that post came a picture of the album cover. The illustrations on the album cover show different versions of Rocky throughout the years wearing some of his most influential looks, including a big “no” symbol over the album name. Again, it is no question that A$AP is one of the top artists of his generation and is able to prove that time and time again, but this album essentially ties him together completely as a person. Rocky has himself and his life written all over this album, and one could assume that without even listening to a single song, solely by looking at the album cover.
If you have not yet listened to Don’t Be Dumb, I highly recommend that you do so. Even if you might not be the biggest rap fan or A$AP fan in general, this album gives a lot of insight into who Rocky is as a person while executing an album that will have your head bopping the whole time. This album is unlike anything Rocky has created before; Rocky himself says in an interview with The New York Times, “This album is what 2011 Rocky would be making in 2026” (DAZED Magazine). We don’t know if A$AP Rocky will deliver another album, as he has not confirmed that, but this album breaks the wall between the music industry and the film industry—specifically animation and claymation projects—so it’s better to soak it all in now than never.
Alaia Zavala | Music and Arts Reporter