A$AP Rocky has officially released his fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, today, January 16, 2026, via AWGE / A$AP Worldwide and RCA Records, confirming the date he announced via Instagram after months of teases and delays.[1][2][4] The project arrives in multiple formats including vinyls, CDs, cassettes, and digital streaming platforms, marking Rocky’s first solo album in seven years.[1][4][5]
The Harlem rapper built anticipation through a series of singles and previews dating back to 2023. Rocky kicked off promotion with “Riot (Rowdy Pipe’n)” on July 20, 2023, followed by previews during Paris Fashion Week in June 2024 and an initial release announcement for August 30, 2024.[1] Delays due to sample clearances and leaks pushed it back, as Rocky explained in a Billboard cover story interview on August 22, 2024, shifting the target to fall 2024.[1] According to Billboard, he cited those issues in a social media post.[1] Subsequent singles included “Highjack,” “Tailor Swif,” “Ruby Rosary,” and “Pray4DaGang” in 2024 and 2025.[1]
By March 2, 2025, Rocky confirmed the album was in mixing and mastering stages, telling fans he was challenging himself with new tactics.[1] On December 16, 2025, he unveiled the cover art designed by filmmaker Tim Burton and locked in the January 16, 2026, date, partnering with Bilt for a limited vinyl edition.[1][2] Recent singles “Punk Rocky,” featuring Winona Ryder in its video directed by Rocky, Folkert Verdoorn, and Simon Becks, dropped January 5, while “Helicopter$” arrived January 12 with a video by Dan Streit.[1][4][6] Production credits boast heavyweights like Pharrell Williams, Mike Dean, Madlib, Metro Boomin, The Alchemist, Dean Blunt, and Danny Elfman, with the project drawing a “German Expressionist” aesthetic inspired by Burton.[1][2][4]
The album features 15 to 18 tracks—sources vary slightly on the count—with confirmed guests including Tyler, The Creator, Westside Gunn, Doechii, Brent Faiyaz, Thundercat, Gorillaz, BossMan Dlow, will.i.am, Danny Elfman, Jon Batiste, Slay Squad, and Jessica Pratt, per Spotify billboards and updates.[2][4][6] Tracks like “WHISKEY (Release Me),” “ROBBERY,” “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY,” “Helicopter$,” “Order of Protection,” and “Interrogation (Skit)” headline the list.[2][4][5] Don’t Be Dumb shattered records with over 1 million Spotify pre-saves, the most for any hip-hop album, and 130,000+ physical pre-sales including a “Shirthead” vinyl with Quince.[2] This release caps a tumultuous period for Rocky, including legal clearance in early 2025 and personal milestones like welcoming a third child with Rihanna in September 2025, positioning the album as a major hip-hop event amid high commercial hype.[4]
