A$AP Rocky has opened up about the frustrating impact music leaks have had on his creative process and his upcoming album, ‘DON’T BE DUMB’. He was quite open in his conversation with NMD on July 20, 2023, saying that after the track is leaked, there won’t be much of a chance for it to appear in the final album.
“Most of the songs that I usually perform and stuff like that, people leak them,” Rocky said. Once they’re leaked, it’s just like, nah, it’s not on the project.”
According to Rocky, the major reasons for the push-backs on his ‘DON’T BE DUMB’ album have been leaks. Every time he gets the leak of a track from his album, he is compelled to reach back to the drawing board, which has slowed him down in the past year. This is not just a personal problem but one many artists in the industry face, as evidenced by a recent massive leak that included hundreds of unreleased tracks from various hip-hop artists.
A$AP Rocky speaks on the impact of leaks, says leaked tracks won’t be on ‘DON’T BE DUMB’ ❌
“Most of the songs that I usually be performing and sh*t like that, motherf*ckers leak it and once it’s leaked, it’s just like, nah, it’s not on the project.” (via NMD) PIC.TWITTER.COM/7N9WTYYVIO
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) AUGUST 2, 2024
Despite all these adversities, A$AP Rocky is all geared up and ready to release ‘DON’T BE DUMB’ on August 30, 2024. It will be a blend of new singles and some fresh material; however, the exactness of this tracklist remains to be discovered. Everyone’s on their toes over what that album would turn out like considering those leaks and Rocky’s promise to give his best.
Rocky’s statements broaden the conversation on the impact of music leaks in the industry. Many artists share similar frustrations, and his openness may encourage many others to speak out about their experiences. This may catalyze more empathy for what artists fight against in terms of protecting their work and keeping projects intact.
A$AP Rocky has encountered similar situations with leaks in the past. His ‘All Smiles’ was leaked several times, with tracks like “2 Piece” featuring Juicy J, “Clouds” featuring Lil Uzi Vert, and “Frankenstein”. Cozy Tapes 2.5 also suffered a few track leaks.
Leaks have been uncontrollable for him; he has lost count of how many disrupted his release plans and creative process. He, however, moves on and continues to forge ahead with the music.
On forums such as Reddit, fans have shared news of Rocky‘s strict commitment to maintaining the quality of his music. Some believe that these tracks were never meant to make it onto the album; he must have had a sense of what was worthy of his final product, given that fans are speculating about his decision to exclude leaked tracks. It reflects something greater: truly admirable artists who put their vision above fan expectations.
Many have been very excited about DON’T BE DUMB, with fans making predictions on what songs will make the album and how Rocky could even work around leak mishaps to make a great project. This got people talking more about potential collaborations and the album’s overall theme.
The upcoming ‘DON’T BE DUMB’ is supposed to represent Rocky’s fourth studio album, his first full-length project since 2018’s Testing. It features high-profile collaborations with a morally diverse production line, including Pharrell Williams, Tyler, the Creator, Thundercat, and Metro Boomin. Sources say guest appearances from people like Rihanna, Morrissey, and J. Cole are attached.
A batch of singles has already been rolled out to warm up the disc, including “Shittin’ Me”, “Same Problems?”, “Riot [Rowdy Pipe’n]” and “Highjack” featuring Jessica Pratt. Rocky has been teasing the release, posting bits and pieces at various performances to keep fans salivating until August 30.
