-
8.0
143437
8.0 |
Clash
With rap sliding away from the Billboard charts, it’s crucial, headline-making releases like this that keep the sound prominent, while still sneaking in underground ideas – once more, A$AP Rocky is one of the best out there
Read Review
-
8.0
143443
8.0 |
The Arts Desk
He sounds comfortable in his skin and aware of where he stands culturally
Read Review
-
8.0
143450
8.0 |
NME
After years of false starts, the rapper re-emerges poised and polished, delivering a comeback that shines brightest in its psychedelic, cinematic moments
Read Review
-
7.7
143438
7.7 |
Beats Per Minute
Don’t Be Dumb is an album about presence. It doesn’t shy away from Rocky’s past, nor does it pretend he’s finished glancing sideways into the future. It’s a return and in an era where many rappers chase reinvention or retreat into nostalgia, that alone feels like its own kind of statement
Read Review
-
7.5
143565
7.5 |
Earmilk
Don’t Be Dumb is by no means a bad album, but it falls short of its fullest potential despite being quite a solid listening experience for the most part
Read Review
-
7.0
143446
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
The rapper's first album in eight years is a grab bag of braggadocio, shots at rivals, and genre experiments, delivered with the kind of charisma that reminds you why he became a breakout star
Read Review
-
7.0
143465
7.0 |
Exclaim
It's hardly any wonder, then, that Don't Be Dumb crams eight years' worth of ups and downs and sonic whims into roughly an hour of moody maximalism
Read Review
-
6.8
143439
6.8 |
Pitchfork
Rocky’s fourth album is flawed but sharp, and contains enough moments of ingenuity to argue that he’s still an essential part of the rap ecosystem
Read Review
-
6.7
143440
6.7 |
Consequence Of Sound
Don’t Be Dumb isn’t quite the cultural leap Rocky was hoping to make, but it is a step in the right direction. He’s still that pretty motherfucker — but to have a lasting legacy in hip-hop, he needs to be more
Read Review
-
6.0
143441
6.0 |
The Guardian
Now a father of three and burgeoning actor, Rocky finally comes back to music with his strongest album since his 2013 debut – though there’s plenty of flab
Read Review
-
6.0
143444
6.0 |
No Ripcord
While the relatively strong finish suggests he’s not a spent force, it is ultimately insufficient for me to recommend Don’t Be Dumb as a whole album. Rescue the highlights and move on
Read Review
-
5.0
143442
5.0 |
Paste Magazine
Rocky’s long-delayed fourth album is uneven and overstuffed, but its flashes of menace, glamour, and genuine weirdness prove he’s not just a fashion relic
Read Review
-