A$AP Rocky graced fans with a self-helmed Beats Studio Pro ad campaign that made its debut today (July 20). It’s accompanied by his new Pharrell-produced track, “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n).” In the intro, Rihanna also added an endearing audio touch to the commercial.
Within the span of a minute, the video titled “Iconic Sound” showcased the New York artist’s directing prowess by immersing viewers in a playful narrative. As the rapper can be seen adjusting the beat of his new single in his home studio, Rihanna interjected with a seemingly mundane yet adorable request. She shouted, “Babe! Can you go to the store? We ran out of diapers.”
Embracing the urgency of RiRi’s request, Rocky leaped into action. Clad in his signature Timberland boots and sporting new Beats Studio Pro headphones over a white tee tied around his braids, he raced through New York City to fetch diapers.
Nimbly dodging obstacles, the artist eventually arrived at AWGE Bodega, which is cleverly named after his creative agency. He purchased a package of AWGEY’s Diapers, featuring a charming picture of his and Rihanna’s 1-year-old son RZA. Just as the new track suggests, Rocky’s presence stirred up quite the riot as paparazzi swarmed around the bodega.
After a frenzied dash home, RiRi later threw a comic wrench in the narrative. “Babe! You gotta go back. These are the wrong size,” she said.
The ad campaign for Beats not only marked Rocky’s debut as a commercial director but also generated buzz for his upcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb. The speculation surrounding the musician’s reference to Rihanna as his “wife” in the track fueled anticipation for his album and their relationship status. “My wife is erotic, I’m smokin’ exotic,” he rapped, giving fans much to chew on.
After welcoming their son last year and announcing a second child on the way, the couple’s bond appears stronger than ever. Rih opened up about their partnership in a February interview with British Vogue.
She stated, “We’re best friends with a baby. We have to be on the same page, but we’ve always kind of had that in our relationship. Everything changes when you have a baby, but I wouldn’t say it’s done anything but made us closer.”
The A$AP Mob member also promised an array of unreleased songs in his upcoming album, including the Miguel and Thundercat-assisted “Same Problems?” and collaborations with Metro Boomin. “This next album needs to be just called Flacko Boomin,” Rocky told GQ while revealing the story of their connection dating back to 2012.
Available on all streaming platforms, listen to “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)” below.