With his upcoming album still in the works, ASAP Rocky has been busy unloading singles, videos, and another launch with PUMA to hold fans over. On Monday (Sept. 30), Dazed caught up with the New York native to discuss his latest release with the footwear brand, which included a distressed take on the Inhale sneakers and more car mechanic-inspired pieces.
When asked what was on his music playlist while working on the collection, Rocky answered, “I was listening to all sorts of s**t. I was listening to my s**t. I was listening to some old Miles Davis. I was listening to Portishead. I was listening to Stevie Nicks and, of course, golden Hip Hop. You can’t do it without Hip Hop. I love what some of these youngsters are doing, like my boy LUCKI is bodying s**t right now.”
The “L$D” rapper’s Don’t Be Dumb is scheduled to come out in the fall. In anticipation of its debut, he unveiled the Pharrell Williams-produced “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n),” “HIGHJACK” with Jessica Pratt, and “Ruby Rosary” featuring J. Cole.
“Tailor Swif,” which won’t be on the final cut due to it leaking years prior, also got an official release in August. “If you guys ever had a chance to check that out, [it] represents and reflects how I design and approach designs,” Rocky told the publication. “When you have two different shoes that can co-exist and come out at the same time but live and cater to two different worlds — I think that’s a win-win.”
As for his fourth studio album, the ASAP Mob leader emphasized that fans can “expect the unexpected.” He added, “I got a chance to reassess a bit and do some finishing touches before we actually put it out.”
Don’t Be Dumb will be a follow-up to TESTING. The 2018 effort landed at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and housed “Praise The Lord (Da Shine).”