TILT is Songbird's album review section! I make it a weekly mission to listen to new music, and the one that makes the biggest impression on me gets a video and a blog post. It's all about celebrating music all across the spectrum. Please enjoy
Delays started in 2024, with the initial August 30th release date being pushed back to just simply "The fall of 2024". For a minute, it seemed like the album was on track to be released on time, with singles "Highjack," "Tailor Swif," and "Ruby Rosary" being released leading into the autumn season. However, the fall came and went. The craziest thing is that none of these "singles" are on the album. Which is wild because you can tell the time that went into them, and they were fun, especially "Highjack"!
The next thing we heard was on March 5th, 2025, when Rocky said Don't Be Dumb was being mixed and mastered, hinting that it was going to ship that year.
Then July 4th, 2025, happened. He released "Pray4dagang"... but unexpectedly, it was removed two days later. No one knows why this happened. Best guesses online point to the reception of the song.
The main response to A$AP Rocky's missteps recently has been a section of "Family Matters" by Drake, where he addresses Rocky:
"I ain't even know you rapped still 'cause they only talkin' 'bout your 'fit again / Probably gotta have a kid again 'fore you think of droppin' any shit again / Even when you do drop, they gon' say you should've modeled 'cause it's mid again"
This quote has been very popular in the Rocky discourse, with people dropping it in every post he's in, and especially when Rocky had a kid this past year.
After July 4th, it was radio silence for five months, coming back on December 16, 2025, with a new album cover and a January 16th, 2026, release date.
Now it's been out for a week, and it's just fine...
With the years of delays, the good scrapped singles, his talk-up to the album, and the cool visual world this album had, I expected a classic. Why would you scrap great singles if new songs weren't better? All of his moves seemed like we were leading up to a classic. After hearing the newest singles ("Helicopter" and "Punk Rocky"), I was expecting a classic. And we needed it to be, especially with that Drake line sitting in every comment section around this album. The last thing I personally want is a Drake own, and this feels like one. Which I hate.
The Highs:
PUNK ROCKY: Although this song is trying to cosplay as "Sundress," it is still such an enjoyable cut. A$AP sounds incredible on this.
ROBBERY: This is a song I did not know I needed in any way. Doechii and Rocky over WHIPLASH???? Yeah, it was a shock for sure, but damn, is this thing fun.
Visual Direction: I was a little concerned when I saw the new cover, with contributions by Tim Burton. It seemed lazy and clashing to me. Although I still don't love the cover, the PS3 videos, the nefarious little drawings in the videos, and the visuals for the live show give this album such a cool feel. It's definitely trying to be something imperfect and rowdy, which is awesome.
A Complaint:
The Missed Potential: It's solid, but not the classic I'd hoped for. Rocky had all the pieces; the singles showed that, but the final product doesn't live up to the buildup. It's frustrating when you can see the potential, but the execution doesn't quite get there.
To sum it up: At its best, it's fun; at its worst, it's inoffensive.
About Songbird Music Decor
Songbird Music Decor is a wall decor company making customizable posters for music listeners' favorite songs and albums. We aim to provide high-quality, customer-first music posters to fans across America.