A$AP Rocky, seen lately on flame-lit arena stages holding a megaphone as a mic, is speaking a little more quietly than usual. “I was going dummy,” A$AP Rocky says with a strained voice, crediting his vocal ailment to hyping up a crowd in Athens on his final Don’t Be Dumb tour stop in Europe a couple days earlier.
The Harlem rapper chose 2026, after a few teases and false starts, to end an eight-year gap in his discography. He released the chart-topping Don’t Be Dumb in January, and ever since, it felt like Pretty Flacko was everywhere all at once: awards shows, Chanel fashion shows, his own 6,000-plus-attendee AWGE fashion show, magazine covers, and in the streets of Manhattan (security detail be damned) telling the world that he, himself, is a New York Knick.
Calling from Paris, admittedly a bit homesick after all of the traveling, A$AP Rocky gives Rolling Stone his progress report for the year, talking about his record-breaking fashion show, why he’s dyed his hair red, and inviting Riot, his three-year-old son with Rihanna, onstage in Copenhagen. He says he’s gearing up for a mysterious “next chapter” and one more Don’t Be Dumb tour leg across Australia and New Zealand in December. “We gonna go dumb again. That’s the name of that tour,” he says. “I wish I could have hit South America and Africa, but that’s gonna have to be next.” And he teases Disc 2, an upcoming project he calls “an extension” of Don’t Be Dumb.
Your arena tour has hit nearly 50 dates across several countries. How’s it been?
It is a blessing. When I tell you the demographics, it just varies from 11-year-olds to people in their late sixties. I’ve even met people in their early seventies. All in attendance. You know, people bringing little siblings, TikTok users bringing older siblings. I met and connected with a lot of communities, and to be just reconnected with my fanbase and new people, new faces, it was just a blessing, yo.
You told me you’re homesick, but I just read that you announced more dates for December.
You know, third time’s a charm. We’re gonna go dumb again. I got to. It’s gonna be so great.
Something I noticed is that you changed your hair color a little bit. What was the decision to go red?
That’s for the next chapter.
Next chapter like Disc 2?
Nah, Disc 2 is coming out now. I’m dropping something on Friday, and Disc 2 is just about to drop — that’s just an extension of Don’t Be Dumb. The next chapter is, you know, I don’t really want to get too far ahead of myself, but the inspiration behind it was Denzel and Spike Lee, you know, Malcolm X. I’m ready to go redhead on them, go stupid, you know.
So, a little “Detroit red” energy for whatever is next?
[Laughs.] Getcho ass out of Harlem!
I’m actually from Memphis, so I have to ask if you’ll have the hometown producer Hitkidd (who produced Don’t Be Dumb’s “Stop Snitchin’”) on Disc 2?
Of course, you know that, though. It’s Hitkidd on Disc 2, its Hitkidd on the new chapters. At the end of the day, don’t get me started with that. Like, for real, Memphis is in my DNA. If anybody who ever implemented Memphis, Texas, kind of like down South, underground chopped and screwed, bucking kind of music … it’s really me, man. I’m really a student of this shit.
I’m such a fan. Like DJ Spanish Fly, that’s unc right there. Tommy Wright is unc. Like these niggas is a part of me. I’m not even fucking around, I’m not even joking. When it comes to any region, it starts in Memphis, then it travels to Texas, then it travels Midwest, then it comes to New York, then it goes West Coast.
You’ve spent the year all over the U.S. and all over Europe. Do you have a city or country you’d rank with the best energy?
It was Paris because I did like a two-for-one kind of situation. Like I made history, and I pulled off some shit that I always dreamed about doing, you know. We fucking broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the most attendees in a fashion show.
I was just so proud. My moms was there, my kids was there, like my family was there. Everybody was there. It was people there that I didn’t even know was gonna be there, ’cause if I knew that they was gonna be there, I probably would have been a little shy. My mother was right there, you know what I’m saying? My kids are there. [The audience] was throwing bras and shit.
You’ll probably be a lot of those attendees’ first Paris fashion show or only fashion show they’ve ever attended.
Oh, man, I’m at a loss for words. Honestly, me like popping somebody’s cherry for fashion shows? That’s an honor.
To be real with you, I was emotional and I cried on my own and shit like that. I was just thanking God and shit. Like I’m gonna keep it real, you know.
Another big tour moment was having your son hit the stage with you in Copenhagen. How was it to have Riot seeing you at work and soak in that lit energy?
He’s a cutie, man. That’s my boy, there. That’s little Spider-Man. He’s very ready for all of these things. He’s the extrovert out of all of his siblings. And I think he has the strongest personality. So, for him, he’s just very curious. He’s asking me if I sing. He’s asking A$AP Twelvyy if he do music, too.
He’s not really shy. So it was really cool to have him up there, but the funniest thing that’s just going through my mind is like, yeah, you know, it’s my time to do my arenas you know, eight-year hiatus. I’m back. This is their first time seeing their dad on stages. But I’m like, wait till they get a load of mom, wait till they even realize who their mother is. It’s just gonna be fucking jokes.
That’s going to be hilarious. Listen, we’re leaning into Grammy season. Tell me how you’re feeling about Don’t Be Dumb being a contender?
Man, I gotta take something home, man. I put in blood, sweat, and tears. This eight-year hiatus and coming back strong. I feel blessed and confident that we’re gonna do something great this year. I’m really excited, yo.
I’m able to do these arenas. I’m able to come back and make it significant, you know, shake the room and all this other stuff, and still be influential. It’s like I never left, and I love it.
And you’re still releasing. Tell me more about what’s dropping Friday.
It’s a song that we heard before, but I never officially put it out. It’s called “Shroom Clouds.” It’s a fan favorite. I’ve been working on the video for years, and it’s like, perfected. You know me, man. Visually, I do not half-step.
You know, I just needed to get a break in between tours to drop this too, so that they could get ready for the next chapter.
Another recent drop you had was the feature on Quavo’s “Baby Breath,” with Tyler, the Creator and Pharrell. Quavo told VIBE magazine you all were rerecording verses to outdo one another.
Well, I don’t know if he was trying to out rap us, but me and Tyler went dummy. Tyler went into his alter ego, Young Nigga. People don’t really remember him. I just went dummy. Pink-hair roller, Flacko Grim.
We was just having fun on that, and then [Pharrell] is the OG. We couldn’t miss that opportunity. I wish P would have gave me that song, you know what I’m saying? ’Cause I would’ve did the video and all that shit. But shout out Quavo, man! That was a dope joint to be a part of. It’s all love over there, man. Shout out to Migos. Rest in peace to the Rocket.
Ok, last thing. You got to give me something. What can you solidly tell fans about Disc 2?
Disc 2 coming ASAP.
Oh, of course.
It’s everything from the past eight years that they heard from me. We giving it to them officially, and it’s coming with visuals and stuff like that.
Things that I might have made for a commercial, stuff I might have made for movies, it’s officially dropping. So that chapter could be closed and we could go to the next chapter of what’s next.
