A$AP Rocky Appears On “SNL” And Releases A Dual Visual For “Don’t Be Dumb”

A$AP Rocky returned to Studio 8H for the first weekend of his Don’t Be Dumb era. On Saturday (Jan. 17), the rapper made his musical guest debut on “Saturday Night Live” during Finn Wolfhard’s hosting. Rocky opened with “PUNK ROCKY” and later performed a second set featuring the title track from his project and “HELICOPTER.” He also participated in the comedy aspect of the show, appearing in the “Snackhomiez” sketch, where Wolfhard interacts with a group of teen snack enthusiasts along with surprise guest Sabrina Carpenter.

Don’t Be Dumb was released independently on Friday (Jan. 16) and is Rocky’s first studio album in almost eight years. The visual identity for the project has played an important role in its promotion, featuring cover art designed by filmmaker Tim Burton that showcases various Rocky personas.

On Monday (Jan. 19), Rocky continued promoting the album with a dual visual for the singles “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” and “WHISKEY (RELEASE ME).” The video includes Burton, who triggers a chaotic sequence when Rocky’s various personas are unleashed in New York City. One scene features Rocky’s crash-dummy character being hit with a bottle, prompting his Rugahand persona to intervene.

In terms of content, “BLACK DEMARCO” features a mix of bold punchlines and a slower chorus, allowing collaborator Spencer Sutherland to provide a melodic contribution. Conversely, “WHISKEY” incorporates a hook from Damon Albarn and includes ad-libs from Westside Gunn, while Rocky raps about late-night temptations and setting trends.

“How could I resist? Wanna get high as we can get and that’s how we exist,” Rocky conveys in “WHISKEY.” “The deaf don’t play like they don’t hear the kid, read his lips / How to be a pimp? How to be legit? / And live to see this s**t, and die with what you pick It all depends, is she gon’ get freaky and share with all her friends?”