A$AP Rocky calls new single 'Highjack' a 'whole new aesthetic' ahead of album release

Rocky discusses his innovative sound and fatherhood influence as "Don't Be Dumb" drops August 30.

A$AP Rocky has released the lead single, "Highjack," from his upcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb. Produced by Greg Kurstin, Jordan Patrick, Zach Fogarty, Hitkidd, and Rocky himself, the track highlights the Harlem rapper's confident style. 

With lines like “Don’t compare that p—y boy to me (I don’t like that)/ Feelin’ like I’m Sosa, Chiefie Keef (I don’t like that)/ Tired of them n—as sleepin’ on me, I don’t like naps/ N—as f— around and stole the flow and y’all like that?,” fans are left to speculate about who he's referring to.

The single also features other thought-provoking lines, such as “Before we dropped ‘Peso’ on you n—as, you ain’t like Raf/ N—as want a feature from me? This ain’t a life raft” and “These n—as want my wife bad, the people want my next track/ The coppers want my Black a–, f—ed up, but it’s like that.” 

These lyrics remind listeners of Rocky's significant influence in the rap game.

In a recent interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, Rocky discussed his new music and fatherhood. 

Speaking about "Highjack," he said, “I feel like the real is back, man, and it’s just like, this sh– is for the taking. It’s a highjack. Not only that, it’s just we coming with a whole new aesthetic on everything, especially with German expressionism and the whole ghetto futurism grim thing. So that’s just what the sound sounds like and whatnot. The sonics of it.”

Rocky also talked about collaborating with Jessica Pratt and Jon Batiste for "Highjack," saying, “I just love alternative. I love just different sounds and whatnot. [Jessica Pratt] kind of gave me this kind of Portishead meets Stevie Nicks vibe a little bit. … So I always f—ed with her as a artist, and so I figured it was necessary to get her, Jon Batiste on this one and kind of make it feel soulful to bring it on home in the outro.”

Discussing how fatherhood has influenced his music, he added, “I got more personal vulnerable things to talk about and whatnot, and it’s just, I think the trick is having that fine balance of just entertaining and telling a story or giving something, telling somebody listening and view something informative about you and whatnot.”

Don’t Be Dumb is set to release on August 30.