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A$AP Rocky Finally Announces ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Album Release Date: ‘Masterpiece’

After several delays, Rocky's fourth LP is coming in early 2026.

A$AP Rocky Finally Announces ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Album Release Date: ‘Masterpiece’

A$AP Rocky at the 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards held at The American Museum of Natural History on November 03, 2025 in New York, New York.

John Nacion

The wait appears to finally be over. A$AP Rocky made it official on Friday (Dec. 19) as he delivered an early Christmas gift for fans while announcing that his much-delayed Don’t Be Dumb album will be arriving on Jan. 16.

The Harlem native took to Instagram with a post featuring the Tim Burton-assisted album’s cover art, which he’s hailing as a “masterpiece.”


“JANUARY 16 2026 , DON’T BE DUMB VINYLS , CDs , CASSETTES , AND DIGITAL DSPs AVAILABLE , THANKS TO EVERY CREATIVE AND MUSICIAN WHO HELPED ME WITH THIS MASTERPIECE,” Rocky wrote.

More than seven years since Rocky’s last offering, 2018’s TESTING, fans were still hyped to hear that 2026 will be starting with a new album from the 37-year-old.

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“BACK LIKE YOU NEVER LEFT,” one person wrote. Another added: “Let’s go! It’s that time!”

It’s unclear what film maestro Tim Buron’s involvement in the album is exactly, but Rocky previously revealed in his Billboard cover story last year that he played his music for the decorated director.

“I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f–king with it heavy,” Rocky said. “He was rocking his head and he’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”

The theory of a Jan. 16 release date picked up steam when Rocky performed at Camp Flog Gnaw in November, which saw him on stage with the numbers “01162026” emblazoned across the sleeve of his hoodie.

Find the Don’t Be Dumb cover art below. Look for the album on Jan. 16.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.

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Charlotte Day Wilson
Jessica Foley
Charlotte Day Wilson
Concerts

CNE 2026 Bell SOUNDSTAGE Lineup: Charlotte Day Wilson, JoJo, Finger Eleven and More

As part of its partnership with NXNE and a renewed focus on live music, CNE will also welcome a special soon-to-be revealed global headliner presented by Billboard Canada on Aug. 28.

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is embracing its musical roots with a high-profile lineup for 2026.

The beloved long-running fair, baptized The Ex by Torontonians, has unveiled the full list of artists who will be headlining the newly-named Bell SOUNDSTAGE at the Bandshell to celebrate the event's 147th edition. Canadian stars like Charlotte Day Wilson and Finger Eleven as well as international pop star JoJo have been added to this year's programming, which reflects a diverse mix of renowned names and rising stars across a multitude of genres including pop, hip-hop, Punjabi music and soca, among others. They join previously announced acts like Lights, Lupe Fiasco, Shaggy and more.

This year, the exhibition is partnering with Toronto music festival NXNE, to modernize its musical programming with chart-topping artists and newer acts, and revamping the Bandshell as the Bell SOUNDSTAGE. “Music is such a massive part of who we are,” Mark Holland, CEO of the CNE, told Billboard Canada in April during his Executive of the Week interview. "Connecting everybody to that is a democratic mission that we are really invested in."

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