A$AP Rocky Releases ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Single ‘Helicopter$’ Ahead of Album’s Arrival: Listen

A$AP Rocky is gearing up to release his anticipated Don’t Be Dumb album on Friday (Jan. 16), but the Harlem native decided to drop off a single for fans on Monday (Jan. 12) with “Helicopter$.”

Produced by Kelvin Krash, the twitchy track finds Rocky clearing up that he won’t be wearing Nikes on his feet anytime soon. “Not checkin’ my sneakers, no checks on my sneakers/ Just Puma, Gap and, yeah, the goody GRIM,” he raps.

“Helicopter$” arrived alongside a partially animated music video on Monday. The Dan Streit-directed clip brings the chaos as Rocky leads his crew around the city in a stolen helicopter, while a cop chase ensues.

SWAT team members break in to Rocky’s house and he makes a last-ditch escape effort on the chopper, but unfortunately, falls and splatters to his death.

In the football world, a helicopter tackle is when a player is launched by a defender so that their body is planking parallel to the field and does at least a 180-degree spin. That probably isn’t the helicopter Rocky is referring to in his new single, but ESPN synced “Helicopter$” as the official soundtrack to the College Football Playoff National Championship.

The Mob frontman’s “Punk Rocky” was also used by ESPN to soundtrack a semifinals spot, while Indiana University will battle the University of Miami next Monday (Jan. 19) in the championship, which will be a de facto home game for the Hurricanes with it being played at Hardrock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

It’s been a turbulent road for A$AP Rocky getting from 2018’s Testing to Don’t Be Dumb, but release week is finally here, with the project set to arrive in just days.

Rocky tested the waters with his first single of 2026 on Jan. 5, which saw the release of his indie-leaning “Punk Rocky” single starring actress Winona Ryder in the music video.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.