A$AP Rocky on ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Grammy Aspirations & Signing Playboi Carti: ‘Whole Industry Sounds Like an Artist That Derived From My Nest’
A$AP Rocky says he hopes to win his first Grammy for *Don’t Be Dumb*, after the album became his first to top the Billboard 200 in more than a decade. The success followed an eight-year gap between albums and, he says, affirmed that he still has a strong influence on rap culture.
Rocky was speaking after completing a European tour, where he performed for more than two hours each night. He plans to begin releasing the album’s long-awaited second disc with “Shroom Clouds” on 16 October, and says he intends to keep that promise. The interview also covers his decision to sign Playboi Carti to AWGE and the legacy of his 2011 mixtape *LIVE.LOVE.A$AP*.
- *Don’t Be Dumb* topped the Billboard 200.
- Rocky is aiming for his first Grammy win.
- “Shroom Clouds” is due on 16 October.
New here? Start with this
A$AP Rocky is a US rapper who rose to prominence with his 2011 mixtape LIVE.LOVE.A$AP, known for blending Southern hip-hop influences with New York rap. He later founded AWGE, a creative collective and record label, and signed fellow rapper Playboi Carti early in his career.
Rocky’s latest album, Don’t Be Dumb, arrived after an eight-year gap and became his first album to reach the top of the US Billboard 200 in more than a decade. The Grammy Awards are major US music prizes, and a win would be his first.
The story also touches on how artists influence the wider sound of rap and how Rocky sees his own role in that history. His plans for a second disc connect the album’s reception with what he intends to release next.