At a Glance
- A$AP Rocky released “Helicopter,” the second single from Don’t Be Dumb, on January 12
- The video-game-style clip ends with Rocky dangling from a helicopter before the cord is cut
- The album arrives January 16, his first in eight years
Why it matters: The rapper is staging a high-stakes comeback with a visual spectacle that insists it’s “NOT AI generated.”
A$AP Rocky is literally hanging by a thread in his latest release. On Monday, the 37-year-old unveiled “Helicopter,” the second offering from his long-awaited fourth album Don’t Be Dumb, alongside a chaotic animated video that he co-directed with Dan Streit.
Inside the Helicopter Video
The three-minute clip opens with Rocky piloting a toy helicopter inside a dimly lit room. Within seconds, the scene erupts into rooftop ragers, street brawls and low-flying plane stunts rendered in holographic 3-D. The final shot shows the rapper suspended beneath a real helicopter; the cord snaps and the screen cuts to black.
On Instagram, Rocky repeatedly shut down speculation that artificial intelligence created the visuals:
> “THIS S— GO DUMB!! HELICOPTER MUSIC VIDEO OUT NOW!! DON’T BE DUMB CHANGING THE GAME !!! THIS VIDEO IS NOT AI GENERATED! JUST GENERATIONAL.”
The track itself pulses with high-energy beats and the rapper’s signature wordplay:
- “Take my white tee off, spin it like a helicopter”
- “F— with young Pretty Flacko, I Petey pop you”
The Road to Don’t Be Dumb
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Album announcement | February 2024 (GQ interview) |
| Cover art reveal | December 2024 |
| First single, “Punk Rocky” | December 2024 |
| Second single, “Helicopter” | January 12, 2025 |
| Album release | January 16, 2025 |
“Helicopter” follows December’s “Punk Rocky,” which cast Winona Ryder as Rocky’s cookie-bearing neighbor in a garage-party vignette. Both songs will appear on the 18-track album, available for presave on major platforms.
Eight Years in the Making
Rocky’s last studio album, Testing, dropped in 2018. Speaking to GQ last February, he acknowledged fan fatigue over delays:
> “People are tired of hearing about updates about the album. They just want to hear some s— to see where I’m at.”
The rapper promised a fresh approach:
> “I’m challenging myself. I approach it with a different tactic, degree, or finesse.”
The Tim Burton Collaboration
The album artwork features six alternate personas the rapper created with director Tim Burton:
- GR1M
- MR. MAYERS
- RUGAHAND
- BABUSHKA BOI
- DUMMY
- SHIRTHEAD
A press release states the cover is designed to “offer a window of unforgettable moments across the course of Rocky’s illustrious career.”
Key Takeaways
- A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb era officially begins with “Helicopter,” a track that pairs brash bars with a death-defying visual
- The rapper insists the video’s stunts are practical, not AI-generated
- After an eight-year hiatus, the January 16 release will test whether his experimental streak still resonates
