At the closing of Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles, A$AP Rocky stirred up excitement with a mysterious hint: a white hoodie with “01162026” on the sleeve, believed by many fans to signal the release date of his highly anticipated album.
Fans were buzzing with speculation as the Harlem rapper seemed to drop a major hint about his upcoming project. The numbers on A$AP Rocky’s hoodie have been interpreted to mean January 16, 2026, as the big day for his fourth album ‘Don’t Be Dumb.’
While A$AP Rocky has not confirmed these theories, the rapper has been dropping hints that suggest the album could be released soon. In a Vanity Fair interview, he mentioned working alongside the legendary Danny Elfman. Known for his work on ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Batman,’ Elfman collaborated with Rocky to score some of the album’s tracks. The rapper shared, “Fun fact… Danny Elfman, he just did my album with me that I’m putting out this year. He scored a bunch of the songs.”
Elfman reciprocated the respect by praising Rocky on Instagram, calling him “an amazingly creative artist” and expressing admiration for his diverse influences. A$AP Rocky’s creativity and unique approach to music clearly impressed the famed composer.
The anticipation for ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ is electric, especially considering Rocky’s last album ‘Testing’ dropped back in 2018. Since then, he has released tracks potentially set for his latest offering, including ‘Highjack,’ ‘Ruby Rosary’ featuring J. Cole, and ‘Riot (Rowdy Pipe’n)’, a collaboration with Pharrell.
With contributions rumored from big names like Tyler, The Creator, Metro Boomin, Busta Rhymes, Madlib, and Hit-Boy, the new album promises to be a star-studded affair. These potential collaborations only add to the mounting excitement for what might be one of Rocky’s most ambitious projects yet.
As A$AP Rocky plants enigmatic clues about ‘Don’t Be Dumb,’ fans are left eagerly waiting the official announcement. Whether the hoodie’s numbers reveal the actual date, one thing is certain: the buzz around this album is louder than ever, and its eventual release will be a major moment in music.
