Rihanna Cheers On A$AP Rocky as He Reveals Cinematic New Album ‘Don’t Be Dumb’
Written by b87fm on 12/17/2025
A$AP Rocky is officially back in album mode—and Rihanna is right there supporting him.
The Harlem rapper unveiled the cover art for his long-awaited project Don’t Be Dumb on Tuesday, instantly setting social media buzzing. The striking, film-like visual sparked speculation about a possible collaboration with legendary director Tim Burton, a theory Rocky leaned into with a deliberately cryptic caption.
“SORRY 4 THE WAIT DON’T BE DUMB FINALLY HERE! THANKS TIM BURTON FOR HELPING ME MAKE THIS MOVIE,” Rocky wrote.
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Rihanna quickly made her presence known in the comments, offering a rare but emphatic public show of support for her longtime partner.
“So f*cking proud!!!! LETS GOOOO BABY,” the global superstar wrote, a message that immediately caught fans’ attention.
While Rocky’s post hinted at Burton’s involvement, the reality is more nuanced. In a 2024 interview with Billboard, Rocky discussed the album’s dark, cinematic vision and his admiration for Burton’s aesthetic.
“In this very moment, it’s very grim,” Rocky said at the time. “It’s infusing German expressionism with ghetto futurism.”
From the start, Don’t Be Dumb was designed to feel less like a traditional album and more like a full-length film. Rocky revealed that he originally hoped Burton would create the cover art, but scheduling conflicts prevented a direct collaboration. Still, the two connected creatively.
“I sat and played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f*cking with it heavy,” Rocky recalled. “He was rocking his head like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”
Although Burton didn’t design the artwork, the album still carries his influence. Rocky enlisted Danny Elfman—Burton’s longtime composer collaborator—to contribute musical elements across the project, including on a track produced by The Alchemist.
With Rihanna publicly cheering him on and a cinematic vision finally coming into focus, Don’t Be Dumb is shaping up to be one of Rocky’s most ambitious releases yet.
