ASAP Rocky released his album Don’t Be Dumb on January 16, and in promotion of the project, he has gone on an extensive press run, including an appearance on SNL, hosting a live pop-up, and now airing a livestream of him performing tracks from the album on January 18, or ASAP Yams Day. The date marks 11 years since the passing of the ASAP Mob member, with Rocky hosting the livestream as a tribute in his honor.
ASAP Yams was a defining cultural tastemaker in the 2010s rap scene, playing a central role in shaping and pushing forward ASAP Rocky’s sound and vision. That influence created a ripple effect. Rocky later discovered and developed Playboi Carti, who would go on to become one of rap’s most influential figures himself, helping usher in artists such as Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson. Because of this legacy, the ASAP Mob has traditionally hosted Yams Day concerts featuring major names like Lil Yachty, NAV, and Metro Boomin. This year, Rocky took a more direct role, hosting the livestream in remembrance.
The livestream was presented as an airing of a previously taped performance Rocky recorded sometime before the album’s release, “in front of a studio audience in New York City,” according to a message shown before it began.
The performance opened with Rocky unmasking himself as he worked on an NYC taxi inside a garage. He then approached a table stacked with CDs and vinyl copies of Don’t Be Dumb being passed around by his crew, at which point “ORDER OF PROTECTION” began. Rocky rapped in the garage alongside his crew as flashy edits transitioned into the next track, “HELICOPTER.” For this song, Rocky is filmed inside a Don’t Be Dumb-branded helicopter flying over the boroughs of New York City before circling the Statue of Liberty. He sports his signature hair curlers and carries a D.B.D. megaphone.
The song is suddenly interrupted by faux news reports playing on AWGE-branded televisions, referencing Rocky’s creative agency. The reports claim that the Statue of Liberty’s head has been stolen and is officially “missing.” Edited footage shows Rocky’s helicopter lifting the statue’s head before transitioning into “STOLE YA FLOW.” The alleged Drake-aimed diss serves as the soundtrack to Rocky speeding through the streets of New York City in a cab, dodging the feds on his way to his “hideout.”
These first three tracks, all presented as pre-filmed segments, set the stage for Rocky and his crew to “steal” the Statue of Liberty’s head and make their way to the “hideout” where the stage of the live portion of the performance begins.
Once Rocky arrives at the stage, where he remains for the rest of the set, the stolen head of the Statue of Liberty looms behind him. “SWAT” becomes the first song performed live, as a group of white-masked background dancers surround him, similar to those from his track “RIOT,” nodding and moving to the hard-hitting track.
The Harlem rapper then shifts gears, performing the more soft-rock-leaning “PUNK ROCKY.” As the song ends, Rocky dances to the beat before transitioning into the throwback “ASAP Forever,” the only song on the setlist not taken from his newest album.
The lights go dark as Rocky engages in a call-and-response with the audience, yelling “GANG!” followed by “ASAP.” Because the track features a string sample from “Porcelain” by Moby, Rocky brings out a full orchestra to support the performance. Suddenly, a masked figure steps forward and unmasks himself, revealing composer Danny Elfman, known for his long-running collaborations with Tim Burton on films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, as well as Burton serving as the album art designer for Don’t Be Dumb. Elfman takes on the role of conductor, raising his arms and directing the orchestra as the musicians beautifully complement the song’s grand melody. As the track continues, an artist steps onstage and begins painting ASAP Yams’ signature birthmark onto the Statue of Liberty’s head.
Rocky then flows into “STAY HERE 4 LIFE,” his track featuring Brent Faiyaz. The song is again supplemented by the live strings, as it samples Faiyaz’s “Full Moon,” prompting Rocky to tell the audience, “Make some noise for this beautiful orchestra.”
Rocky wraps up the performance by calling the final song “a real treat,” closing with “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY,” which samples Clairo’s “Sinking.” The stage lighting dims to a single spotlight on Rocky as crowds of masked people dance and cheer, while the live orchestra accents the song’s ethereal instrumentation.
The performance ends with the sun rising over the newly altered Statue of Liberty, now embellished with ASAP Yams’ birthmark and tattoos. The screen reads “HAPPY YAM$ DAY 2026,” as the extended sample of “ASAP Forever” plays and Rocky shouts, “Rest in peace, ASAP Yams,” to close out the livestream.
See the setlist for Amazon Music x A$AP Rocky Songline stream below:
“ORDER OF PROTECTION”
“HELICOPTER”
“STOLE YA FLOW”
“SWAT”
“PUNK ROCKY”
“A$AP Forever”
“STAY HERE 4 LIFE” (feat. Brent Faiyaz)
“DON'T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY”