Believe it or not, we’re now nearly a week deep into the new year, which means ASAP Rocky’s long-teased Don’t Be Dumb will be here shortly.
Ahead of the Testing follow-up’s Jan. 16 release, Rocky has recruited Stranger Things alum and frequent Tim Burton collaborator Winona Ryder to lead the cast of the official video for “Punk Rocky,” out now.
Directed by ASAP Rocky, Folkert Verdoorn and Simon Becks, the visual sees five out of six of his Don't Be Dumb alter egos come to life, with Rocky portraying Gr1m, Tommy Revenge as Rugahand, Thoto as Babushka Boi, and the Williams twins as Shirthead and Dummy. In addition to Ryder, the video also stars Danny Elfman, Thundercat, and ASAP Nast.
Ryder’s recruitment is in line with the larger presentation behind Rocky’s latest, which boasts cover art by Burton, plus extensive involvement on the album itself from Oingo Boingo founder Danny Elfman. The Oscar-nominated composer has contributed music to a number of Burton films, including (but not limited to) Ryder-starring titles like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands.
Don’t Be Dumb, set for release this month, comes nearly eight years after its predecessor, Testing. Originally teased under the since-abandoned titled All Smiles, the album, Rocky’s fourth, is expected to feature a wide array of collaborators, with Morrissey potentially among them.
In a previous interview with Complex’s Jordan Rose, Rocky acknowledged the lengthy wait for the album, citing moronic leakers as a key cause for its delays.
“They gotta stop leaking it!” he said at the time. “These dummies got to stop leaking shit. Every time, we have to go back to the drawing board.”
Now billed as a “masterpiece” by Rocky himself, Don’t Be Dumb is slated to arrive on Jan. 16. In the meantime, catch the Winona Ryder-led “Punk Rocky” video up top.
