A$AP Rocky keeps the momentum rolling for his upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb with fresh visual for the lead single, “HIGHJACK.” Featuring the ethereal vocals of Los Angeles folk-pop artist Jessica Pratt, “HIGHJACK,” was produced by a powerhouse team including Greg Kurstin, Hitkidd, Jordan Patrick, and Zach Fogarty. The track is further elevated by background vocals from Creed B Good and the incomparable Jon Batiste. The new video was directed by Thibaut Grevet along with Rocky and his agency, AWGE.
In an exclusive chat with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Rocky opened up about the creative process behind the track and his collaborations with Pratt and Batiste. “I love just different sounds and whatnot,” Rocky shared. “[Pratt] kind of gave me this kind of Portishead meets Stevie Nicks vibe a little bit. Right. So I always fucked with her as an artist, and so I figured it was necessary to get her, Jon Batiste on this one, and kind of make it feel soulful to bring it on home in the outro.”
“It’s a ‘HIGHJACK'”
Rocky also delved into the track’s deeper themes, describing it as a bold statement in today’s music scene. “I feel like the real is back man, and it’s just like, this shit is for the taking. It’s a hijack. Not only that, it’s just we coming with a whole new aesthetic on everything, especially with German expressionism and the whole ghetto futurism grim thing. So that’s just what the sound sounds like and whatnot. The sonics of it.”
“HIGHJACK” turned heads when it dropped earlier this month, thanks to lyrics that many fans read as a subtle jabs at Drake. The reference to the Future and Metro Boomin song “Like That,” and bars like “These n****s want my wife back” make it pretty obvious, especially with Drake having taken his own shots at Rocky recently.
Don’t Be Dumb, Rocky’s fourth studio album, is set to drop on Aug. 30, 2024 through ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds and RCA Records.
You can find “HIGHJACK” on Apple Music, Spotify, and various other digital streaming platforms. You can pre-save Don’t Be Dumb here.
