Rapper A$AP Rocky has revealed that “leaks and sample clearances” have been “disrupting” the release of his new music.
His fourth studio album, *Don’t Be Dumb*, was initially expected to drop at the end of August, but that is no longer the case.
“I want to make the best album ever. I’m sorry for the wait,” he wrote on X, noting that the album has been “six years” in the making.
The Wild for the Night star’s last album, Testing, was released in 2018, but he has continued to perform at festivals and on tour.
His upcoming album is rumored to feature appearances by J. Cole, Busta Rhymes, and his partner Rihanna, with whom he shares two children.
The issue of leaks is not new for the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers.
In an interview with Billboard, he hinted that leaks have repeatedly impacted the progress of his new music over the years.
“They leak a lot of the music and it ruins it.
“Like my ‘Taylor Swift’ video,” he says, referring to a visual for a song named for her that was leaked online last year.
In his post online, A$AP also spoke about “sample clearances“, which refers to the process of getting permission from the owners of copyrighted music to use bits of it in a song.
A$AP Rocky was one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the US, including hits like Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD, and A$AP Forever.
He gained widespread fame after being endorsed by Drake and has collaborated with artists such as Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez, and Kendrick Lamar.
However, he has also been involved in several controversies over the years.
In 2019, he was found guilty of assault following a fight in Stockholm and received a two-year suspended sentence.
In 2023, a judge ruled that the rapper must stand trial on charges of firing a pistol during a feud with a former childhood friend, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.