A$AP Rocky, HIGHJACK | Song Review 🎵

Grammy-nominated rapper A$AP Rocky taps singer/songwriter Jessica Pratt for the assist on “HIGHJACK,” a single from his comeback LP, DON’T BE DUMB.

Once upon a time, A$AP Rocky had a sizable impact on rap music.  He landed three top 10 albums, two of which debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200. His third album, Testing, was his least impactful, released in 2018. He hasn’t released an LP since then… Rocky has released singles, with “HIGHJACK” released as his first solo single of 2024. It’s set to appear on his long-awaited DON’T BE DUMB album. Greg Kurstin, Jordan Patrick, Zach Fogarty, and Hitkidd produced it.  Also, the rapper is assisted by singer/songwriter, Jessica Pratt.

“HIGHJACK” features an enigmatic instrumental intro. From the onset, it’s clear that A$AP Rocky is going for an alternative rap vibe.  It suits him. Creed B Good performs the intro (“Like that / Bitches hit my phone talkin’ shit, I don’t like that…”) Beyond the introduction, the backdrop is distinct.  The beat goes hard, and the keys and synths are colorful. A$AP Rocky serves up aggressive and assertive rhymes. His flow is compelling. He comes in hot, spitting, “Fuck your ho ‘cause she like that / Yeah, bitch, fat ass, pretty, I might wife that.” Ooh-wee! He censors himself later: “I just put my finger in the **** ‘cause she like that.” Beyond the sex, Rocky adds, “N*ggas want a feature from me? This ain’t a life raft.” Word. I like the change of pace once Jessica Pratt enters the mix in the second verse. She sings beautifully and contrasts the bold, in-your-face performance by A$AP Rocky (“Been gone so long / I’m back to stay / Bearing is lost / Our liking is changed”). “HIGHJACK” is an intriguing single by A$AP Rocky.  Does it reignite the spark he had during his run in the past? No, but, I’m interested to see what he offers on DON’T BE DUMB.

A$AP Rocky // “HIGHJACK” // A$AP Rocky Recordings LLC // 8.2.24

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; A$AP Rocky Recordings LLC; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Królestwo Nauki, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pete Linforth, Tumisu from Pixabay]