A$AP Rocky – “Highjack” (Feat. Jessica Pratt)
The world has been waiting on a new A$AP Rocky album almost as long as it’s been waiting on a new Rihanna album, and we keep hearing reports about that new album, which now has the title Don’t Be Dumb and which is reportedly coming out this month. Rocky remains plenty active, and he’s recently guested on tracks from Future and Metro Boomin, the Free Nationals, and Denzel Curry. Now, Rocky has finally come out with a new single of his own, and it features Jessica Pratt. Surprising! Also, cool!
Jessica Pratt, Californian master of astral folk, released her album Here In The Pitch earlier this year, and it’s one of the year’s best. In a recent Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Rocky says, “I just love alternative. I love just different sounds and whatnot. [Jessica Pratt] kind of gave me this kind of Portishead meets Stevie Nicks vibe a little bit, so I always fucked with her as an artist.”
Rocky co-produced the new song “Highjack” with Hitkidd, Zach Fogarty, Greg Kurstin, Jordan Patrick, and Rex Kudo. The sound is sunny, spectral boom-bap, a bit like what Rocky was making when he first came in more than a decade ago. On the song’s first half, Rocky locks in and talks his shit: “These n***as want my wife bad/ The people want my next track/ The coppers want my Black ass/ Fucked up, but it’s like that.” Then the song becomes looser and more expansive, and Jessica Pratt’s voice comes in, with Jon Batiste singing backup vocals. Cool song! Listen below.
Don’t Be Dumb is supposedly out 8/30, though I’ll believe that when I see it. Read our recent Jessica Pratt interview here.